Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-04-29
wnnted TO be an ACTOR.
From the baltimore Americana

/ On Wednesday last there arrived Il
this city young man, and who halls
from one of the Eastern Shore counties,
who, after learning where actors do most
congregate, gave out that he was imhued
with the idea that if he only had the
chance that he would make a iirst-rate
actor. Now, in the theatrical profession
there are spirits ever ripe for a lark, and
when it became known that the young
man from the country wished to become
an actor plan was concocted for giving
the young man chance to display his
dramatic abilities, and yesterday after
noon was designated as the time, and
Front street theater as the place, where
the rehearsal should be he'd. About
fifty invitations were sent to gentlemen
fond of a laugh, and at two o'clock yes
terday afternoon the aspirant for dra-
matte honOrs was seen to quit the corner
of Holiday and Fayette streets with a
grip sack upon his shoulder. For the
information of the reader, it may be as
well to state that in theatrical parlance
grip sack is q bag or box filled
with stones opother weighty substance,
and the one in question weighed exactly
1872 pounds. The hero of the day, when
placed in possession of the sack, was
informed that it contained a chemical
light, and so arranged that If the box
was removed from his shoulder by
an inexperienced person that the chemi-
Gals would ignite and cause considerable
loss. The would-be tragedian promised
to be careful with the sack," and, ac-
companied by young gentleman,
started for the theater, but was COM
PEELED to trudge down Fayette street to
Aisouith, out Aisquith to Gay, down
Gay to Front, and thence to the theater,
and when he reached that building the
perspiration was oozing from him in
fearful quantities. In due time he was
ushered upon the stage, and when
brought to the foot-lights he was re-
quested by an old stager to state the
reason which induced him to try the life
of an actor. He replied that he sud
denly became inspired with the belief
that his talents should not be hid in
rural district, and that he believed that
he was destined to become the greatest
of American actors. His audience coin
cided with him, and after he had recited
in a most singular and perfectly original
manner several Shakspearean selections,
he was complimented to the extent of
the measure. After getting through
with the legitimate, he was requested to
favor the audience with his comic abili-
ties, and for the space of half an hour
he created such an uproar among his
auditors that nearly threw them into
commissions, and the silly goose, mis-
taking their laughter and applause as
marks of commentator, was so elated
that he would have leaped into the Falls
had such request been made Of him.
During his comic portraitures his face
and hands were blackened with lamp
black, mixed with glue-water and inseed
oil; and in order to represent an Indian
character his face was striped with all
the glaring colors that could be found
in the paint-shop of the theater. Nor
was this all. He was blindfolded and
seated upon chair, and at signal four
muskets were discharged beneath the
chair, and just as he was in the act of
springing up he was assailed by six
enormous stuffed clubs, and in q twink
ling a rope was secured beneath his arm
pits, and at the word hoist" up he shot
into the flies like an arrow from the
bow. Here he was left dangling for fully
FIVE minutes, and when he was returned
to the stage it was supposed by his tor
mentors that he would perceive the large
sized sell which had been perpetrated at
his expense, bnt he did not. He was
then hauled through traps, sack of
-four was suddenly thrown into his face,
and still he remained ignorant of the de-
ception being practiced upon him. AT
last his tormeators exhausted them
selves, and he was thrust into the street,
a committee having decided that his
talents we're insufficient TO enable him to
enter the theatrical world; and the last
seen Of the hero of the day he was stoop-
ing over a gutter in Low street, attempt
ing to remove from off his face and
hands the stubborn coat Of lapp-black
and glue-water.