Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-12-05
a TENNEssEE Do oRKEEfER.
By SOL SMITH.

:. try from Cincinnati. through Kentucky
r East Tennessee. North Carolina. and
u Carolina. into Georgia, with a.srnaL part
s +of recruits for my soufhern rheatres. A
+ Greenville. East Tennessee, we made
/, F'iait. and determined 10 treat Tie iphab
: tants of that beautiful village with tire
i representations of The LEGITIMATE drama,
el1nis carpenters shop, hastily but IasIelps
] fitted mp for the occasion. -.
z The first Representations. was a,.ende
by just sir people, making The total receipt
2 ofihe evening three dollars 5
A My landlord, the carpenter, attribute,
& the slim attendance to Camp. Mee,in!
that was in successful operation abou, tw.
miles from town, and 'reckoned' that if
iwou'd hold on until that broke up, ",
should have foil shops every night. ,r,>.
| Thus urged, we did hold on and ou
next performance was re warded with re-
Iceipi Of two dollars. and half. 49,,
/ lproposed to deesn,p next morning. bu
the printer Of the qreenviile :Exiositor,
who was. oop. The free. list as "a matter ol
course, demonstrated against SO sudden a
move. urging that third performance mus,
be successful. as it was quite certain the
Camp Meeting would break up that NOR.
ming. and the young folks would all return
to their homes. -s>-, -. =.
yielded; and advertised for positively
The last performance the play of William
TELL favori'e afIerpiece, and 10, of COM
ic songs. 80. : :. :.
Al the time Of beginning..l as glad to
and crowded audience in waiting; the
shop. work bench and all, was literally
crammed. One Of The carpenters appren.
tees whom ] had transformed into a citizen
o: Aliorf for the occasion, told me tia, all
but FIVE or six of:,he people in front were
religious folks who had attended the camp
meeting faithfully to it's conclusion. !: =:
The performance proceeded; the actors
were in high spirits. Lyme afterwards
celebrated Mormon elder.) bulIied Gov.
GesIer with great 6erceness; Sarem whack
ed the carpenters apprentice with hearty
good will. while the latter was making a
bow TO the Governors cap. on a pole FIVE
feet and a half high--the. arrow, aimed a,
The apple on AIbert's head few with re-
markable exsctness 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 Gleenvillians.
The farce was honored by peal on peal of
laughter; while the comic songs were doublv
eacored. every one of them! 80
The entertainment over. observed there
was reluctance in the audience to depart
they wanted another song; gave them
'ne. Still they remained as il glued e. 10 +
helr seats. lven, before the curtain asadE:
banked !he>ladies~ and gentlemen for their I
patronage. and informed them the perfot-
nance had concluded. They did not move;
hey wanted yet another song. gave t
hem another; and again told them the en-
er'a'nmen1 of the evening was over; init
mating. at the same time. that the stage
arpenter was waiting to take down the j,
cenery. A gentleman in the gallery, (the lb
york bench) here rose and addressed me /,
follows: Mr.. Sol Smith, sir-I have
cen requested to express the unanimous 70
''sh OF this meeting that you will prolongE
our season. The liberal patronage BE-
owed upon you this evening must have
'nvlnced you that we can make Some. ia
ing OF turnout here; and feel author. II
ed TO say, tina. if you will give us per-
rmance Tomorrow night, You will have ia
lolfer as cr0aOded az this" -: Fin
A mn'mur of applause confirmed the sc
'lnI"n of the speaker, and I was greatly
mpted TO yieldst0 their wishes; but be- et
mixing me OF cer.an announcements for ia
rlormances in towns further south, I was r
Iiged to decline the invitation of nv kind be
"'Iors' aud content myself with the eigh- uE
or ninety dollars which supposed had an
en- contributed that night to my ways IN
d means. Finding me determined. The nc
d'ence gradually dispelsed. each indiyid- |.
casting wishfut aud sidelong glances to: tai
'tds the stage which by this Time wa. !th'
ginning to be dismaniled.. -. 81 aft
Mo'ioning the doorkeeper 10. follows met
o sort OF shed adjoit,ng The ,hea.ree,s Us
oceeded 10 open the ticket box il. fiji,
ssence while he sat down on bench in ne !,
corner TO wait for his waees.. found 'o'
zen tickets il the box, and turning TO the
l''ng doorkeeper. who. was busily- On. IN %
yed in chewing tobacco and splitting. I Oh ~
led him what he had done with the res. OF
They are all thar,' he replied, with >,
at composure, lookingin.entlyon q beam VII VII
the shed and rocking his right knee, w.
ich he held in his clenched hands. and !
'ed about half way from the door TO- bis the
n. =. =:
All th... i, -. =: iha