COCKNEY GREENBACKS.

79

All sorts of anachronisms do manage to creep in, even at the best theatres, at times. In a leading London theatre one of the most celebrated actors of his day once made the blunder of wearing spectacles in a piece, the time of which was one century antecedent to their invention; Kean, as Crichton, played on a modern pianoforte; and pistols and guns are used in all our theatres, in many pieces, the supposed dates of which are prior to the invention of fire-arms.

At the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York, a short time ago, Mr. James Lewis played the part of John Hibbs a London dry-goods drummer, in Robertson's comedy of "Dreams." The scene is of course laid in England; but at one point it was funny to see the generous-hearted Hibbs, take out his pocket-book, and present the suffering hero with a liberal donation of greenbacks, instead of notes of the Bank of England. This mistake-trifling as it seems -was amply sufficient to destroy the stage illusion for the moment; for the idea of a London cockney presenting a fellow foreigner with American greenbacks was a little too ridiculous.

The costumer or wardrobe keeper is generally a very humble individual of either sex.

It is not an unusual occurence for the wardrobe keeper to have lodgings in the theatre. These are of course furnished gratis by the manager, who gets his reward in their adding one more watchman to those specially engaged for the purpose. But I may here remark that I should have to be placed pretty low on fortune's ladder before I would consent to pass my days and nights sleeping or waking with the lugubrious surroundings of musty stage duds,-odds and ends of a, more multifarious character than were ever found in any old curiosity shop, unceasingly about me. But tastes differ.

One of the most novel and brilliant effects I ever saw

80

LOGAN AND THE HIGHWAYMEN.

on the stage was due to the invention of the costumer. It represented-by dresses worn by a number of young men and women-a whole pack of cards; with the four queens, the four kings, the jacks, all the different suits, spades, clubs, diamonds, and finally the large spade ace. It was very curious; the costumes being peculiarly quaint. The effect was heightened by these people dancing in such a manner as to represent shuffling the whole pack together, then suddenly breaking into groups of all one suit -clubs in one, spades in another, hearts in another, and diamonds in another.

The idea which many people entertain, that the "jewels" worn on the stage are of great value, has led to many unpleasant results for actors. It seems absurd that any one should imagine an actor's costumes and jewels to be of the fabulous value of the kings' and queens' who are represented as wearing them; but my father used to tell the story of an attack which was once made upon him, brought on by this delusion.

He was traveling about the country giving theatrical performances in various towns, and journeying of course by stage coach.

A band of highwaymen, seeing his large chests, his numberless trunks, boxes and baskets, conceived the idea that any body traveling with such an amount of baggage must be loaded down with wealth, and the trunks crmamed full of silver ware.

So in one of the lonely mountain gorges of Pennsylvania, and just as the night was falling, five ruffians with clubs attacked the coach.

My father and mother were alone, the rest of the company having gone ahead..

The driver seemed inclined to side with the ruffians, hoping of course to share the booty; but my father had no mind that things should take this turn.

THE CROWN ROBBERS.

81

Quick as thought he drew a stage sword from its scabbard, and being an admirable fencer, attacked his assailants in earnest.

The old sword was dirty and rusty; but my father's determined air, his dexterity in the handling of what seemed to them a dangerous weapon, soon scattered the vagabonds, and prevented no doubt, robbery if not murder.

It would have been an amusing scene to witness the consternation of the robbers if they had succeeded in capturing the trunks. Instead of finding silver ware or other valuables they would have been amazed at the sight of a lot of musty wardrobe, old stage traps, some faded scenery -the whole utterly valueless except to a party of traveling actors.

Many years ago, while a theatrical company were playing at a State Fair, in a certain town in New York State, the leading actress in the company was awakened at dead of night by the sound of some one breaking into her room. She awoke and gave the alarm, and two fellows, who confessed their felonious intentions, were captured.

They said they had seen the actress wear a sparkling crown on her head during the performance at the theatre, and believing it to be set with jewels of untold value, they resolved to steal it, and become as rich as princes by its sale.

The crown was made of bits of burnished lead and glass beads, and was worth about half a dollar!

These fellows were as stupid as a brace of robbers whose exploit was the town-talk while I was in London a few years ago.

An English lady of rank, returning from the Continent, had her trunk placed on top of a cab, got inside, and was driven home.

When she arrived there she found the trunk which contained the family jewels had been stolen.

A

82

PLAY-ACTOR'S TRASH.

In vain the London detectives searched every jewelry shop, and questioned every jewel merchant, not in England alone but in all Europe—the missing valuables were not to be found.

At length, one day, jewels which corresponded to the description, were found at an old clo' shop in one of the most miserable streets in London.

They were seized, and the thieves detected and brought to justice a man and a woman. They confessed to have stolen the trunk, and said they had sold the "jewelry" for a pound-five dollars-to the old clothes dealer aforesaid.

When asked how they could have been so foolish as to sell nearly a hundred thousand dollars' worth of diamonds for five dollars-they opened their eyes in sorrowful wonder.

"Why, yer honor," answered the man, "we never thought for a minute as how they were real jewels; just thought the lady was some play actor woman, and that the whole lot wasn't worth but a few shillings."

Strange to say the old clo' man never suspected his good fortune either, but bought and offered for sale some of the most celebrated jewels in Europe, under the belief that they were "play actors' trash."

When I was fulfilling a round of theatrical engagements in the Southwest, during the war, I was compelled by "military necessity" to pack up my jewels and send them to Cincinnati.

Of course there were a number of stage trinkets in the bag, as well as some little jewelry of real value, but as it happened a fabulous idea had got afloat of the value of my little trinkets, and I was offered large sums for the carpet sack "just as it stood," after I had packed it to send it to Cincinnati.

"I'll give you ten thousand dollars for it without opening it," said one gentleman. "I want those ear-rings for my wife."