An "Uncle Tom's Cabin" company was starting to parade in a small New
England town when a big gander, from a farmyard near at hand waddled to
the middle of the street and began to hiss.
One of the double-in-brass actors turned toward the fowl and angrily
exclaimed:
"Don't be so dern quick to jump at conclusions. Wait till you see the
show."--_K.A. Bisbee_.
When William H. Crane was younger and less discreet he had a vaunting
ambition to play _Hamlet_. So with his first profits he organized his
own company and he went to an inland western town to give vent to his
ambition and "try it on."
When he came back to New York a group of friends noticed that the actor
appeared to be much downcast.
"What's the matter, Crane? Didn't they appreciate it?" asked one of his
friends.
"They didn't seem to," laconically answered the actor.
"Well, didn't they give any encouragement? Didn't they ask you to come
before the curtain?" persisted the friend.
"Ask me?" answered Crane. "Man, they dared me!"
LEADING MAN IN TRAVELING COMPANY--"We play _Hamlet_ to-night, laddie, do
we not?"