The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1871-12-29
rha Aotor,a Raunnra.


he commenced an engagement Of six
nights in the old National Theater,
Cincinnati, appearing in his favor
ite character Of Fslstaf, in the
"Merry Wives Of Windsor"
He had during the previous week,
played at the Louisville Theater, IN
der the same management, and TO
which place a portion Of the Cincin-
natl company had been sent to sup
port him.
Among these was Sam R., one
OF the respectable utility people,
to whom Haekett did not show, as
Sam thought, the amount Of respect
due from one actor to another.
Hackett seemed to single poor
Sam out as the particular object up-
on which to concentrate all his pee7-
ishness and ill-nature, and, though
Sam had to grin and to bear'it, he
made up his mind to be reYenged,
and sWore it in the most melOdra-
matte and stagely style. According
ly, when Haekett transferred himself
and his baggage to Cincinnati, and
Sam received orders from Dave
Sarsedas, the stage manager, to re-
turn with him, he chuckled with de-
light, and looked unutterable things
as he took his parting drink with his
brother artists at the bar of the fast
steamer Pike No. 4.
Tbs rehearsal passed of in the
morning, in Cincinnati, without any
demonstration. The star was more
exacting than ever with poor Sam,
who bore all with "patient shrug,"
and bided his time with all the pa
tience he could muster.
Night came, and with it a crowded
house, for Hackett at that time was
in the zenith of his popularity, and
on his appearance the audience rose
en- D1asse, and round after round of
welcoming applause greeted him.
He looked splendidly, his make up
was admirable, and in his false obes-
ity he was the embodiment Of the
hearty, sly, witty, Vsgabondizing fat
knight.
The dress he wore was one in
which ne took great pride, and was
one Of his own invention. 1t was
constructed on the principle Of 3
life preserver, and, after being put
on, was blown up by mesus of a
tube, until it assumed the necessary
rotundity, and the wearer was sur
rounded by an immense air cham
Der.
This made the dress light, cool
and portable, and was in all respects
a great Improvement upon the meth
cd of stufing.
AS the play progressed upon the
night in question, the audience grew
more and more delighted in 'front.'
and Sam was seen by his brother ac-
tors to grow more and more excited
behind.
At last a scene came in which
Hackett had the stage to himself,
and the star stood at the entrance,
waiting for his cue to go on, and
close behind him stood Sam, looking
daggers, with a carpenters brad-aIl
in his hand.
The cue was given and in went
Hackett. But he had not com
menced his scene, when, amid the
death-like silence of the audience, an
audible and prolonged hiss was
heard.
Haekett scoWled and looked about
him into the pit, boxes and gallery,
in search cf the vile wretch who had
dared to hiss him.
But the hiss continued, and Hack
EFT commenced his lines. Hiss!
again He stopped and once more
looked about him, but the hiss con-
tinued, and Hackett commenced his
lines. Hiss again. He stopped and
once more looked about him, but
the hiss continued, and grew louder
every moment. The audience cried
"order." Several enthusiastic indi-
viduals shouted ''put him out" but
still the kissing continued. Again
Hackett commenced his soliloquy,
but that Internal hiss stiIl rang in his
ears, and he could not go on.
The audience now began to litter.
The star grew more and more nerv-
Gus, and, walking down to the foot.
lights, he appealed to the audience
to know the cause of 'those marks
of disapproVsl and this ebullition of
mirth."
The only response was a burst of
laughter, and the star stood looking
unutterable things, and lost in won
der and amazement at this unac-
countable demonstration.
As the audience stopped laughing
for a moment that abominable hiss
again greeted his ears, but now it
seemed to come from behind him,
and, as he turned half aCound, anoth-
er shout of laughter drove him near
Ely mad as he perceived that not only
the audience but the actors,Wh had
congregated at the entrance, joined
in the mirth, none louder than Sam
R, whose face was perfectly re-
splendent with delight.
At last the prompter came to the
rescue. Walking on the stage, he
stepped up to the star and whispered
in his ear. Haekett stood as if par
alyzed for moment, and then COM
menced survey of himself. His
rotundity was gone. His obese pro-
portions had vanished, end there he
stood, ''his hose a world too wide
for his shanks," his corporation"
dwindled to nothing, and his dress
hanging around him in voluminous
folds, like a main sail from q yard
arm. The secret was out. The air
chamber had been punctured, and
there he haG been standing, growing
"smaIl by degrees and beautifully
less" for the last FIVE minutes.
Giving one look at the audience,
another at his legs, he rushed of the
stage amid such bursts oflaughter as
even he had never created before.
Sam st7od at the entrance SIS his
enemy came of, a sardOnic grin on
} his eountenance, and the fatal brad
: awl which had done the deed con-
: cealed in his bosom.