The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-18
OLIVE LOGAN.

Her Experience with u Boston Audience.
Miss Olive Logan addresses the following
letter to the editor of the New York z'1bune:-
sir:-Some of the newspapers are making such
q pother over my late experience with a Boston
audience, that il may be worth while to give in
print my views on this subject.
was engaged by the Leisure Committee OF
OF my successes in New York and Washington,
In Chicago. Cincinnati, St Louis, and other
cities supposed the gentlemen who engaged
me knew the character OF my lecture. They
had ample opportunity for learning IL, at least,
before the evening of Its delivery. tor, as had
other business in Boston. was there two
days beforehand, and talked freely on the sub.
ject of theatres TO the two leading members OF
the Committee-On of whom called on nae. by
the way, at a theatre where was occupied with
the mansger Iaese "a gentlemen & Mno%ng ere,s ms
myself. with play st that moment under iull
aaye ME- no intimation that would be expected
TO denounce the stage. need not say that, II
they had should have prepared myself
upon the stage at Music Hail, to find an au-
dience composed principally Of people whose
with tie pencil of the Master-palpably people
without culture, with no taste for art, no liking
for 1t, and who esteemed one branch OF 1.-THE
dramatic-as a branch of the mouse of Belize
bub Il Co. say read this In the faces OF the
people all about me. That ala not read falsely
from my lips the frothy pleasantries which lie
at the beginning of "Stage Struck" l saw half
a.dozen men spring up with holy horror In their
faces, which no words can express-clutch their
meek wives franticslly by the arm, and drag
them out OF my presence, as II had been the
embodiment OF all the witchcratt for which
their ancestors had In vain murdered old wo-
men for SO many years / confess that was
affected by this. 1 had been 30 accustomed to
seeing good breeding In audiences. that the
conduct of these persons almost threw me Oft
my guard. Whatl Men get up and turn their
backs Oh me-with faces pale with consterna.
tion!-and drag their companions out of my
presence, as II they feared should corrupt their
morals beyond cure! What did it mean? Was
1 q sort OF intellectual Banshee? Where was /?
Was dreaming? Was this nightmare?
No; was wide awake. But stood for the
FIRST time before an audience such as l had
never addressed before, and, please God, never
win again. For moment seriously debated
whether should not quietly turn my back on
these people, and refuse TO speak further. but
saw, standing up, all abnnt the Eall ifnr 1t was
denseiy crowded. class of people such as =
am accustomed to seeing in the best seats at
my lectures-a class such as go to hear Miss
Kellogg sing-and for their sake continued
my performance"
But, alas! this was my Bull Run. I had
triumphed on many field before, and have
faith TO believe l may know a Gettysburg yet.
But this time was yanquished.
toSt my art
II am not an artist am nothing, "Stage
Struck" inartistically delivered, is bathos.
Lecture committees, please take notice. / have
yet TO face good many New England au-
Lhences. We shall see what we shall see,
am, sir, most faithfully yours,
OLIVE LOGAN.
New York Authors Union, No. 284 Pearl street,
November l6, 1868.