The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-08-09

wagon. Eventually the father settled
down in Wellington, Kas.. and op-
ened barber shop; and it was there
that Fred Stone began his public
career.
p:acticing tumbling and tight
rope walking in his own back yard.
the boy became so proficient that
travelling circus offered him a Job
when he was Il. He took it ana went
on the road to earn $40 a week,
which sometimes was paid and some
times was not. His brother Eddie,
year his junior, went with him.
Joins Dave Montgomery
From the circus the Stone broth
ers went into vaudeville, playing six
performances day in 10-cent thea
ters all over the southwest. Then
they joined an Uncle Toms Cabin
troupe for q while, went back to cir
Gus work, swung into vaudeville
again. And so it went until a day
in March, 1895, when Stones work
took him to Galveston, Tex.
A minstrel troupe was playing
there, and Stone struck up a friend
ship with young actor named David
Montgomery. The two became firm
friends; and when the Ministries wen:
on. Stone went with them. A little
later he and MONTGOMERY went into
partnership.
Their first engagement was in a
New Orleans variety house. at $40
q week. This was more pay than
either had ever drawn; the only
trouble was that they couldn't get il.
The show was forever broke. The
manager owned an oyster bar, and
told the two boys to take it out in
trade" Stone was not a drinking
man, however, and to this da, he
grins ruefully when he recalls his ef-
forts to eat $40 worth Of d sters a
week.
Then the two went to New York,
making their debut at the famous old
Bowery theater. Recognition came
in few years when the partners cot
= contract to appear in London at
the Palace theater, q high-grade
vaudeville house.
THE Wizard Of o."
Their London appearance was q
hit, and in 1900 they returned to New
York to take parts in Charles Froh-
mans musical comedy, 1.-THE Cir,
From Up There" They became
highly popular: so, = couple Of years
later. when q producer was prepar.
. ing to stage THE Wizard Of o." il
occurred to him that this Montgom.
cry and Stone team might we'll be
given the comedy business in it. They
were; and promptly the American
theater-going public realized thai
two new stars Of the first magnitude
had appeared.
!, People who saw 1.-THE Wizard al
Or" will tell you there meyer wa.
another show quite like it. Thu
Scarecrow and the Tin Woodmar
drew laughter from audiences al
, over the country. It played TO
years and brought the two comedi
ans great fame. But Stone remem
bers it chiefly because it was Will,
, playing in this show that he me
Allene Crater. the actress who be
came Mrs. Fred Stone.
"The Wizard Of o." was followe.
BY other hits, notably THE Re
! Mill" Then, their fame secure
Montgomery and Stone got parts i
the show that was to outshadow ii
the rest-"Chin Chin"
Fred Stone still maintains tina
show would be running yet II forum
had been kind. It was one of tn
theater's greatest hits. But Dav
Montgomery died, while the sho,
was at the height Of It's success: an
Stone would not 70 on in it withou
him. Closer than brothers. these tw
had been.
n They say that when Mont9omer
was dying, and Stone stnod a. hi
bedside. Montgomery looked up q
him and said:
Erred, I know that you've bee,
the whole show for . long time
: that people want 10 see you, an
, that I've simply been paid @ par
! owner Of the old trade mark.
know that you've refused offers from
! other managers that would kav
! given you Tor yourself my income q
: | well % yours, and that you've turne'
! them down 70 b loyal 70 your pal.
i "And ] want you 70 know that IT
| ter ] die I'll b. watching you-ul
| there ali the rest Of your life. II
| - with you. III tho time"
Tqrns % Religion
j Perhaps that conversation explain
Whist took placo n Butte, Mont.
few years later.