times are
advancing. We live in a great age--a progressive and changeable age.
There was a time when theatres and theatrical companies were managed or
directed by men who were actors, or had been actors, or by men who had a
love for the business, and had some particular talent or fitness for the
trade; but nowadays all that is changed, and all sorts of chaps have
butted in for the sake of what's in it for them. It is not, let me tell
you, an unusual thing to find the druggist of yesterday, or the
commercial drummer, or newspaper man of the week previous, become the
impresario of an opera troupe or the manager of a playhouse the
following week. This is a most changeable as well as progressive and
strenuous age."

"You speak like a philosopher, Mr. Handy."

"Do they tell the truth?"

"They are credited with doing so."

"Then you can safely bet on my talk."

"Now, then--what about Gotown?"

"I'm with you. We'll tackle Gotown on miscellaneous paper. There's my
hand on it."

That afternoon Handy and the landlord started for the scene of
operations, to look the place over. Before going, Handy had an interview
with the members of the company, unfolded his plans to them, and drew a
flattering picture of the prospects of success. A few of them hesitated
and decided to go home, but enough remained to enable the veteran to
carry out his scheme. To Smith was entrusted the duty of ascertaining
the strong points of the individual members of the troupe and finding in
what particular line their talents would show to the best advantage.

"Try them in song and dance," were Handy's instructions to his
lieutenant, "and all that kind of thing. We will have to fake this show
in red-hot style. We are not going to play to any Metropolitan Opera
House, Dan Frohman, or Dave Belasco audience. Don't forget, old man, we
are going into a mining district where we will have the first go at it.
Quantity not quality must be our motto. Remember, above all things,
Smith, that the corned beef and cabbage of the menu will be more
acceptable for a starter than the roast beef and plum pudding of
dramatic art. Take your cue from the great far West. The young towns out
there have all gone through a similar experience, until now they have
become so fastidious that nothing less than grand opera, with a bunch of
foreign stars, or a presentation of imported plays and play actors can
satisfy their cultivated tastes. Let your show dish be well hashed and
d