The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-07-22
THE GREAT POWER OF GOOD ACTING.

A Baltimore paper furnishes this interesting
anecdote:
The occasion was the benefit night of Mrs
Phillips. That lady was playing Jane Shore,
in Maturin's tragedy of that name. The house
and tho Front Street theatre is large one
was crowded. In the first tier. on one side
in a front seat of the box adjoining the pro-
scenium, was conspicuous the burly form of
sailor, with large. red face. He was well
known to many of the audience as Capt. Hugg,
the prosperous owner and master of an East
ern shore oyster schooner. He was watching
the play with intense interest and feeling, as
was manifest from the tears that cOursed down
his Weather-beaten cheeks He also frequent
ly placed his right hand nervously upon his
lett breast; but whether this action had any
connection with his sympathy for the heroine
of the play, or was the result of prudent con-
Germ for the wallet full of Baltimore and Ohio
railroad shinplasters he was known to carry
in that region, the sequel will show.
1t is proper to state here, that, although the
date OF these occurrences was long after the
money panic of 1887 (known as the "shinplas-
ter era'') had subsded and the banks had fully
resumed specie payments, yet the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad company, by some financial
legcrdemain, kept the community flooded with
It's one and two dollar bills, which were almost
the only currency used in the smaller trade
transactions of the city.
The play bad proceeded to the scene in the
last act where Shores beauteOus wife (late the
omnipotent wife of Edward the Fourth, but
now by Gloster's cruel edict, an Outcast wan
derer in the streets, with none to give her food
or shelter) comes upon the stage, utters a
heart-rendlng monoogue, and falls, exhausted
with starvation and fatigue, TO the ground
AS the accomplished actress proceeded in the
melting relation of her woes the audience
were rapt by her beauty and misfortuncs
that but few of them observed the demonstra-
tons OF Capt. Hugg's passion. That gallant
son of Neptune rose slowly to his feet, con-
yulsed with the throes of a mighty sympathy
and with fearful eyes and bated breath listened
to James pitliul 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, bent over her pros
trate form jerked from his pocket his capacious
wallet, tore it open with trembling fingers, ex.
posing 10 view lis pi!ed-up treasure, and ex.
claimed, IN 4 voice chokcd with sobs, and
! trcmulous with unicigncd emotion
Look up, Mistress Shore look up by
/ Cd, madam, YOU shant starve while I've d
/ Baltimore and Ohio shinplaster in nay pocket
book.
| What followed beggars description. For .
moment the vast audience remained hushed
Is if from involuntary admiration of the big
hearted sailors generosity aud gaantry
| Then. as II the lulicrousncss of the scene
seemed TO flash suddcaly upon them, there
arose such clamor of stamping feet, clappng
| hands pounding of canes, shouts, rOars, yells
shricks, and screams of laughter, as never be.
| fore or since shook the walls of any theatre.
| In the midst of the uproar, Manager Wemyss
made his appearance, politely explained to the
Captain that Mistress Shores wants would be
duly administered 10, and succeed in leading
him of the stage.
| Several Intellectual attempts were made tc
proceed with the tragedy, but the audience
was to" thoroughly imbued with the mirth oc
casionGd by the sailors illusion to settle down
to anything serious Each attempt of Mrs
Shore to regain their lost attention was only
greeted with renewed convulsions of laughter
and cries of Capt Hugg. The shrewd mana
ger only succeeded in restoring semblance Of
order by starting the orchestra in full blast
and ringing on" the ballet, after which q
roaring farce was tolerated.