The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-11
Negroes in Il Louisville Theatre.

An a--cmbln-c OF Louisville people had
E., Il. ., experience 0t the workings OF the
...,l.r,.hi> lIw hast might "a Macaulcl :
l,r.'Ir the dTIna,lC performance al The
iu.~ consisting oi Il presentation OF Otlrn-
I,...'> "Nltamr I'Archiduc" by the Sol.
,.n" tn.,@ opera Boutie Troupe, for tue
t..,, Il, Of iu,. star. Tn" house was full, and
d., th.u>Ial tilday-night brllIiancy. Shortly
....nf tn, doors were upcncd. and while the
,le.cl.cIli e was surrounded hy applicants
g.. admission. three young colored men
al. yellow, hy tn" way pressed through
;h" Lrvup and requested two seats IN
lie lirc>>.crclc. Al The moment Of
making the r.quc>t they did not
tender the money. Mr.. Elrud. the atfshle
Interchangeable tor. smiled a> he perceived that
tie crisis had arrived. and remarked: "Di-
r...'h : ~ soon as | can wait upon these
Gentlemen here referring 10 some persons
WhU were Just thru oilripg up their tinan-
crd tributes al the scd"uc shrine. do
,.1 refuse u>: quickly intcrr"gatcd one OF
i., y"oYcA men. III tone somewhat cNuIt-
.r.. immediately Suggesting 10 the cashier
tHi IHc job was put up Certainty
l.t." was his reply. "iianu him the mo-
lr,.' exclaimed uDc Of The cOlorud men,
u:.u. Standing short distance apart, seemed
Z. lly, been brought along in order 10 Wit
I,-, whatever might occur, us application
~ made tat Tor two seats. At this one Of
,a,mr,nI,r,d. . Iive-doll,r bill which Mr. FL
r"t instantly chsy@cd, giving them IN rrtlIi n
tsEDr daI,l> aud two dresS.crtlc tickets.
~ Inntiy not expecting I comnlllncc, the
,.r-ruf> were quite thrown OH their guard,
.,.H .Hy>Ita,cd 10 receive the tickets. IL
40. only n the instance Of Mr.. Elrod
i.rl tu,y took up the money and
iu-'oh.ird> from the counter. The three
l.,E walked to the pavement and held Il
whispered consultation for IL few moments.
This over, the t~o pIlIckcd up their assur-
..o.r and waiktG 10 the tir>t-circle entrance
aGI presented their tickets. The door
t,rp"r accepted the tali>nan, eloquent with
,ar authority Of congressional enactment>,
tlr presidential nod, and lacking in nothing
tGt The Sanction ut ii" supreme bench 10 in-
,.,t them with omuipotruce. l. proved to
ir an "opcu >cstmc,> however, and the
doors swinging open. in Il twinkling the CO.
.I,1 twain found themselves standing in the
clare Of The tir>t-crclc gns.lighrS upon level
wiki The creme de id creme of Louisrillc's
s.,t.. Their momrulary embarrassment gave
" y 10 The proud Consciousness that they
"crr, perhaps. the first OF all hentucky's
,Jlorrd population to transcend the bounds
lb,t the Gus "in> ard traditions of the Com
monwcal h had prescribed for their range.
Those who frequent This tall will remember
l.A' seats Nos. 152 ard I53 are just 10 the
I'-a, OF The entrance, and are separated
""H al the rest. These happening to be
#accupicI, into them they quietly dropped.
!. loon spread through the auditorium
st, NO negroes were III The nr>t circle. lu-
SANITY every .nrguttt" was raised and the
-AlH" a,-ruhlagc swept. A. soon rs they
o"Hd BE- distinguished every eye was con-
"H'ialrd upon then. and had burning.
-'a,> lnicrN cncd il j. probable that they
would have h,en crcmatd Il or the spot.
However. they behaved themselves. putting
J. 10 airs Of ctltontcy, and The attractions |
So tuv stage soon claimed The attention OF
T., audience. Eyr!y now and then III opera |
$50, could tc observed phOtographin9 the |
".np.c, and it "a, evident that comment |
"a> -,nrra! duriuL be cntlgc evening. They |
""'", Il may hc remarked in passing, quite |
~ " dressed. aMd wcrc Of 4 very light yell |
~ c'UpicNiou. In the midst OF the second |
~. when the fun on The boards was pro-
! ""din@ a. lively rate, both suddenly arose |
.nh lett the theatre. They did not return. |
! om TIL, 1t m;l> cvidcIt that entertainment !
Ne not their object, The inference being ma
ftahiy Strengthened by The scene ut the box |
IHgc.- t0pfler. JCaruUt.