Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-04
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THE EXPERIENCE OF AN AMBITIOUS
ACTOR.


city young man from one of the eastern
shore counties of Maryland, who, after
learning where actors do most congre-
gate, gave out that he was imbued with
the idea that if he only had The chance he
would make first-rate actor. Now, in
the Theatrical profession, says the Balti-
more American, there are spirits ever ripe
for 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 Wednesday afternoon was designa-
ted as the time, and Front-Street Theatre
as the place, where the rehearsal should be
had. About fifty invitations were sent to
gentlemen fond of laugh. At o'clock
in the afternoon the aspirant for dramatic
honors was seen to quit the corner of Hol-
| liday and Fayette streets with grip sack
upon his shoulder. For the information
of the reader it may be rs well to state that
in theatrical parlance "grip sack" is
bag or box filled with stones or other
weighed substance. and the one in ques-
ton weighed exactly one hundred and
eighty-two pounds. The hero of the dav,
when placed in possession of the ''sack,"
was informed that it contained chemical
light, and SO arranged that if the box was
removed from his shoulder by an inexpe-
rienced person that the chemicals would
ignite and cause considerable loss.
The would-be tragedian promised to be
careful with the ''sack' and, accompanied
by young gentleman, started for the
theatre but was compelled to trudge down
Fayette street to Aisquith, out Aisquith to
Gay, down Gay to Front, and thence to
hn Nd rhn, t,a olxn1
building the perspiration was oozing from
him in fearing quantities. In due time he
was ushered upon the stage, and when
brought to the foot-lights he was request
ed by an old stager to state the reason
which had induced him to try the life of
an actor. He replied that he suddenly be-
came inspired with the belief that his tai
ents should not be hid in rural district,
and that he believed that he was destined
to become the greatest of American ac-
tors.
His audience coincided with him, and
after he had recited in a most singular
and perfectly original manner several
Shakesperian selections, he was compli-
mented to the extent of the measure. AZ
ter getting through with the legitimate, he
was requested to favor the audience with
his comic abilities, 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,
mistaking their laughter and applause as
marks of commentator, was SO elated
that he would have leaped into the Falls
had such a request been made of him.
| During his comic protraitures his face
and hands were blackened with lamp
black, mixed with glue-water and linseed
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 theatre. Nor was this
all He was blindfolded and seated upon
a chair, and at signal four muskets were
discharged beneath the chair, and Just as
he was in the act of springing up he was
assaied by six enormous stuffed clubs.
and in a twinkled rope secured beneath
his armpits, 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 tormentors
that he would perceive the joke which
had been perpetrated at his expense, but
he did not. He was then hauled through
the traps, sack of flour was suddenly
thrown into his face, and still he remained
ignorant of the deception being practiced
upon him. At last his tormentors ex-
hausted themselves, and he was thrust in
to the street, a committee having decided
that his talents were insufficient to enable
him to enter the theatical world: and the
last seen of the hero of the day he was
STOPPING over a gutter in Low street. at
tempting to remove from off his face and
hands the stubborn coat Of lamp-black
and glue water