The daily gazette., 1877-10-13
From the New York Sun, Thursday.
OXEN ON THE STAGE
A JERsEYMAN's VISIT TO THE GRAND
3o OPERA HOUsE---AN ADVERTISE
.t s MENT ANSWERED. ,...

Just before the matinee performance I'm
the Grand Opera House, yesterday. a
yoke OF 0xens drew cart up TWENTY
street, and obedient to the drivers OF
''gee," shaw" and "whoa," stopped I'm
front of the building. People gathered
around TO enjoy the odd sight of an OK
Team In that part of the city, and many
crowded into the lobby of the theatre
when the driver-a countryman In dress
and mahner-got out of the cart and
entered, whip in haud. He took his
place in the line of ticket buyers, and
when his turn came stuck to the aperture
copy OF the Sun, with his finger on this
advertisement: 'I. 4il -, sll -
WANTED TO HIRE. woke Of
w oxen, for Uncle Toms Cabin. An
P'slsek. piy ss Grand opera od House. from lo to
"Haye yougot the oxen yetp'' he asked
OF the ticket seller. "Ifyou hain't, I can
lend you yoke of the handsomest, best
broke critters in New Jersey"
lie was shown, into the managers'offlca
where .Messrs. Poole and Donnelly ex-
planned to him that the oxen were to be
introduced in a plantation scene in
"Uncle Toms Cabin" next next week.
de said he had not understood by the
advertisement that the oxen were wanted
TO use on the stage in theatre. He
would not object on that accoun', but the
oxen belonged to his father, who "didn't
much take 10 play-actin."
"But uncle TOMS Cabin is a highly
moral play" said Mr.. Poole, "made out
OF Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stoves book"
The Jerseyman supposed that was
true, and he thought the oxen wouldnt 1
be morally!injured anyhow, but he would
have to report to his father. He had
gone TO Jersey City with load of pota-
toes, and on reading the advertisement,
had come right over to find out about it.
de asked what they pay would be, and
started to go out.
"Say!' he said turning back. "who
goin 10 drive them oxen?"
swell, we might engage YOU If YOU
are an expert" said MIR. Donnelly.
The idea of appearing on the stage
seemed to fire the young mans imagina-
ton. He said he would try to "talk the
old man over" and he went out BEAM
ing.
The mail brought many responses to
Cne advertisement later in the day. A
resident Of Stampleton, Statent Island,
offered "three yoke, completely under
control, used to steam cars, music, and
guns" A Queens county farmer would
provide four "beauties, of rare and
costly bread;" and he had two white ones
That he thought might be painted after
The fashion of spotted circus horses. A
man called to describe a pair that ha d
been used in hauling stone from excava-
lion in Yorkville, and we're accustomed
TO hearing blasts. He thought thew
would face an audience without f1inching. |
A boy inquired if goat team wasn't |
also wanted with himself as the driver.
The owner of pair of mules said they |
would be more appropriate to a planta-
ion scene, but the offer was declined on
he ground that no actor would risk
himself Oh the stage with beasts so given
o kicking.
AT about 6 o'clock four red oxen, of
N uncommonly large size, arrived at the
heatre from the nelghborhood of High
'ridge. They had been led down Dy
wo boys, sons of the owner. They bel
owed loudly, pulled hard at the ropes,
nd showed an amount of spirit not often
cen In oxen. Mr.. Donnelly expressed
ear that they would be unmanageable
n the stage, whereupon the boys con-
sssed that, supposing that oxen of
fiery, untamed sort" were wanted, they
ad goaded the patient beasts into mild +
lry before leading them around the
Orner.