St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-30
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KING FUN MAKERS.
Bill Nye and the. HOosier Poet at
Market Hall.


AS early as7 o'clock people began to
flock into Market hall last evening to.
witness the entertainment of Bill Nye
and James Whitcomb Riley. When
MIR. Nye introduced the nature of the
entertainment the hall was not only
filled with deafening applause and
laughter, but jam full of anxious and
admirlng spectators, many of whom
had the good pleasure TO laugh standing,
seats for all being entirely out OF the
question. Shortly after S o'clock, the
stage entrance to the hall being nailed.
the famed gentlemen made their appear
ance at the front entrance. where as they
announced, after being identified they.
managed to 'break into the hall and
escape to the stage. Mr.. Nye and tie
Hoosier poet being at once recognized
walking down the left aisle. with pot
hand in hand and baywindoWs assist
ing them in their search for the door
leading to that part of the hall which
admits to rear enhance to the stage,
we're cheered -. and applauded i'm
patiently. With considerable less cere-
mony than at a funeral the great humor-
ist proceeded to quiet the anxious and
uproarious multitude. Attired in a
SNdllpA-td COtt---OuC VI HIS
dress conforming to the con-
ventional-hc presented the initia-.
tive of the eachjnnatory proceeding and
without one word of warning threw the
house, and all that was in it. into a par
oXism of laughter. .]oculating minute
about the absence of programmes. he
Informed the audience that the enter-
tainment would consist or ten numbers,
MI. Riley and himself to appear alter
nately in a recitation. reading or adj
uyess. Happening to express his regret
at not being able to supply programmes,
some victim who was stationed unsup-
ported in the rear of the hall, where
seats were distant, yelled back that
programmes were not wanted,
but seats were. Mr. Nye calmly
asked ''how would standing room
do"' The audience laughed. and hooted
at the man in the rear. but hardly sue
ceeded in choking him off. Again
bawling forth some bad break at the
speaker, Mr.. Nye said: ''Well, | will
remain here for few minutes and see
that you get your Seventy-tiye cents
worth" The great wit fairly talked
the audience silly, and old and young
alike gave vent in shrill merry tones.
Mr.. Nye and MI. Riley resemble each
each ether materially. The former is
tall, slim and pointed in every feature,
his forehead encroaching its acreage
upon his Scapuia. His eye is full of
wit and humor and his manner in pri-
vate conversation is reserved, but his
every expression carries with it a
iucoSe air and his action when inter-
cSted would commend itself to the pos
sibilities of Plautus. In public address
he never smiles, but his expression is
far from being cynical. He speaks in a
moderate tone and never loses that
comical monotony of expression which
aggravateS his hearers to a continued
mirth, from slight smile at sight of
him, giggle at his first word and a
laugh as shrili or resonant as the case
may be, as common plate glass windows
will generally stand without breaking.
Mr.. Riley, on the other hand, though
slim, and as supple in movement as
India rubber, is considerably shorter
than Mr.. Nye. A thin, we'll
combed crop Of hair adorns his
Uranium and he parts his hair
very becomingly i'll the middle
Neither he nor Mr.. Nye wear any trim
mings on their faces, not even an elon-
CATION of the temple knot. Mr.. Riley
was attired in conventional evening
dress, and also wore eyeglasses. His
speech is quick, ready and fluent, and in
his recitations of his own productions
he intersperses both in word and ex-
preston an element which never tails
to provoke his hearers to hearty laugh.
The audience was as representative as
ever congregated. The city fathers
were present, and with them their
wives, sons and daughters, all of whom
contributed literally to the incessant
laughter that will keep the seats of Mar
ket hall smiling and grinning for fort
night.