The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-07-17
An Amusing scene I'm a Theatre.

IN Amusing 'cSCAO A14 - u uCALECs
The occasion was the benefit night of Mrs.
Phillips. That lady was playing jane Shore, in
Msturin's tragedy of that name. The lhouse-
and the Front street Theatre IL large one-was
crowded. In the first tier; on one side, in front
seat of the box adjoining the proscenium, was
|'conspicuous the burly form Of sailor, with a
large, red face. He was well known to many of
the audience as Captain Hugo, the prosperous
owner and master Of an Eastern Shore oyster
schooner. He was Watching tho play with in
tense interest and feeling, a. WAS manifest from
the tears that coursed down his weather-beaten
cheeks. He also frequently placed his right hand
nervously upon his left breast; but whether this
action had any connection with his sympathy for
the heroine of the play, or was the result of pru-
dent concern for the wallet full of Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad shinplasters he was known to car
ry in that region, the sequel will show.
1t is proper to state here, that, although the
date OF these occurrences was long after the mo-
ney panic of 1887 known as the "shinpaster
era') had subsidized, and the banks had fully re-
sumed specie payments, yet the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, by some financial leger-
domain, kept the community flooded with its one
and two dollar bills, which were almost the only
currency used in the smaller trade transactions
of the city.
/. The play had proceeded to the scene in the
last act, where Shores beauteous wife Qate the
omDipotent mistress Of Edward the Fourth, but
now, by Gloster's cruel edict an outcast wander
er in the streets, with none to give her food or
shelter, comes npon the stage, utters heartrend-
ing monologue, and falls, exhausted with starv.
alton and fatigue, to the ground. AS the accom-.
plshed actress proceeds in the melting relation of
her woes the audience were 80 rapt by her beauty
aud misfortunes that but few Of them observed
the demonstrations of Captain Huggs passion.
That gallant son of Neptune rose slowly to his
feet, convulsed with the throes of mighty SYM
pathy, and, with fearful eyes and bated breath,
listened to James pitiful story. When, at length,
she dropped to the ground seemingly in the last
extremity of exhausted nature, the Captains
compassion reached its climax. He sprang from
the box to the stage, rushed to the actress, bent
over her PROSTATE form, jerked from his pocket
his capacious wallet, tore it open with trembling
fingers, exposing to view its piled up treasure,
and exclaimed in voice choked with sobs and
tremulous with unfegned emotion
"Look up, Mistress Shore, look up By Cd,
madame, you shan't starve while I've Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad shinplaster IN my pocket
book !"
What followed beggars description For
moment the vast audience remained hushed, as
if from voluntary admiration of the big-hearted
sailors generosity and gallantry Then as the
righteousness of the scene seemed to flash sud-
oeniy upon tneIl, tnere arose such cla1nor or
stamping feet, clapping Of hands, pounding of
canes, shouts, roars yells shrieks and screams Of
laughter, as never before or since shock the walls
of any theatre.
In tho midst of the uproar Manager Wemyss
made his appearance, politely explained to the
Captain that Mistress Shores wants would be
duly mnistered to, and succeeded in leading him
off the stage.
Several Intellectual attempts were made to pro-
coed with the tragedy, but the audience was too
thoroughly imbued with the mirth occasioned by
the sailors illusion to settle down to anything
serious. Each attempt Of Mrs. Shore to regain
their lost attention was only greeted with re-
Moved commissions of laughter and cries for Cap
| tain Hugg. The shrewd manager only succeeded
in restoring semblance of order by starting the
orchestra in full blast and ringing on the ballet,
| after which Il roaring farce was tolerated.
| ards Monthly for July. YTerk fH