The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-06-03
Columbus Times. 18th ut
AN AUDIENCE OF ONE.
The Reception Columbus Once Ten.
dered to Joe Emmett.

The engagement OF Joe Emmet q
Comstock's Opera House tonight. re
wives story he told to Times reporter
relative to "reminiscences, the data o
which occurred at the above thaater, i,
this city some years ago. SAID Emme,
t"The smallest audience ] ever had va
10 Columbus, Ohio. The mansger hat
been trying to introduce ma,inees. hu
with not much success Joe Jefferson
Drnman Thompson and some Of the biz
stars had gone through the mill, and tn,
audience had been so small that they har
shied, and refused to take the gate Th,
money bad ceen returned at the box Of
Gee, and the disappointed ticket huyer.
bad departed determined never again t
patronizs q matinee in Columbus. tn.
afternoon business was at it's lowest ebt
when l struck the town. After two ol
three performances the posters snnounc
ed matinee. went to the iheater at
O'Clock that afternoon and found my
company skvlarking behind the curts
In their every day suits. Hooked out in
The auditorium. There was just one
man In the theater. He sat clear hack in
the parqnette. 1t was as much as could
do to outline him 10 the darkness.
went to the ticket office. Did that man
paw for his ticket ? I asked. Yes, sc
cents the treasurer replied. The man.
ager told me to return HIM his money
and close the theater. M, you won't,
l said. I've never disappointed an au-
diencc when I'm sober. and ] don't pro.
pore 10 do so now. We'll play Tor him.
/ went into the parque,te, introduced
myself to the man, and thanked him for
his attendance. / told him that, as he
had thought enough Of me to come and
see me and pay so cents for the privi-
lege, he should have as good perform
ance as though the house was packed. I
went behind the curtain and requested
the company to dress. 'Great Cesar
Joe,' one of them SAID, you amt going
to play 10 that one man, are you ? Yes,
I am e2liei Hes paid his money,
and be shall have his moneys worth.
oh, the devll!' broke In an other mem.
her Of the company, I'm pay his fifty
cents and you let him GO Itold them
that the performance must 60 on as
usual. and I warned zach Of them Mat
any sttempt to guy the audience or any
failure to play part in full would be the
signal for discharge"
"Well, the orchestra PLAYED an over
ture aud the curtain arose. / walked
down {, the footlights. I invited the
audience to come forward aud take q
seat, where be could see and be seen
He thanked me and settled him self in
the front row. | sug gested that little
generous applause thrown in where he
thought the actors deserved it would
serve to inspirit them and warm them to
their work. He seemed to appreciate
the situation and agreed to give u. all
;he encouragement that he thought We
deserved. Tue performance hogan. I
don't think ever played better. ] threw
myself heart and sonl into the character.
and sang the Lullaby so tenderlv that
the entire audience was in tears. He
called for an encore. / told him that
We rarely gave sn encore, but as this
was an extraordinary occasion he should
have one. He applauied literally at
times where the applause was deserved,
and again failed to applaud where ap-
plause Vas deserved. Al such times /
~.liad r. !. .tt.ct;on n tha n mic Ion snd
asked whether, on ft election, be did not
really think that he had N ade q mistake.
A hint was sufficient. He would clap
his hands as though perfectly enchanted
and shout Bravo! like an Italian over
Salvini. The company paid no atten.
ton to him. but went on with the per.
torEance as regular as clock work. Be-
tween acts. however, one or two OF them
evinced disposition to go out into the
su iitorium and mingle with the audi
ence set my face against It aud thew
refrainei. At The close of the secon'l
act Manager Comstock entered the
theater. He had been out for walk
He seemed dumfounded at the house
brilliantly lighted and the orchestra
playing soberly to one man. But he
Was more astooished when the curtain
arose and the performance was resumed
with as much unconcern as though there
were . thousand dollars in the house.
But he had On eye to business He sent
word to the newspaper reporters, and
half drzen of them, including those
OF the old Statesman and Journal, ar.
rived in time for the last act. No actor
ever received better newspaper criticisms
Some Of them we're over column long
1t turned out that the audience was the
owner Of copper mine in Michigan.
and very wealthy. On the following
night he gave the whole company ban
quet at the Neil House. He entertained
Us rs handsomely as We had entertained
him, and We parted with mutual regrets
Just vekr afterward / announced an
other matinee at Columbus was we'll
advertised, and The house was packed to
suffocaiion. took in over 81 200 Nv
sense OF duty to that one man, who had
invested the small sum OF half dollar,
bad returned me golden haivest."