Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-12-21
A Great Scheme.

All theatrical men know how diff
cult it is to put an eating scene on the
stage successfully. OF course it is
not hard to set a table and have a
party OF men and women gather around
it aud pretend to eat, but their efforts
to appear natural are painful to the
audience. During a very witty con
versation, one man who is bashful,
puts a piece Of bread in his mouth
and chews it for awhile and then by
stealth takes it out; and the charming
young lady on his right makes Q feint
at drinking tea, while the old man
pretends to cat a piece Of meat. This
ends the meal and the audience is
glad Of it. Several days ago a
tall young fellow, poorly dressed, went
to = stage manager and said.
Captain, | was at your show the
other night and liked all Of it but the
eating act. That was unnatural and
Of course made the audience feel
bad"
II know" the manager replied, but
there is no way Of remedying the thing.
We must have an eating scene, and
can only make a pretense Of it at best
The actors, you know eat supper Just
before going to the theater and are not
hungry"
II think, cap'n, that | can improve
that eating scene. Tonight have a
good beef steak, plenty of bread, good
butter, and all necessary trimmings,
You'll have to change your play lit
tie, but that will improve it. just as
the party sits down to the table, q
commotion outside will cause the table
to be deserted. When they ell run
out, will hop through the window
sit down to the table, and help myself
I'll show the audience what it is to
eat. won't see the people, bless you
l haven't had anything to eat for three
days, and I've got o pretty fair appe-
tite, let me tell you"
MY dear sir, exclaimed the de.
lighted manager, that is q capital
idea. Come around tonight and III
turn you loose when the supper party
runs from the room. Be there on
time, and mind you don't eat anything
between now and then"
Don't be uneasy. There is no
! likelihood of my eating anything, fol
| haven't done without eating as a
mere Joke. III be there.
That night he made his appearance
promptly. The supper scene camt
on, and the audience began to fee
uneasy, when a noise caused the actor
to Jump up aud leave the dining room
Then the hungry man jumped through
a window and sat down to the table
He didn't take little pieCt
Of bread and chew it gingerly
He crowded lot of beef int
his mouth and ground it like the gen
uine hungry man he was, He drank
cup Of coffee at one gulp, and with ont
sweep Of his knife he made a hal
pound of butter look like the melan
choly days, the saddest of the year
had come to stay. The audience be
came enthusiastic. Men who usual!
went out for a drink during eatiDl
scenes, applauded, and the CALLER!
boys, thinking that q genuine tram
had, without theckpowledge Of tn
manager, slipped onto che stage, YELLED
in lusty admiration.
The table was soon cleared, and b,
the time the party returned the tram
had gone, carrying with him loaf 0
bread.
"Let me congratulate you, said tn
manager, who was Overioyed at the el
feet OF the scheme.
"Thank you, Do my part wel2'
"0h, splendidly. Say, L want you I
} travel with me"
ITO DO what"
; ITO eat"
Nothing but eat2
+ "That's all,
: THE very job I've been looking f
t all Of my lie, Cap'n."
]. But you must eat only at nigh
D when yoI make a pass at the table.
0 I'm your man. How | wish n
} poor wife had lived. Ii would hay
/ delighted her to have known that
had snothing to do but eat. I hay
D been hungry all my life, and now Thu
! fortune iavors me | cannot EXPIRE
, the Joy | feel; but say, Cap'n, shouI
! like to have a matinee occasionally.
Y was born to create a reform, | was i
s tended to show that the dramatic bus
! ness is not q failure. Let's sec, VIII
D is the next performance