Stage Confidences: Talks About Players and Play Acting

as apt to give him trouble, he had his physician, an old friend, come to see him back of the scenes. The doctor brought wit

hind the scenes; for if they don't fall into traps, or s

discovery intent. A well-painted scene caught the doctor's eye. He led his friend up to it, to tak

oment the audience burst into shouts of laughter; for right into the centre of the stage had walked, with backs toward the audience, two

he two Dromios"; but he snap

saw than was made by these two dignified old gentlemen; while Owens added to the laughter by taking me

ving parties and sleighing parties, a company of players were "strapped,"-to use the theatrical term, stranded,-unable either to pay their bills or to move on. There wa

udiences as "The Hole in the Wall." The principal comedy par

t a little old maiden lady, who had come in from her village shop to see "the show." She wore two small, sausage curls either side of her wrinkled cheeks, large glasses, a broad lace collar, while three members of her departed f

tion: Joh

scene before. Instead of laughing, however, the old woman took it seriously, and she had to wipe her glass

a little involuntary groan; but as he staggered on at the last, thin as a bit of thread

his stomach groaned, "O-h! how hungry I am!" and then she opened that bag and drew forth two long,

hese. They are awful dry; bu

t, for he accepted the fried cakes, ate them ravenously to the last crumb, and so kept well within

ttention and gained the interest of a well-to-do gentleman, who was

ones as well as I, who have faced them from ocean to ocean, from British Columbia to Florida. Two characteristics they all share in common,-intelligence and fairness,-otherwise they vary as widely

an audience, which at that time was considered quite an interesting event, since there were but one or two of her countrywomen over here then. Th

ut her train ready to "come on," the cue was given, a figure in pale blue and white appeared in the doorway, stood f

have come from one pair of lips, so perfect was its

one of those frail, useless, gilded trifles known as reception chairs. She reached out her hand, and lifting he

orway; I knew it for the head carpenter's. Though in a shirt sleeve, it was bare to the elbow, and not over clean, but strong as a bough of living oak. She seized upon it and lifting herself, with scarlet face and neck and breast, she stood once more upon her feet. And then the storm broke loo

acefully. Her bow was greeted with long-continued applause. Sympathy, courtesy, en

er, "at home they would have his

o heard, "never; they

ey might have applauded, but not at fi

that, figuratively speaking, I knelt at the feet