The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-03-04
STAGE rR1GmTExED LECTURERS.
Burdc cite, Reechcr, riltOn and Phillips
Afraid OF their Audiences.

Invent the other evening and caught
Robert j. Burdette in the ante-room at
Chickerirg hall, just before going on
the stage with his funny lecture, writes
New York correspondent of the In
dianapolis journal. 'tA-h" he e4-
claimed, with Tremendous resplra-
tion. "Well, but 1 am glad you've
come Now, talk to me talk tome I"
and he continued Walking up ana down
the floor, after shaking hands.
"Whats the matter? What ails you?
What do you mean?" I said. care
you Iehearsing? Have I interrupted
you. Do you want to be alone ?''''
emo! no" he exclaimed eagerly,
walking up to me. "Don't leave me
Don't 60 away!' i.r .l-ri/i,!a,
"What on earth is the matter?" I
asked.
tsScared!" he said will, a querulous
laugh. Then 1 laughed. "You don't
believe me. It's true, though. "I'm
afraid to 60 on the stage" -
"Pshaw, man - said, twby, yot,
arc. Joking; you have actured for yeaEs.s,s.
u "Yes, seventy five times this win
ter but 1t don't make any difference !;
I have to 60 through this absurd expe-
rience every time. There's no getting
used to it,
elbow, does II, make YOU feel"
II ssFeel ? Light as cork! If was
outside, could fly right over the build
ing. Honestly and seriously, if I knew
had got to die tonight, should pray
that the Lord would take me just be-
fore Invent on the stage.' ~ ao-;5
sMany have the same experience.
That's some satisfaction" suggested,
"if misery loves company."s Az
ssYes, he said, ssI told Beecher about
my troubles, and he said, Il can tell you
one thing for your consolation: you'll
never get over it. l suffer every time
go before an audience, and am afraid
of my own congregation But his ex-
perience doesn't give me much COM
fort" t'"IfJ -ff
"Does your fear vanish when you get
on the stage:''
| emo, it lasts some time, usually.
poke around among tho audience for a
familiar face, and when find a friend
I lecture right ut him and don't notice
anybody else. Cough tells me that he
finds himself talking to some sympa-
thetic and responsive little group in one
corner, telling his stories to them alone,
as if they were in a room together.' II
He looked at his watch. "It's most
time to go on the stage. IT it was
respectable ia run away. The notion
of feigning sickness often comes over
me rs it does over school-boys who
want to play hockey. Are you my
jailer ?" looking up at a gentleman in
swallow-tail who seemed waiting for
him.
eyes; you have four minutes YETI
! "Can't get repricve?' asked the
culprit, forcing grim smile.
"Not this evening. Any other even
ing. You remind me of Theodore Till
ton. When he appeared here, though
he had lectured five hundred times, he
was so frightened that we couldn't get
him on the stage for u long time. The
hall filled up, the audience clamored,
and he, hesitating to face them, walked
up and down the room, deaf to oul
entreaties, washing his hands with
invisible soap in iInperceptible water.
Finally we got him through that door
Mt halfpast eight"
4 Told Burdette that Wendell Phil:
lips assured mo once that he had had
similar experience; then 1 slipped
around into the orchestra. The funny
man came on the stage, began in q
tremulous voice, and his troubled eye
wandered over the audience till he
found friends, with whom he quietly
] c0fflofl ~ 10 ~