Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1854-03-25
Scene in the St. Charles Theatre
From the Crescent.l

A scene occurred night before last in the St.
| Charles Theatre, in one Of the private boxes of
the second tier, which, although, such things are
I common in that establishment, created rather
more than the usual amount of noise and con-
fusion in consequence Of not being down in the
| bills.
A couple Of rough looking fellows, one a
large man and the other a small one, who it
appears were fresh from the Australian gold
diggings, had posted themselves in the private
box above mentioned, and in close proximity
to couple of young ladies, who, we are told
were in company with their brother. They had
| scarcely seated themselves when the diminu
| tive Australian leaned back in his cushioned
! seat and extended his legs across the front
railing, permitting pair of boots of enormous
| size and monstrous shape which had probably
been very useful to him in the diggings in tho
way OF crushing out the precious ore from mud
and quartz..-t0 project over the heads of tho
astonshed and insu'ted pit The house shook
with the laundering cry of "Boots!" but the
little digger looked on with the air of one who
does not concern himself about other peoples
tastes, and for all that asound and fury" could
have done the offensive appendages would
have remained there until the present or longer;
but, as he did not choose to haul them in him
self they were forcibly hauled in for him, he, by
way OF remonstrance, remarking that he came
from Australia, and in that country people put
their legs where they pleased Order was re-
stored, they play went on, and the digger, uatu.
rally wearied with its monotony, began to cast
about for other means of amusement.
His eyes fell upon one of the young ladies'
seated near him. She was very pretty. Her
head was adorned with a curious, coquetish-
looking opera cap, her swan.like neck was en-.
crcled by string of rare pearls, upon her
snow-whte polished bosom Cleft reasonably
bare) diamond cross flashed as it rose and fell
with the gentle heaving Of its lovely resting
place, and altogether the digger was much a..
tonished that he had sat 50 long near the beau.
tiful creature and looked At anything else. He
saw no longer the audience, nor the perform.
ance; unconsciously his arm rested upon the
back of her seat; it crept like q secret and eau.
tious serpent around her waist, then up to
where the raven curls swept the rounded,
snowy shoulder, and-we don't know what
possessed. the man2abstemiousne and his
long sojourn in the savage, Australian. wilds,
had perhaps sharpened his perceptions Of fe.
male charms-we don't pretend to account for,
OF give cause for, his conduct; We only state
the fact, the amazing, incredible fact, that his
rutfianly and marauding hand, after thus travel
ing where it had no business, actually sid
down into her warm and unsuspecti1g bosom.
The effect of this singular introduction (for the
lady had never seen him before) was similar to
that which fire. brand would probably produce
if thurst into barrel of gunpowder. Thetwo
ladies screamed loudly and repeatedly, and all
the ladies in the house, not knowing what was
the matter, screamed in concert the brother
leaped to lis feet, drew large knife, and en-.
deavored to rush upon the insulter, but his fair
and frightened companions chung to his coat
tails and held him back; the pit and galleries
vociferated, yelled, stamped and roared, and the
officers finally entered the box and dragged the
diggers ignominiously out, be"towing upon the
offender many muttered curse and many .
we'll deserved thump and kick. They were
taken to the calaboose, and were yesterday
morning fined FIVE dollars each. Richard Argell,
the larger one, we believe. conducted himself
properly enough, but he should have been
severly punished for keeping such rascally CON-
pany. For the other, John Francis Hatfield,
we can't imagine fit punishment. He remark
ed, by way of extenuation. that he came from
Australia, and that the people there put their
hands wherever they pleased.