The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-04-22
AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.
An Actors Extraordinary Adventure
I'm Columbus. Ohio.

I'm Columbus, Ohio.
Joseph Il Emmet, the well-known
character actor, told the following story
to New York reporter 1.-THE smallest
audience ever had was in Columbus,
Ohio. The managers had been trying
to introduce matinees, but with not
much success. Joe Jefferson, Denman
Thompson and some of the big stars
had gone through the mill, and the au-
diences had been 80 small that they had
SHE'D, and refused to take the gate.
The money had been returned at the
box office, and the disappointed ticket
buyers had departed determined never
again to patronize q matinee in Column
bus. The afternoon business was at its
lowest ebb when struck the town.
After two or three performances the
posters announced q matinee. l went
to the theater,at 2 o'clock that afternoon
and found my company skylarking be-
hind the curtain in their every day suits
looked out in the auditorium. There
was just one man in the theater. He
sat clear back in the parquette. 1t was as
much rs l could do to outline him IN the
darkness. l went to the box Office.
Did that man pay for his ticket?' l
asked. Yes, 80 cents, the treasurer
replied. THE manager told me TO re-
turn him his money and close the the
ater.' NO, you WON'T said, have
never disappointed an audience when
Pm sober, and don't propose to do SO
now. Well plty for him. want into
the parquette, introduced myself to the
man, and thanked him for his attend
ance l told him that, az he had thought
enough of me to come and see me and
pay 50 cents for the privilege, he should
have rs good a performance as though
the house was packed. / went behind
the curtain and requested the company
to dress. Great Caesar Joe, one of
them said, you amt going to play to
that one man, are you? Yes, 1 am, /
replied. He's paid his money. and he
shall have his moneys worth. ooh,
the devil 7 broke in another member OF
the company, IN pay his SO cents
and you let him 60. told them that
the performance must 60 on AS usual,
and warned each OF them that any at
tempt to guy the audience or any failure
to play part i'll full would be the signal
for discharge.
"Well, the orchestra played an over.
ture and the curtain arose. walked
down to the footlights. l invited the
audience to come forward and take
front seat, where he could see and he
seen. He thanked me and settled him
self in the front row. / suggested that
little generous applause thrown i'll
where he thought the actors deserved it
would serve to inspirit them and warm
them to their work. He seemed to Up
preciate the situation and agreed to give
us all the encouragement thai he thought
we deserved. The performance began.
[ don't think ever played better. L
threwmyself heart and sOulinto the char
acser, and sang the Lullaby SO tender
ly that the entire audience was in tears.
lie called for an encore. told hum that
we rarely gave an encore, but as this
was an extraordinary occasion he should
have one. He applauded literally at
times where the applause was deserved,
and again failed to applaud where APP
plause was deserved. At such times L
called his attention t. the omission, and
asked whether, on reflection, he did not
really think that he had made mistake.
A hint was sufficient. He would clap
his hands rs though perfectly enchanted
and shout Bravo like Oh italian over
Salvini. The company paid no atten-
ton to him, but went on with the per-
Torrance as regular as clock work. Be-
tween the acts, however, one or two of
them evinced disposition to go out in
to the auditorium and mingle with the
audience. set my face against it and
they RETAINED. At the close of the sec
ond act the manager entered the thea
ter. He had been out for walk. He
seemed dumbfounded at seeing the house
brilliantly lighted and the orchestra
playing soberly to one man. But he
was more astonished when the curtain
arose and the performance was resumed
with as much unconcern as though there
were thousand dollars in the house.
But he had an eye to business. He sent
word to the newspaper reporters, and
half dozen OF them arrived In time for
the last act No actor ever received
better newspaper criticisms. Some of
them were over column long. 1t
turned out that the audience was the
owner of a copper mine in Michigan,
and very wealthy. On the following
night he gave the whole company ban
quet at the leading hotel. He enter
tanned us as handsomely as We had en-
tertained him, and we parted with mu-
tual regrets. Just year afterward /
announced another matinee ut Column
bus. 1t was well advertised and the
house was packed to suffocation. 1 took
in over $1,000. My sense of duty to
that one man, who had invested the
small sum of half dollar, had returned
me golden harvest"