American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-08-26
From the ST. Louis Revelile.l
A TENNESSEE DQORKEEPER
BY SOL. SMITH.

In the summer of 1888, (the second cholera
Year, travelled across the country from Gin
cinnati, through Kentucky, East Tennessee,
North Carolina, and South Carolina, into Geor-
ga, with small party of recruits formy south
ern theatres. AT Greenville, East Tennessee,
we made a halt, and determined to treat the
inhabitants of that beautiful village with three
representations of the Legitimate drama, r." in
carpenters shop, hastily but tastefully fitted up
for the occasion.
The first representation was attended by Just
sic people, making the total receipts of the eve
ming, THREE DOLLARS.
My landlord the carpenter, attributed the
slim attendance to Camp Meeting that was in
successful operation about two miles from
town, and "reckoned" that if would ''hold
on" until that broke up, we should have full
shops every night.
Thus urged, we did "hold on" and our next
performance was rewarded with receipt of
TWO DOLLARS AND HALF
proposed to decdmp next morning, but the
printer of the Greenvile Expositor, (who was
on the free list as matter of course, remon-
strated against so sudden move, urging that a
third performance must be successful, as it was
quite certain the Camp Meeting would break
up that morning, and the young folks would
all return to their homes.
yielded-and advertised for "positively the
last performance" the play of William Tell, a
favorite afterpiece, and lot Of comic songs.
At the time ofbeginning, | was glad to find
a crowded audience in waiting-the shop, work
bench and all, was literally crammed. One Of
the carpenters apprentices whom had trans
formed into a citizen OF Altorf for the occasion
told me that all but five or six of the people in
f-opt Er;o JLo u,ha had attnnInl
the camp meeting faithfully to its conclusion.
The performance proceeded; the actors
were in high spirits Lyme, afterwards ce
LIBERATED Mormon elder,) bullied Gov. Gesler
with great ferceness Sarnem whacked the car
penterS apprentice with hearty good will,
while the latter was making bow to the Go
vernors cap, on a pole five feet and half high
the arrow, aimed at the apple on Albert s
head, flew with remarkable exactness into the
horse blanket held up as target TO receive it
behind the scenes, and the play was received
with shouts of satisfaction by the Greenvillians
The farce was honored by peal on peal of
laughter while the comic songs were doubly
encored, every one OF theni
The entertainment over, | observed there
was Il reluctance in the audience to depart
they wanted another song. gave them one.
Still they remained as if glazed to their seats
] went before the curtain and thanked the la
dies and gentlemen for their patronage, and
informed them the performance had concluded.
They did not move-they wanted yet another
song. gave them another-and again told
them the entertainment Of the evening was
discriminating, at the same time, that the
stage carpenter was waiting to take down the
scenery. A gentleman in the gallery (the
work bench) here arose and addressed me as
follows:-"Mr. SOL Smith: Sir--l have been
requested to express to you the unanimous
wish of this meeting that you will protong
qottr season. The liberal patronage bestowed
upon you this evening must have convinced
you that we can make something OF turnout
here; and feel authorized to say, that If you
will give us performance tomorrow night,
you will have another house as crolcded as ms. "
A murmuI of applause confirmed the opIn-
ion of the speaker, and | was greatly tempted
to yield to their wishes; but bethinklng me OF
certain announcements for performances III
towns further south, was obliged to decline
the invitation of my kind auditors, and content
myself with the eighty or ninety dollars winch
supposed had been contributed that night to
my ways and means. Finding me determined,
the audience gradually dispersed, each indi-
vldual casting wishful and sidelong glances to-
wards the stage, which by this time was be-
ginning TO be dsmantled
Motioning the doorkeeper to follow me into
q sort of shed, adjoining the theatre, proceed
cd TO open the ticket box in his presence, while
he sat down on bench in the corner TO wait
for his wages. | found SEVEN TICKETS in the
box, and turning TO the waiting doorkeeper, who