The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-09-27
Alistellaneoas Selections.
StrOlIing Players.

The footlights brighten, the gas is
turned on in the hall making sever al
smears on the gallery and smoky cell.
ing little more apparent-no flirting
or tanning in this audience-an actor,
in trim tights well waded above the
calf, steps before the curtain. He holds
his cap in his hand, its long damaged
plume gallantly sweeps the floor as he
bows, and he announces that the piece
advertised for the evening cannot be
performed in consequence of the de-
tention of some stage properties and of
Miss Fanny Dorrit's wardrobe, but we
will have the honor of presenting a
piece quite as good, perhaps better than
the one advertised. The assembly
cheers, especially the boatmen in the
gallery, as if nothing equal to that had
ever been heard before, the orchestra
plays II Bacio, the people eat peanuts,
and the comedy is witnessed with gus
to. The peculiarity of a strolling COM
pany's hearers is that they are delight
ed with whatever is done. They think
it is all right when the red crescent
moon Gntended to be weird) whirls
over the last act with its horns stick
ing up perpendicularly, and they do
not object to the witch's costume, i'm
provised out of waterproof cloak and
red handkerchief, and nobody notices
that the witch comes in, without her
cloak, to help make up a crowd of
peasants around the May pole, and on
iiy one smalls boy laughs when the fat
actor, unfortunately obliged to play the
lover drops upon his knees with his
great spherical back to the foot-lights.
The.terable shifts the manager is put to
for scenery do not affect these auditors.
They seem perfectly able to imagine
two gentlemen fighting in wood,
though there is palpable table under
a mirror at the back of the stage, and
care not whether the king prays in a
pothole or oratorio. They admire the
storm, feeble in consequence Of being
carried too far in a box, and think al
good deal of the snow, made of the
actresses love letters, and poured out
of tin pail in the gray canvas sky.
The comic actor, what wonderful fell
low he is to the provincial auditory,
though his legs seem to be done up in
hop saeking, stocking worn out, per-
haps, and how the entire troupe is ap-
plauded! True the players cough and
wheeze dreadfully on account of travel
ing in bad weather, and sleeping in
hotels where the bedroom windows
rattle all night. But what jolly times
they must have travelling, and what
lions they are at the hotels; unless, in
deed, they stop where no tickets can
be sold, have to run away without pay
ing any bills, and get arrested, and have
their trunks and things confiscated.
Even that gives them sort of luster,
and brings out a good house at the next
appearance. But not such a good
house as great quarrel among the per-
formers, when the tragedian fires pis-
.0I and goes off followed by part of
music, and the star cries and faints
ay. How adorable, how divine she
Ia, the richly painted star actress-too
nuch paint on her cheeks, and not
eaough on her chin sometimes. Sc
venteen young gentlemen fall in love
with her at each representation, and
stay in love two weeks at least, unless
they belong to the curions sort, and
stop "a they 90 out TO catch the last