The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-09-24
A Stage Anecdo,e.
DfAtnat!c N-As

Among the attractions booked for the Opera House was Annie Plxley. with = VI 'iss. In the las, act of this piecc some set trees and | set fountain are used. As the curtain was about 10 20 up on this act on the firs, night. Nr~F noticed ,o hls amazement that each of these obleCts was held up in is place by a negro stand ing behind 1t. instead of the usual stage brace.
 Iii. you. ,here'" he called to them |: " tix the braces and come of quick.
 bats ali right, sah. cooily responded the Eihoplan who was sustaining the fountain "We's dem
 You're whatE
 De braces. sah.
 And so they were There was not :. brace in the house. and NIT. N. had pressed them into service to sustain the pieturesqa illusion of the scene. |. stormed and made things warm generally. ba, Il did hlm no good. II WAS nig- gers or no set pieces. as NIT. N. pu; t. and the latter he had To have
 Well. sir. he says. in telling the story. ' the act Is about lrty minutes long, and you can lmagtne those coons did not take root during that tune. For the Inst iiSe minutes they were steady enough. Then the fun began. First. one ei the trees began te ~ahhle then the bfate pti, hts head out f,orn behind the other to sec what was gong on between him and the ieetllshis. As for the fountain. II began te sway steadily forsaFG and back with a regularity ef melton like the pendulum ef d eieek. Ny wfe got an to |. and she says to Mgh. between speeches.
 - What a.ls the scenery. Mac
 =. I'll swear | don't know, said Mac. bu; i'ri freely ,akc my oath either me or ,, < drunk
 Here he black looked out from be- hlnd the nearest tree and Annie stw htm. a1 au rascal she hl>scd. how dare you. >ir. ticJ of the stage ;his m:nGte
 =" Cant. mum. sud the coon. ~iih a Srln like a whale. ',ecpt take de tree wld me mum
 ., Mae had just got some of hls lines of She took her cue and as she finished an other ~oolly head bobbcd into $ sh, around the second tree The audience. who noticed tha; something was wrong saw II now. and began to snicker. She pinched herself Ia make sure she wasn :; dreaming. and Mac hurried on with one oi his long speeches [" prevent an oni- buFs, in from. A. soon as he nans"d , husky whisper. audible throughout the house. said
 " Hurry up. Mis>ec. Fob C.od' ef | don't gi, home afotc eleben o'clock. de ole woman 'ull lam de hide off me. shuah.'
 - You black >illian.' she cried. in an aside ge, oti. a, I'll kill you.
 = All right. Mlssee. Was the reply. Fse gw'ne ush, aw,,y.
 And in d couple ot seconds more the tree walked of into the wings The au- dlence commenced to applaud. and the fountain stopped see-S1wing, and with :. bob. as if making bew fell forw ard with the brace >prawling on top of Il. i The seeundrel had fallen into a dose. and being suddenly aroused. had lost his bal anec. As he fell. his side partner coolly {. leaned the onY remaining tree again>; the flat and came down the sage ,o help hlm up, McD. made kick Il, hin. bu, almed short and only upse, himself Annie leaned against a wing. nearly dead with ragc and laughter and the euftain l rang down on the tableau amid a round of applause Miss had never listeped ,e before and hope never will again"