you writing to?" asked George.

"Huber."

"_F-o-r-t-y._"

* * * * *

All Artists, while playing "the Provinces" in England, stop at
"lodgings," that is, private houses. The landlady always keeps a book,
in which she has the visiting Artists write their autographs, and a line
telling how much they have enjoyed her "lodgings."

E. J. Connelly got into one house where he did not feel like writing
just what he thought about it; but the landlady was so insistent that
finally he took the book and wrote--

"Quoth the Raven; E. J. Connelly."

* * * * *

One night at the Vaudeville Comedy Club the conversation drifted around
to Stage Tramps. It happened that there were several of this style of
the genus homo present and they began a good-natured dispute as to which
had been playing tramp parts the longest.

Nat Wills went back as far as 1885. Charlie Evans said that "Old Hoss"
Hoey could beat that, as he was at it in 1881. John World said they
were mere novices; as he was playing a tramp part in 1874.

Just then Walter Jones wandered in, and the matter was referred to him.

"Boys," he said, stifling a yawn, "you are all Pikers; Mere Johnnie
Newcomers. Why, I played a tramp part in '1492.'"

BIGALOW AND THE BIG SIX

Charles Bigalow, the Hairless Comedian, has passed away; and when you
stop to consider that he put in a whole season in a company with Pete
Daily, Willie Collier, Lew Field, Joe Webber, John T. Kelley and Edgar
Smith, you can't wonder that he passed away. I never could see how
anybody lived through that season. I wouldn't put in a season with that
sextette for all the money Lee Harrison has got. What one of them
wouldn't think of another would; and generally they all thought of it at
once.

One of the scenes that season took place on the deck of a yacht. Daily
and Collier had a scene where they leaned over the rail of the boat,
this rail running across the stage right down next to the footlights,
and while pretending to be looking down into the sea, made fun of the
leader, the members of the orchestra and the audience.

Daily would point down to a couple of chaps and say to Collier,

"Oh, look! there are a couple of sharks."

"How do you know they are sharks?" Collier would ask.

"I was playing poker with them last night," Daily would reply.

Then Collier would get his eye on a party of girls.

"And look at the school of min