y--took tickets at the main
door. The late Aaron Hoffman, famous playwright, was opera glass boy
at that time with him, and the well-known star, Taylor Holmes, was one
of his ushers! Eventually he became Assistant Superintendent of that
theatre.

To gain additional experience, Ned worked as a "super" with many
different attractions, including the companies of Olga Nethersole,
Otis Skinner, Walker Whiteside, Julia Stuart, etc., finally playing
small parts in the legitimate and Shakespearian drama.

Having displayed a natural aptitude as a director while holding
"prompt books" at rehearsals, he became a dramatic director and actor
of eccentric comedy and character parts. Then his natural instinct for
dancing asserted itself, and he became a specialty dancer, practicing
from three to eight hours a day to perfect his dancing, incidentally
developing his talent as a musician.

The late Col. John Hopkins saw Ned Wayburn at a society benefit
performance in Chicago, and induced him to play one week's
engagement. Thus Ned Wayburn made his first professional appearance at
Hopkins' Theatre, State Street, Chicago, being billed as "Chicago's
Leading Amateur"--a singing and dancing "black-faced" comedian, doing
a "ragtime piano" specialty, and dancing act. This led to other
engagements. The "piano specialty," which he originated, started the
"ragtime" craze. He played in and around Chicago and the middle west.
He came East to New York, and was booked by the late Phil Nash, on the
Keith Circuit, billed as "The Man Who Invented Ragtime." In his piano
specialty he created the idea of playing the classics in "Ragtime,"
being the first person on the stage to play "Mendelssohn's Wedding
March," "Oh Promise Me," "Star-Spangled Banner," etc., in syncopated
rhythm or "Ragtime." He was also the first on the stage to do
imitations of the harp, bagpipe, mandolin, banjo, etc., on the piano.
His act was much imitated all over the world.

Upon reaching New York he met with misfortune. There was no piano for
him at his opening performance and his original act had been stolen
and performed in New York ahead of his appearance. This culminated in
a period without work. Finally he found himself walking Broadway from
one Thursday morning until late Saturday night, with neither food nor
money!

Having looked forward so much to New York and what he expected it to
bring him, he was at first discouraged and inclined to give up and go
back home with ea