The Osceola times., 1879-04-05
ALL IN MY EYE.
An Excrueiatingly Funny Incidsat.
Urom the Chicago Tribunal

tfrom the IhicAso lriou1el
Down In Caroline county, Nd, the other day,
a. the Rev. Mr.. Walton, OF Shepherds Chapel,
was engaged In fervent prayer, a hilarious wor-
shipper named Marvel took quid Of tobacco In
his hand, and, watching for favorable oppor-
tunify when the clersyman's head was thrown
back In earnest devotion, let fly the moist weed,
which struck fair In the face Of the human
mark. The prayer Suddenly stopped and q
scane ensued, and Marvel Vas taken before
resident magistrate and fined s5 cost. This
reminds one that q prominent southern preach
er has said that the only time lie ever FELT like
laughing In the pulpit was when he ssw a man
In the gallery drop quid Of tobacco In the face
OF q sleeping man IN pew on the ground rooT
Of the church
.Yss,S said venerable Briton, Cook.
ney OF the Cockneyest, to the writer,
who had shown him the item above, lit
Is getting well on to fifty years since |
saw something Like that, and quite as
funny, in London theater. The play
was Richard, and the Richard was Ed.
mund Kean. Tho theater was packed,
and every one in 1t Was under the spell
Of the actors magic. The play was al
most over--i in fact they had come to the
tent scene in the fifth act, where Rich
ard bids Ratchtf leave him, and every.
body is preparing for tbs rising Of the
ghosts. Well, In the front row OF the
gallery I could see one adInirer Of the
drama, fairly wrought up by The players
passion and expectation. clenohing the
front of the gallery with his hands. and
leaning away out over it, staring down.
ward, with his eyes protrudina and his
mouth opening. Right beneath him, ia
the pit, was another adnairer OF the
drams and the actor. rs intensely
wrought upon by the mimic
scene, who, with his mouth aud
eyes wide open, was staring up
ward as intently. And, just at this
instant, frem the unheeding jaws Of the
man in the gallery fell a tremendous
quid. I traced its flight through the
air, and-kerslapi-dovn IL comes hat
In the eye of the man in the pit. He
in Me gallery started back, awakened
from his trance. and his victim, Awak-
ened from his, jumped up, and, turn
ing to the gallery, Yelled. IN give E5
10 any one who will show me the son OF
q sea-cook that dropped his tobacco
quid into my eye This incident and
exclamation, as you may naturally inn
agine, coming right in the middle OF
the extreme tension to which the audi
ence had been wrought mp, had q tre-
mendous effect, and every one in the
house fairly shrieked and doubled up
with laughter--eyen the actors on the
stage could not control themsslves-
and the curtain had 30 come down.
Finally, when every ones sides wese
sore, and the audience wss TOO ex.
hausted 10 laugh any more, it was
rung up again and tbs play proceeded
perilously but decorously till Richard
Catesby, Ratclifl aud the others came
on. Then there Wa gurgling giggle
heard in one OF two quarters, choked OF
10y q desperate effort, till the precise
passage was reached At which, little
| while before, the fatal quid had fallen
when simultaneously every soul present
remembering the exquisitely absurd IN
cident, made one oOnvulsiye attempt u
restrain himself, and burst out in roar.
ing guffaw. The fountains of the great
deep of merrment were broken up, and
people howled, hugged themselves, lay
back in their seats, and grew spoplectic
Down came the curtain again, and, when
at last the audience was worn out, IL was
once more raised. and the play went on
This time all went nicely, the fatal line
was passed, and there was not a snicker
when one staid old gentleman in box
who had never smiled through the
whole ordeal. but had sat in deep dis
gnst. having been communing with him
self all this time, and having arrived al
the conclusion that the conduct of the
audience WAS shockingly ridiculous,
soliloquized alond in a stiil, small voice,
distinctly audible in the hush, What
- foolsp This brought back instant.
ly both the preceding scenes, plus the
old gentleman's mental processes. and q
scream went up 10 which the Others
were whispers. The end OF /, was they
had to leave the play unfinished and put
on a farce. Yes" said the old gentle
man. reAectively, "let a man get quid
Of tobacco in the eye on any particularly
solemn occasion, and the result VIII -
| q.