The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-05-06

really believed II to be quite snort part. %
hastily grasped the book and went at Buck
Iingham. In studying the part | made a
strange blundcr, and overlooked the last scene
in the second act entirely. | was considera-
bly surprised, therefore. when Catcsby came
TO me at the scene, and said;
"FOr Heavens sake, come OF, Ills IS
Iyou"
wouldn't believe hIm at first, but look
at the book Instantly convinced me l9e
stage was waiting and had not time to read
the scene A few lines on page % were all
that could get at in the hurry of the occa.
sion. | thought would try and get along
with them, 50 | tucked the book away and
went on, determining to trust to luck" Han
Ichett was even unusually slow and majestic,
and saw that must get him of the stage as
soon as possible, so as to get another look at
1.-The book Ny first speech | spoke word for
word The second speech (of about ten lines
| cut down TO two lines. The third speech
Fifteen lines) | reduced to four words, and by
that time | was winking very hard at richard,
and trying to elbow him off. But the TRACED
ian wouldn't be elbowCd worth cent 1t
seemed to me that he was Juggling in several
speeches from the original text, and just nav
ing his own fun. The fourth speech toored
me completely. In sonorOus tones Mr. Elch'
ard inquired:
go tonguelcss blocks. would they not speak,
Will not the Mayor then, and his brethren come
hadn't the slightest idea whethcrth May.
or and his brethren would come or not, SO |
didn't know what to say. If had been Ger
tain either way, | would have replied, y es,
my lord" or NO my lord;' but the reply
was on page Sc, and that page hadn't look.
ed at was dumbtouudcd, and continued
to push Hanchett. But he wouldn t bulge
On the contrary, he rolled out the speech
again:
"Will not the Mayor, then and his broth.
rem come"
This put me out of all patience, and, giving
him quite an unmstakab!c push, sang out
"Never you mind about the Mayor. I'll
make il all right with the Mayor"
That was cnough-it saved me. Richard
rushed off, and | got another look at the book,
the audience meanwhile wondering what
the "stage.waits" meant | don't meet Ham
chett often nowadays, but when DO meet
him he generally salutes me with:
Never you mind about the Mayor. II
make it all right with the Mayor
Things were very much mixed IN all direc,
tions in Ottawa at that period The hall we
played in was claimed by two societies, both
of which were willing and anxious that we
should play there, but each determined not
to surrender their rights. |, Of course, could
recognize only the party that put me in pos
session, and | was kept in profound lgnor-
ance OF the quarrels OF the claimants to own
ership The other party then laid plot to
force me into recognition al Their claims,
and it was consequently arranged that |
should be quietly arrested, as "trcspasser,
late on Saturday night after the performance,
when 1t would be "impossible' to obtain a
hearing before any magistrate or even to give
bail. During the early part OF the perform,
ance some friends of NINE got wind" OF the
plot and "posted" all the members of the OPP
position society, from whom | Oblalnel my
privileges as lessee. Then the hall began to
I'LL up, and, as pecpcd out from behind the
curtain | wondered where all the people
came from. | noticed that toward the close
Of the performance there was good deal oil
"buzzing" and confusion in the hall, and that
small groups of Recommendation men were
guarding every entrance to the Stage ana
drcssingrooms but was still ignorant of the
cause. | never knew how ii was managed,
but that curtain was kept up until the clock
began 10 strike twelve when row almost
worthy of Donnybrook cnsued.
Some men insisted that ii still lacked u few
minutes of twelve, while others declared IL
was long after that hour. Threats OF ven
geance were uttered, and the more sGdatc OF
The defeated faction said it was dangerous
and I'm polite to interfere with the process OF
law My party, however, seemed To be the
strongest and | was therefore kept out OF
harms way, as unconscious and comfortable
a culprit as could be. The officer stood there,
calmly awaiting results. Finally we all ad-
ourned to the hotel, where another scene of
confusion occurred. 1t was generally adj
mittcd that ! could not be arrested accord
ing to the law OF that seCtiOn) on Sunday;
but dispute arose as 10 whether Sunday
, commenced at II o'clock or o'clock. By u
strength of logic that thought was peculiar,
ii was decided that Sunday did not com
mcnce until O'Clock, and then was ratur-
r ally anxious to know Gas ii lacked five min
, uCs of one what | was To be arrested Tor.
This was not immediately explained; but the
discussion was purpOscly prolonged, ana
was kept away from the officers reach until
there could be no doubt about its being sun
day Then the officer had to be appeascd.
He complained very bitterly at not being al.
I, lowed by men who called themselves good
citizens To do his duty, and SAID thatnO harm
: would come to me in any event Then he ap-
pealed 10 me to voluntarily surrender myself,
80 that might enable him 10 keep his record
, rs an officer clear. A compromise was sought
with him by bail being offered, the bail'bond
, TO be dated Saturday night, so that 1t nigh,
appear that he had arrested me IN due form
o. but tnls gave rise 10 aublHtT uIsput' 10 ~
whether an officer had power to receive bail
BY halEpast two O'Clock it was settled that
the officer could take bail Then my land
lord offered himself Us security Tor my APP
pearancc before some one on Monday, \. NJ,
to answer the charge OF trespassinc. The
landlord was responsible enough; but, as he
owned no real estate, wrangle followed as
to his being good bail. About four o'clock
in the morning tins matter was arranged by
his bal. bond beng accept with the indorse-
mcnt of gentleman who owned plenty OF
real estate. II took considerable time TO
make ont the bail bond, "a no one seemed TO
know exactly how such paper should be
drawn w. At , o'clock | got To bed, quite
content with the nights entertainment, and
before Monday all the contestants settled
! their troubles among themselves, and divld
ed the rent equally between the two societies
, 4 few weeks laicr | was called upon by
the city marshal, who Informed me that !
must consider myself undcr arrest for play