How the Rungs Were Climbed.
He stayed in the chorus only three weeks, being promoted, first to the part of the boatswain, then to that of Ralph Rackstraw, leading man, in which capacity he went on the road. Daniel Bandmann then engaged him for the page in his production of "Narcisse."
The next year young Woodruff was with Adelaide Neilson, in her last engagement, presenting "Cymbeline." She took a great fancy to the little fellow, and used to make up his face for him and give him the flowers her admirers sent her. To the boy she seemed the wonder of the earth, and she was continually talking about the sunshine of his hair and the earnestness of his blue eyes.
After that, young Woodruff was for two seasons with Edwin Thorne, doing Ned in "The Black Flag"—the same Thorne who had inspired the boy with his great ambition. His longest step forward was made in 1887, when he joined the stock company maintained by the late A.M. Palmer, at the Madison Square Theater, starting with Jack Ralston in "Jim the Penman," and creating Lathrop Page in Augustus Thomas's first great success, "Alabama."
Afterward Mr. Thomas wrote for him the rôle of Arthur Hubbard in "Surrender," a war play which unhappily did not chance to hit the popular taste.