The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1886-04-17
In an Illinois village.

| returned from a tramp on the road
with a comedy company tells us his
experience in small Illinois town
where he made date by mail
merely to fill in the unoccupied
time between the larger cities. The
town had been elaborately billed,
and seats had been on sale for a
week, yet when the company arriv-
ed not one ticket had been disposed
of.
"How do you account for this ?"
asked the manager of the merchant
at whose store the plan of the house
was spread.
"Why," was the reply, "you
charge 80 cents. Our people never
go as stiff as that"
When the manager went to look
at the hall he found a room capable
of seating perhaps two hundred per-
sons. 1t was heated by two large
stoves at the rear and ventilated by
several broken windows. The seem
cry which the company carried was
made low for emergencies, but still
it was just twice too high. The
ceiling was eight feet feet above the
stage and the scenery was sixteen
feet high, and there was a pillar
square in the centre of the stage.
"How about music p asked the
manager.
"What music?" asked the pro-
prietor.
"Why, our piece is full of singing.
We have to have an orchestra. Our
contract calls for an orchestra"
"Does it?" said the proprie-
tor very much as if he wasn't just
sure what an orchestra might be.
els there an orchessre in town ?"
asked the manager.
"Guess not. Never heard of one
here"
| "Well, you must get a piano,
then"
"Piannerl There amt one in
town"
That settled the music question,
so the manager turned his mind on
the vexing question of putting
quart of scenery into a pint meas
ure of stage space, and finally ended
by concluding to play without
scenery.
| When the night came the man
ager entered the hall and found a
dozen men and boys standing
around one of the stoves.
"Well, said the manager, it's 7:3O;
we'll open the doors now" and he
passed among the men and boys to
take up their money.
"I'm the fireman." said the first
II tend the stoves"
II roll up the curtain" said
another and so on-some were ush-
ers, some had peddled bills, some
carried water for the actors.
"What do you do?" said the
wearied manager to Il stalwart-loolz.
ing chap sitting behind the stove.
"Me ?"
"Yes, you"
81 amt right in my head" was
, the answer.
NO." put in several of the by
ISLANDERS that's SO, he amt got no
sense; and they seemed to think
that ought to settle all dispute about
, his right in the hall. And it did.
At 8 O'Clock not soul had come
! to the door. About ten minutes
later man came up, showed tin
q star on his breast, said he was mar
shal, and walked in. In five min
a utes more five men, five women
and a string of children came. an
|, nouncing that they were the village
Board and families. Behind them
> came few persons who offered
!, sums ranging from a nickel to a
7 quarter to get in, and one man came
up and actually planked down a
:, whole half dollar with a reckless air
but not a word.
Gust imagine if you can" saws
p the manager, show all this struck
n me. My company was composed Of
$ fastidious ladies and gentlemen,
4 who were costing me in the neigh.
6 borhood of $1,000 a week.
:, "Well, the curtain went mn and
> the play began, but it had not gone
. far when the fellow warranted moi
TO be fright in his head" fell off the
IS front bench in foaming fit.
e "Jes' stop yer play a minute
10 said one of the trustees; she'll he
over it pretty soon. He has 'em evo,
20 little while" ''e'
n So the play was stopped. and the
young man was rubbed and rolled
and water was dashed in his faee
2, men ne came to, the play went
~ ~ on, but it had not gone far when he
= toppled over in another fit' This
II time the leading lady left the STAGE
a ana declared she would not oo on