The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-07-29

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 the trout Street theatre is Il large
one-waS crowded. In the first tier. on one
side. in front seat Of the box ad loinin@ the
proScenum, was conspicuous the burlv form
of Il sailor, with large, red face. He was
we'll known to many of the audience rs Cap
tain llu@G. the prosperous owner and master
of an Eastern shore oyster schooner. He
was Watching the play with intense interest
and feeling, Is was manifest from the tears
that coursed down his weathcr-bcatcn cheeks
ouslv upon his LETT breast but whether this
action had amy connection with his sympathy
for the heroine of the play, or was the result
of prudent concern for the wallet full Of Balti-
more and Ohio railroad shinplaster> 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 ''Shin-
plaster era had subsidized, and the banks
had fully resumed spccie-paymentS, yet the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad company by some
financial legcrdemain. kept The community
flooded with its one and two dollars 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 bcautrous wife (late
the omniputen mistress of Edward tie Fourth
but now by Gloster'- ,ruel edict, an outca>t
Wanderer in the streets. with none to give her
food or Shclter) comes upon III" stage. uttcrS
a heart-rendng monologuc, and falls eN-
hauSted with starvation and fatigue, to the
ground. As the accomplished actress pro
ceedel in the melting relation other woes the
audience were so rapt by her beauty and mis-
fortunes that but few of them observed the
demonstrations Of Captain Hu@g'S passion.
That gallant son of Neptune rose slowly to
his feet, convulsed with the throeS Of mighty
sympathy, and with fearful ewes and bated
breath listened to James ptiful story. When,
at length, she dropped to the ground, seem
mgly in the last extremity of exhausted ma
ture, the captains compassion reached it, eli
max. lie sprang from the box TO the stage
bent over her PROSTATE form, icrked from his
pocket his capaciolls wallet, tore it open with
trembling fingers, exposing to view his piled
up treasure, and exclaimed, in voice chok-
ed with sobs. and tremulou- With untcigncd
emotion;
''Look up, Mistress Shore, look up! BY
Cd, madam, You Shan't starvc while Eve a
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad shinplaSter in
my pocket-book.'
What follows beggars description For \
moment the vast audience remained hushcd
as if from involuntary admiration Of the big
hearted sailors generosity and gallantry
Then, rs the ludicrousncs% of the scene seem
ed to flash suddenly upon them, there arose
such Il clamor Of stamping feet, clappin@
hands. pounding otcancs, shouts, roarS, yells
sllrrhs an,i screams uf laughter rs never be
fore or since shook the walls of any theatre.
In the midst ofthe uproar Manager Wamyss
made his appearance, politely explained to
the captain that Mistress Shores wants would
be duly administered to, and succeeded in
leading him OFT the stage
Several Intellectual attempts We're made to
proceed with the tragedy, but the audience
was too thoroughly imbued with the mirth
occasioncd 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 commissions of
laughter and cries for Capt. lIug@. The
shrewd manager only succeeded in restoring
u scmblancc ofor,ler by striking the orchestra
in full blast, and "rnging on the ballet, al-
ten which Il roaring farce was tolerated.