The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-04-14
"A solitary Apd,eue..

ltrom an interview with s'Fritz" Emmett in the
New York SUM-
The smallest audience / ever had
was in Columbus, Ohio. The mana
gers had been trying to introduce
matinees, but with not much success.
Joe Jefferson, Deman Thompson and
some of the big stars had gone
Through the mill, and the audiences
had been so 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 10 patronize o matinee
in Columbus. The afternoon bust
ness was at its lowest ebb when /
struck the town.
After two or three performances
the posters announced a matinee. l
went to the theater ut 2 O'Clock that
afternoon and found my company
| skylarking behind 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 as L could do to outline in the
| darkness. l went out to the box Of
flee. 'Did that man pay for his
Pickett" l asked. Eyes fifty cents"
the treasurer replied. The manager
told me to return him his money
and close the theater. mo you
won't" said, 81 have never disap-
pointed an audience when Pm sober
and Il don't propose to do so now.
4 Wen play for him :" / went into the
parquette, introduced myself to the
man and thanked him for his attend
ance. told him that as he had
thought enough of me TO come and
see me- and pay fifty cents for the
privilege, he should have as good a
performance as though the house was
packed. L then went behind the
curtain and required the company
to dress. Great Caesar, Joe,' one Of
them said, "you amt going to play
I 10 that one man, are your" 'Yes, /
am, Lfeplied. 'He's paid his money,
and he shall have his moneys worth
| ooh, tho DEVIL broke in another
member of the company, III pay his
fifty cents and you let him go.'
told them that the performance must
| go on as usual, and L warned each
one that any attempt to guy the au-
dience, or any failure to play a part
in full, would be the signal for dis
charge. ......-.
"Well, the orchestra played an
| overture and the curtain arose."
| "Fritz" continued. II walked down
to the footlights. | invited the au-
dience to come forward and take a
| front seat, where he could see and
| be seen. He thanked me and settled
himself in the front row. suggest
ed that little generous applause
thrown in where he thought the ac-
tors deserved 1T, would serve to in
spirit them and warm them to their
work. He seemed to appreciate the
situation, and agreed to give us all
the encouragement that he thought
we deserved. The performance be-
gan, l don't think | ever played
better. l threw myself, heart and
soul into the character, and sang the
Lullaby so tenderly that the entire
audience was in tears. He called
| for an encore. | told him that we
rarely gave an encore, but as this
was an extraordinary occasion he
should have one. He applauded
literally at times where no applause
was deserved, and again failed to
applause where applause was de-
served. At such times l called his
attention TO the omission, and asked
whether, on reflection, he did not
really think that he had made q mis-
take. A hint was sufficient. He
would clap his hands as though per-
fectly enchanted and shout, f.Bravo p
like an Italian over Salvini. The
/ company paid no attention to him,
but went on with the performance as
regular as clock work. Between the
acts. however, one or two of them
evinced a disposition to go out into
the auditorium and mingle with the
audience. / set my face against it,
and they RETAINED. At the close of
the second actthe manager entered
the theater. He had been out for q
walk. He seemed dumbfounded at
seeing the house brilliantly lighted,
and the orchestra playing soberly to
the performance was resumed with
as much unconcern as though there
were $1,000 in the house. But he had
an eye to business. He sent word to
the newspaper reporters, and half a
dozen of them arrived in time for the
last act. No actor ever received bet
ter criticisms. Some of them were
over a 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 a banquet
at the leading hotel. He entertain
ed us as handsomely as we had en-
tertained him, and we parted with
mutual regrets. just a year after
ward | announced another matinee
at Columbus. 1t was well advertis-
ed, and the house was packed to suf--
location. l took in over $1,000. My
sense of duty to that one man, who