Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-29
SSrHERN's SAUCE,
A Comedian on the Mage aud n
FarCeur Ia PFiy8te.
ODD PR4CTICAL pRaNES
SOthern at EBOme-PrOfessor Can.
tell ~ BiElie's Experiment
and Exposure.

ODD Fh8CTfC4L PR4NES
Soihern AT EsOme-PrOfessor Can
tell A. BigIie's Experiment
and Exposure.
New York rail-
MT Sothern was at his best about midnight
on MS return from the theatre. Surroundet
oS stnal party OF c0ngental friends at TIT
supper table his Wit and gayety were such thai
be seemed 10 De continuing Ia private life the
0ioiler1es ne had been presenting on the stage
throughout the preceding three hours Fea
theatre goers, perhaps, suspect to how great an
tAttht The 1un or Dundr6arY was eytonpo-
fabeous each evening. 1t has been well said
mat there was one character who was even
more amusing than Lord Dundreary, and that
was Mr.. Sothern. AS a fd'cetn- he had Re y
conpeprS on either eide the ocean. The high
toned tdfocy OF the stage character Was OF co
reproduced In private LIE. but with THIS differ
ehce-that Instantly after the utterance OF
some fneneOie righteousness In speech, with
lack-lusire eye aud SmllelesS vIsage Mr. Soth-
eIn Joined heartily In the laughter OF the
group; THIS impulse was so strong in the
man that IL was simply wonderful how be prt.
served bis gravity on the stage. and he himself
COMES sed hat In Dunireary he often bis his
lips TIL the blood came to keep from laughing
with The audience.
HIS PRACTICAL JoKEs
mat MS peculiar temperament should have
ieu LIN lntO numerous practical Jokes was To
oe eAppcted: Many queer stories are told OF
MN that mad no foundation In fact, bat there
we're enough based on truth TO satisfy the most
ekactiDg lover OF the farcical Perhaps one OF
the chitf OF these was perpetrated in this city
s. me years ago. when the sacred spire'' Of
caper and the good people or New York In gen
efal ana Wall street In particular were hfs
CHOSEN Victims. He inserted card in the pa
psTs and Issued circular also to the following
effect.
professor Canteii A. Bglje, OF the scientific
schocl OF Wisconsin University, has the honor
20 lnforH the public that he Will give an exit
DltlOn or his completed apparatus for navl
eating the air On Wednesday afternoon the
9th lust, at three O'Clock precisely, In the VI
cln1ty or Trinity church. The Professor pro-
poses TO fly from house to house across Broad
way ut angles. then from Trinity to Bowling
Green and return, aud will ascend as high rs
the summit of Trinity steeple and hover a faW
hours Ia that vicinity. Anopportunity viii ba
gwen after the exhibition to examine the ap.
psratus. The people are respectfully invited.
was greedily swallowed. AT half-past twelve
ON the day In question little knot OF people
had gathered Close TO The churchyard raiinv3
a, one O'Clock the pavement was In measure
obStructeu Al Two the tide overlooked into
the street and by three p. IN, the advertised
hour or exhibition tbs whole b readth or Broad.
Wdy was occupied By denseIy packed and
struggling mass or humanity, while In addition
10 the rush OF the main artery both Wall and
Pine streets contributed steady contingents TO
the already swollen crowd. As the church
CLOCK clabged forth the hour anxious eyes
were turned upward but as yet the professor
gave no Sign;" the quarter next sounded
ana st1li the Old steeple bore every aspect of
Oelng untenanted, while among the keener
inenced 10 dawn that the whole thing was
sell The suspicion speedily oecam5 Ger
ia'nty. and With wild yeliS the ''sOid" rushed
mo the cnurcnyarc and endeaVored TO force
their way into the steeple. IL was a ure3r
sight. Respectable family men, Wall street
brokers' and quiet tndiyidu lis, VINO would no.
