The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-06-06
AN AMATEUR .ROMEO.o

of Mustc-Ham1ece "AobugttOus Peril
wie-peted Fellow" Outdene for Once
Coppcrs and Cabbages from an Enthu-
siastis Audience.
20 Romeo, Romeoi wherefore art thou Romeo2"
About six weeks ago there appeared in the
advertising columns of merning contemporary
the following unique paragraph, credited to the
Medical Repository, new authority In matters
of high art
.UsyipO heard that John s. EstliH intends to adopt
the stage profession, we feel called upon to say
that we believe this man to possess tne most won
derfu tragic genius in the world. He appears to ne
perfeet msster OF every passion OF the human soul
and can exhibit at will the most gente Feelings In
the sweetest utterance or give vent by one loud out
the human heart We speak from our own knoWl-
edge OF the man, having heard him ourselves"
Soon after appeared the announcement that
Mr.. Estlin woulI appear at tbe Academy of
Music in "shakespeare's sublime tragedy of
Romeo and Juliet, with number of well-known
amateurs in the cast Having ohce dvulged
his plans to the public, our most wonderful
tragic genius" followed 1t up by telling the peo-
ple through frequent advertisements who and
what this man Shakespeare was, with choice
extracts from his plays, as foretaste of the
grand treat in store. Last evening "the most
wonderful tragic genius made his debut, and
the Academy of Music was filed to overnowing.
Nature abhers O vacuum, and the atmosphere,
on the occasion of Mr.. Estlns "benefit and first
appearance" penetrated every nook and corner
of the building and filled the spacious audi
before. Indeed, the only displacement sus-
tanned by the air we breathe was caused by the
presence of about two hundred people, who were
scattered all ever the house.
The handblls and advertisements had pro-
missed the audience the ''overture aud other
choice selections from the opera OF Romeo and
Juliet" by "a select orchestra" The orchestra,
however, was non anUentus, and Shakes seares
sublime tragedy" was rendered without any
dilutions by the strains of Gounod or Bellini.
When the tragic genius" made his entree, he
was greeted with hearty round of applause,
which, before the close of the trst act, be-
came so continuous that 1.-The genius" was
slightly incommoded. He persevered, neverthe-
less, and at the close of the act, was called be-
fore the curtain by an audience whose enthu-
siasm made full amends for its meagreness, and
who had by that time come to see that they
were enjoying about the rarest tragic treat that
had ever been given in the Academy. During
the progress of the second act the audience was
even more uproarious than during the first, the
earnest plaudits being mingled with loud cries
of "hi! hi !" 'go it, old boy J" and the like. AT
the close of the act, 'the tragic genius" was
again called before the curtain, and embraced
the opportunity to apologize for the non-appear-
ance of the promised band. But his first sylla-
bles were drowned by stentonian cries of
"louder /" and as fast as t'the genius" lifted up
his voice, the audience did likewise, until the
climax was capped by cry of 'louder, old
puddin' head !"
'Alas, poor Renee, he is already dead" ex-
claims 'Mercutio" in one of the earlier scenes,
and in sooth such was fairly his condition by
the time he should have made his entrance in
the first scene of act third, to encounter the
taunts of ''Tybalt." There was a delay of full
five minutes before "Remeo" appeared, after
s'Tybalt' had exclaimed
Here GENES my man."
"Where'n the d-l is your MANI" roared
small boy in the third tier.
Romeo where art thou?" drawled out
venerable octogenarian opposite who had a
copy of the play in his hand, and was assidu-
ously following ''the tragic genius" through his
part.
"Here he comes" finally exclaimed one of
the anxious walters as ''the genius" rushed
upon the stage from the wrong direction per-
feet picture of despair.
The audience became ecstatic at this point,
and roared like mad. The interest deepened as
the play progressed, and when the scene In
outlets" chamber came on, another climax
was reached. Just as ''the genius" was pouring
out his heart to his mock love, an enthusiastic
youth in the family circle hurled handful of
coppers at the enamored Romeo" This slightly
disconnected him, as did likewise q bundle of
dry leaves which quickly followed 1t. But the
indignity was NOT censummated until, as 'the
genius" was about stretching his two hands
towards heaven, he was greeted by an enormous
cabbage, which fell at his feet and smote him on
the toes. Then the thing became monotonous,
and Romeo turned upon mis- prosecutors.
Wheeling up to the footlights, he exclaimed
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sick mani"
$50 you are" came from one of his auditors.
''Pm not fit TO be here, he continued.
''That's SOL" was the ready response.
Ladies' and gentlemen, have been studying
this part so hard that haven't had time to eat,
put in ''the tragic genius" again.
go take drink" shouted o man in the
family circle.
And SO the fun progressed, until another rare
point was reached at the tragic death-scene in
the last act. "Ahl ah!" "Oh! OH" easy!
easy!" came from all parts of the house, as the
down, and when they were stiff and stark on
the floor, the enthusiastic youth in the family
circle who had thrown the handful of coppers
cried out lustily:-
''Set 'em up again ]"
But they were not to be set up again. They
had done their duty noely, and were in at the
| DEATH and that is all that was required.
Perhaps the best solution of the unique enter
| tainment that could be given was that made by
| a sympathetic auditor, who, during one of the
| waits, mounted the stage and commenced
"Ladies and gentlemen, once knew man in
| q lunatic asylum"
"Estlin!' Estlin! Estlin's the mani" cried 8
| dozen voices in chorus.
| "When," continued the sympathetic auditor
"when asked him what brought him here, he
| said, i had hobby which would ride, and al
| it couldn't throw me, l rode 1t until fetched NJ
| here
"Estlin's the mani" again shouted the au
dience and the rest of the speech was lost in the
| uproar.
SALE OF REAL ESTATE AND STocKs.-Th'
| following sales of real estate and stocks were
made at the Exchange yesterday at noon by M
| Thomas d Sons:-