The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-04-20
BOSTON DURING THE SIEGE or
1775.

It was dull work for the officers and
ladies and gentlemen to stay cooped up
in the little peninsula through the dismal
winter, their eyes and ears besieged by
the forlorn condition of the inhabitants,
and enjoying small show ofthat dignifed
merry-making TOR which Boston had been
famous, The officers found time enough
for gallantry, and two ladies living then
in town, daughters of the famous DR.. By
les, used to tell, half century latter,
when they were still unhinching loyalists,
of their promenades with Gen Howe and
Lord Percy on Boston Common, and of
the music Of his Lordship band, played
under their window at the Lordship's or
der. A new regiment arrived from Eng
land in December, and the News Letter
chirped at mention of the excellent band
it brought, with promise Of a concert for
the diversion of the town. When the
new year set in, series of subscription
balls was announced to be held at Con-
cord Hall once fortnight The last
ball at the Province House was the
Queens ball, given, curiously enough,
on the 22d of February. The festival of
St. John the Evangelist was duly celeb
rated by dinner at Free Masons' Hall,
a march to Battle Street and an approp-
riate sermon, but there is no mention of
any public festivity at Christmas. The
most elaborate effort at entertainment
was in the theatrical representations
given under the patronage of Gen. Howe.
A number of officers and ladies formed
a society for Promoting Theatrical Anus
ements, title which somehow seems 10
give a certain solemnity to the procee-
dings, and they did this the announce
ment frankly stated, for their own amuse-
ment and the benevolent purposes of
contributing to the reliefof distressed SOL
diers, their widows and children. Fan
euil Hall had been fitted up with stage,
and the performance began at six o'clock.
The entrance fee was not immoderate,
one dollar for the pit and quarter of
dollar for the gallery. The surplus over
expenses was to be appropriated to the
relief of the poor soldiers. The most
notable piece, however, was the local
farce of the Blockade of Boston, by Gen.
Burgoyne, whose reputation as a wit and
dramatist has kept quite even pace with
his military fame. On the evening of the
9Th of January it was to be given for the
first time. The comedy of the Busybody
had been acted, and the curtain was
about to be drawn for the farce, when
the actors behind the scenes heard an
exaggerated report of a raid made upon
Charlestown by a small party of Amer
leans. One of the actors, dressed for
his part, that of Yankee sargeant, came
forward ,pon the stage, called silence
and informed the audience that the alarm
guns had been fired and battle was
going on in Charlestown. The audience,
taking this for the first scene in the farce,
applauded obstreperously, being deter
mined to get all the fun there was to be
had out of the piece, when the order was
given in dead earnest for the officers to
return to their posts. The audience at
this was thrown into dire confusion, the
officers jumping over the orchestra, brea-
king the fddles on the way, the actors
rushing about to get rid of their paint
and DISCUSSES, the ladies alternately fain-
ting and screaming, and the play brought
to grief.-HOrace E, Scnaae,, in the 1t.
IaAhc.