, 1879-01-26
SOME CATS.
Feline Interruptions Of Theatro Perform.
nnCes-The Lotus Clubs Pet.
Y4to pork SIM

nHCe3-lde LOTUS NluD6 I6I.
.ytaa FORK .sun.
In the Academy oil Music one evening lasi
week, during the Performance Of Robert 1e
Diable,'' just as Mile. Lido began singing the
aria, '4Robeft, toi que j'ane," the attention Of
the audience was attracted By the appearance OF
cat upon the stage. Pussy looked at the
prima donna, calmly surveyed the house, and
then, walking down to the footlights, after
blinking at signor Arditi, began the tour Of the
orchestra rail. An usher, who had been watch
ing puEsy's progress, stood at the foot OF the
left aisle, and. amid the litter Of the house,
waited to receive her. As she reached the end
Of her Journey he caught her in his arms and
triumphantly carried her out Of the house.
The wonder is that cats do not intrude upon
the stage more frequently than they do, for
there is no theatre without them. In most
theatres several are kept as protection against
the rayages Of rats and mice that infest all such
buildings. The best behaved theatre cat in New
York is Reddy, ut Waltuck's. As soon US the
curtain falls be makes his tour Of the stage; but,
when the bell rings for it to rise, he needs no
reminder of the fact that his presence is not
needed. He understands his business thorough
ly, and has never given the management the
least cause for uneasincss. This is q very valu-
able trait in cat; for ii pussy once manages
to catch the attention Of the audience, it is
almost impossible to save the performance from
ridicuie.
When Barry Sullivan was playing Hamlet in
Liverpool d teY Years ago, q cat came upon the
etagc ia tile. middle OF the scene wherein the
ghost first appears, and insisted upon rubbing
herself against the ghosts legs. The house, Of
course, was conVulsed, and the entire act was
ruined.
Clara Morris ut one time was playing Camille
in 4 Cincinnati theatre In the last act Camille
ror. She regards her sunken cheeks and wasted
form, and says. " "Ah! how changed am. But
the doctor has promised to cure lne. will have
patience" While speaking these lines the
actress was Mortified to see in the mirror the re-
Fiction of 4 cit which was purriug but few
teet behind her. She realized that something
must be done before the audience should take
In the situation, or the entire effect of the scene
would be lost. She turned shortly around, SO
rs not to frishten the cat, and took her in her
in her eyes, exclaimed: & Poor pussy! how soft
and warm is your beautiful fur! 1t is many
weeks, is it not, since held you like this in my
arms! Some one else may soon take my place.
al, pussy you VII not have your mistress With
you long," With these words she walked
toward the wings and set the cat free. The
audience supposed that she was only speaking
the lines OF the play, and the scene passed Oft
without any accident
Macrcady was playing Macbeth in Dublin, at
Christmas, and the tragedy was to be followed
by the inevitable pantomine. Among the prop
critics for the latter was a live pis, which got
loose while Macready was making his great
speech in the banquet scene, and ran across the
stage sguealiug with all its might and main.
The whole house was conyt1lsed, and MacreadY
vas obliged to JUN in the general merritnent.
The curtain was ruug down, anu there was no
more peace for -nacb<th that night,
In +. L. Daycnport's nrst engagement in this
country there was most unexpected introuuc-
ton OF the cat element into the 5hakspearean
drama lie was playing Idns'st to crowded
house ut the Wa'nut-Street Theatre, iu Phila-
delphia, and in lis soliloquy, as he vas delber-
ating whether or not be would bear "the sings
and arrows of outrageous fortune" fellow in
the gallery actually slung q cat at him. II I
bounded upon the stage, slightly grazug the
actor in its descent, and escaped unhurt, With /
tile traditional luck ii cats.
when Ben De Bar vas manager of the S I.
Charles Theatre in New Orleans about seven |
years ago, he was frequently annoyed by the |
passage OF cats across tns stage during the per-
torn'ances. The place was infested with rats,
and three large Toms we're kept busy all the |
season looking after them. But, useful as these |
eats we're, it bcc2me absolutely necessary to |
suppress them. They had been allowed so |
much license that hardly night passed but !
they would with arched backs and measured |
tread move IN solcmn procession across the
stage, ali0 turn the most serious performance |
nto farce. Dc Bar at last dccrccd that they
should bc banished upstairs to the flies during
performances, and should be brought down
'nly ior the purposes OF business. The stage
throwing att cid tlilapidatcd scene across what
n theatrical parlance is known as the "grid-
ROM that IS, the frame which holds the scenes |
z Dos'tloi1. Here the cats were able to roam at
,aleasurc, and their new quarters seemed to suit
serc nightly visited by cats from the neighbor-
1000, 10 whom tler kept "open Louse.H One |
hight, however, there WAS an unusually large
ssembsage, and their weight being greater thau
QUO DC supported BY the rotten old scene that
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