Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1877-02-01
BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE OPERA.

Inc glamour OF the stage does not extend
behind the scenes, as is conclusively shown
by a humorous account we quote from Lon-
don Society,":
| was discussing with an eminent dramat-
ist, the other day, the peculiar fascination
which the back of the theatre has for so
many people. My friend marveled that men
OF taste and means-men enabled to COM
mand any luxury of life-could find a charm
in regions dominated by carpenters. stage
managers and messengers. But he over
looked the fact that he knew every rope, and
That Tor him the theatre had many annoy
ances. The casual visitor only sees with
wonder the tricks of the trade and. more
over, often feels that there is a sort Of I'M
disguised wickedness about the business
winch is a relief to one who lives behind the
thick tinsel of society and cant. Not that
there is anything develish behind the scenes.
On the contrary, for a stranger, behind the
scenes is eminently prosaic and business
like; and so Mr.. H%oneyball, the friend of
Shirley Brooks, found it:-sI went to the
stage door and sent in your note. Presently
a man came and told me to come this way.'
| followed him through a dark place. with
many turns, and kept knocking my hat
against something soft (not my head-ha,
ha! put that into your mex play, my boy),
and then l came upon the lady Of the estab-
lishment. She had a sword and a shield, so
we could not exactly shake hands; but
she spoke in a ringing, merry voice, and
4 oci-oI how DoFo,o r -o-JJ -.
swer, she rushed on the stage and detied a
fellow all over hair, to fight her.
II wanted to see the fight, so I went for
ward, when a man in his shirt-sleeves told
me l was in sight of the audience.
"'Oh,' | said, and went somewhere else.
"Then another man told me I must no
) stand there.
",Oh,' | said, and changed my place.
when | felt something hot going down my
neck, and, looking back, a demon was shak-
ing. a fiery torch, full of rosin, at the lady.
II ran back. when a scene was suddenly
showed up and I was fixed against a white
wall. | bawled, and the prompter looked
} around and sWore at me for making a noise.
2 It's a sad thing, but prompters will swear.
81 wriggled out. Everybody looked at
) me and then took no further notice. So ]
r asked a young lady, with pink legs, if she
was fond of acting. She said she never act
t ed, and wen away. A man came in with q
? brown George and gray stockings. rec
ognized him, and told him he had often made
+ me laugh. He looked very grim, said
t did him proud and Went away. Then 4
j. sort Of lady's maid came with a basin and
5 towels, and a rouge-pot and woman's dress
+ in her hand and all the men were turned
e out Of the room-something about Il quick
a change I didn't understand. So, not know.
a ing what TO do next, | went up some steps
S and looked out at the window of a castle
In a minute [ heard a roar of laughter, an(
: found | was in front of the audience; Blu
n before | could retreat an old man in a king!
dress pushed me away, told me I was mad
. put his head out at the hole and said HI
wasn't at home. / came down, but coulC
not get away, for about twenty dirty sol
IS diers, with halberds, informed me mus
wait till they went on SOL stood stew
n ing there for half an hour, while they grin
weapons, shouted very loud, and ran upol
the stage. every one trying to push me over
s II had enough of it, so l got out-thank
to a little girl who piloted me-and yo1
don't catch me there again, | can tell you
IS It's all very dull, except what's very disa
greeable.
He was carving at dinner, and thought h