Tor the Ire OF them have been mixed up 10 q
'moo riOt," were unwliingiy carried into the
cnurChyard, In spite OF their frantic gaSttcuia-
IONS, ID. ny OF them hatiess. The hubbub con
tihueo Tor some time, but, like all things.
en ICl al.er which Sfhern and two coafader-
ate5 crept quietly from behind the Lawrence
tomo and deInureiy walked up iowa Sothern
eDdeaVored to persuade the public thai he
knew nothing OF 1t, and sent the following
card to the Herald.
GRAMERCy PARK HorEL.
To the Editor OF The Herald:
VIII yon kindly state that am not respon-
sioie for the lying hoax az Trinity church on
Wednesday last Believing with Washington
that ft is wrong TO tell story, | will stmoly
state that Florence did it, Yours &C..
<. A. SOTHERN.
This led 10 series OF farcical Incidents aad
20 general certainty or Sothern's connection
With the hoax.
one OF the most extraordinary bits OF pleas
altry' he ever conceived had q most Nat lral
oTlgln: Mr. A M Palmer, OF the Union square
oanc OF Adelaide Nelson, were lunching In
Browns Restaurant when Mr.. Lee 1ncddntly
commenting on the American habit OF carrying
a, pistol, aired his knowledge of what al Eas-
lisn swell would do If ruifian assaulted him
raise bis hand quietly and knock him down
Florence CHANGED 70 enter the room aud pres
emily Dan Bryant and Nelse Seymour braced
each other at the bar. Sothern Whispered to
Florence and almost Immediately VIII II seem I'd
a leafiul row began. In Vata Palmer s0u,u
10 pac1fy Florence. In vain Les entelTorai 70
place became involved Seymour laid nod Of
BroWn'S carving knife and threatened murf r,
All hands yeIle1, shouted AMI scraa q 81
as bis shirt, sought the protection OF the bar
PRESENTLY peace was restored. TOE conb&t-
ants shook hands. Wine was ordered and
SGthern Invited one and all to dine with him
Sothern presided, the guest OF the evening,
Mr.. Lee, sitting at the right. Nelse Seymour at
TIE loot OF the table, and Dan Bryant at the
left The guests were ali In evening dcess
The dinner was sumptuous one, and well
served; the wines were OF rich and rare vim.
lagos Hardly smile rippled over the face OF
any one present, although indeed some remark
was made when Mr.. Gaylor took from under
his coat paper battle-axe the broad blade
being covered with tinroil-such as Is used to
XII tyrants on the stage. While the soup was
Meath the back collar OF his coat dirk knife,
the blade OF which was over a foot long which
be solemnly unclasped and placed beside his
plate. Mr.. Chris Conner TOOK q six shooter
from his coat-tall pocket, and laid 1t down
on the table. Mr.. Lee looked around
In a bewildered way. Nelse Seymour drew
Scythe from under the table and then DO.
llceman's Club. and laid them In the middle OF
the board. AT this Mr.. Lee began to move
very uneaslly, ana whispered to his friend,
Mr.. Sothern:-
old fellow. what does this nean:"
-" Keep quiet" replied S)thern, SIT Is as /
nave feared. These gentlemen have been
drinking and they have quarreled about
friend oil theirs, Mr. WeymysS Jobson quite
al eminent scholar, and very estiIn able gen
tleInan; put l hope, for our SakeS. that they
Will not attempt 10 settle their quarrel here
IL Is Dreadful, but hope, dear boy, that they
will go away Quietly and have no row. II Is a
fashiuu they have here to settle their di5pule5
al taoie Or wherever they meet. All We Can
DO now is 10 await events
But there VIII be murder here. Can We not
notify the police OF their intentions?'
Impossible, my dear feilsW," answered
S0thern, In distressing whisper. "Were you
even to be suspected by these men OF attempt
ing to leave the room you would be shot Ike
Coz. and Go satisfaction would ever be given
your relatives In court Of Justice" BY this
time MI Lee was thoroughly aroused, aai In
no mood for tasting even the first course.
What an internal country" he said IN a
WHISPER. FOR few moments the regular BAN
qtet business went On. when suddenly row
arose at the lower end OF the table. and Mr..
Men Bryant, springing TO his feet. nercely ex-
ctalined: Whoever says that the History of