Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-05-21
GET DOWN!

New York Cor Cincinnati Lnquirer]
The fashion RACES for amateur theatrl-
ais. We are getting ready for "Iolan-
the" and precious job it ie, what with
memorizing, vocalizing, costuming, and
rehearsiugs. We have strict disciple
marian of stage manager, who lets us
not SO much as wink unpremeditatedly.
Some OF the girls kick-I mean remon-
strate at being treated like real actresses
but I have been through the exPe-
rience before and know how to stand 1t.
[ shall never forget a rehearsal OF an
amateur "Patience" troupe that l was
concerned in at Jnicker1ng Hall. The
company was made up of well-knOwn
society men and women, the twenty
love-sick maidens being daughters of
some of our best people. Everybody
will remember that the girls lie on the
stage and follow "Bunthorne" raptur-
.ously with their eyes as he walks about.
j. ii. Ryley, the opera-slnger, was dl-
rectlng the rehearsal. The twenty re-
served society girls came with their
escorts. 1t was rainy day, and the
streets were blocked with their car
riages. Liveried footmen stood at the
doors of the hall, and several chaperons
were scattered about the auditorium.
The society men who were to play the
dragons were grouped in the wings.
Ryley, with single glass stuck in his
right eye, and his hands thrust deep in
his trousers pockets, stood in the middle
of the stage, with his back to the rear of
the orchestra and his face towards the
girls as they came trooping in. Their
visages were anything but encouraging.
When society girl is in an equivocal
position, or thinks that she is about to
be placed in one, she assumes proud
reserve which it is all but impossible to
disnel. AS the girls ranged themselves
in row Mr.. Ryley told them to direct
their eyes toward the rear of the stage,
and follow "Bunthorne" in couples.
ssThen," yelled Mr.. Ryley, s'ie down
on the stage and look up at him."
'sDo what ?" asked the society girls,
in cold and astonished chorus.
''Lie down ALL" said Ryley. "Flat
down, fall down, slide down-any way
so that you get down, but you must go
down"
Whereupon at least half of them ele-
waited their chins proudly n the air and
left the stage. The others stood irreso-
lutely, or expostulated earnestly with
the society men at the wings, and gazed
with intense contempt at the little
Engl1shman, who still stood at the loot
Lights gazing through his single glass
and making number of personal re-
marks to himself In brisk undertone.
There was consultation of war. Three
or four of the leaders went to Ryley and
asked him if it wasn't possible by some
hook or crook to allow the ladies to re-
main on their feet.
''Not bit of it," he replied. 'Eyery
one of them shall lie down, and fat, too,
or I'll throw up the whole commission.
I have certain amount of reputation to
sustain, and the Ladies must tumble, or
/ will give up the management.
He waited half an hour, while the
scene that closely resembled riot was
carried on between the twenty love-sick
maidens, the twenty society dragons,
and the mammas and guardians. l have
seldom seen SO much excitement.
At the end of that time the ladies filed
out solemnly on the stage. They looked
defantly at Mr.. Ryley's single glass,
which glittered wickedly against the
dark background of the auditorium.
'fBunthorne" again walked in, and the
ladies followed him two by two. Then
they stood in row and looked askance
at the single glass. It glared at them.
There was an awful pause. Everybody
knew it was time for the love-sick ones
to sprawl upon the stage, and yet no.
body sprawled. One or two giggled
nervously; three or four became weak in
the knees, as though half inclined to GO
down, and then, on seeing that they
were not followed by the rest, straight
ened up stiff1y and assumed an air of
virtuous indignation. Then very
stout and good-natured girl near the
front of the line made an honest effort
to go down. She wore walking dress,
and by the time she had got as far as to
touch one knee to the stage she sudden
~ discovered that she was disclosing the
top OF her shoes to the group of society
dragons, and with futter she made
an effort to scramble to her feet. The
effort was too much. She lost her bal
ance and Topped down upon the stage
with an intensity and force that could
be heard out on Fifth Avenue. There
she lay, the tops of both of her boots in
full view, and her face crimson with
modification. The society dragons
with one accord burst into wild and
well-bred guffaw. Then they stuffed
their handkerchiefs into their mouths,
and withdrew further iuto the wings.
Mr.. Ryley gulped violently, stared a
little harder through his glass and gent
ly raised one foot up from the ground
and put it down again, as man would
who was experiencing excessive joy and
was ashamed to let the fact be known.
Did the society women laugh? Not a
bit OF It. Two OF them attempted to as
sist the fallen maiden to her feet, bat
the task vas too great one, and they
gave it up. The others flushed With
one accord, and seemed to feel that the
outrage had gone far enough. Yet none
of them dared to withdraw, for they
knew that Ryley was too admirable q
man to lose and they wanted to make
the show creditable, so they still looked
defiantly at Mr.. Ryley, until a good
natured little girl In the rear row
skipped out beside the fallen heavy
weight and dropped laughingIy down
beside her. This broke the ice and one
by one the girls went down. 1t was a