Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-10
H.. crnna summed in Huston.

Comedian Crauo was recently given
.,,,,,,..r 1,y the Electric Club. SAYS the New
v'rp voH and Eypress. Invitations were
sent 10 Crane. VIII Seymour, the sun
manager. Joseph Brooks, Cranes manaseIi
and one or two other theatricai Peopie, .'i.1
the scene # the symposium was 49,, ',,,,.s
I'm rn youug's Hotel. For several hours
isf,re the time set for the repast' now
,v,r a couple of the hosts. one OF Whoh y
the superintnudent Of a leading eiecttlC-
hnht coupaiiy. took possession OF the
di,6no. room and were busy with various
.tf,,oi4 ,rrparatlOus which necessl-
,,t,.d tl,. introduction Of some queer-look-
mo- i.,ts and coils OF sllk-covereG wire;
Finally Crane. rublcund, sun-bui neu', anu
smiling. made his appearance. his no7.N
wrro waiting for him. and Their greetings
were warm and ahectionate. 3,
Sumner viii he served natew minutes.
se,,l one. bat M the mean time have ny
n. rupetizer" and he handed SILVER sal
y.,r f,, tr. actor on which were two or three
,,i,.-,.. of something that looked IKE Ner,,
mouth. Crane reached out ms nHhu anu
h.. fn.ors rlosrd 90 the stem Of one OF inc
,yin.. t,laS,,.-. but az they did 40 startling
expression Of alarm aud apprenensioti owl
.ur,.ad his cnUutenance. ana MS HhE'i
rung tcuuciou-lr 30 the glass. lie tIleh 10
en.,k lmt le could only gasp and glare at
asked the latter with w-ll-detned as
sumptionof innocence. Matter gasped
tho actor. THE Internal things bewltch-
eel 80 and his fingers still CLING 10 the glass
tcra,iouslv. " Dear dear ~ SAID the other
con,lniseratinulr. Il forgot that you were
nat u~ed TO our brand of Nermouth. ana
making u mystic pass over the glass, ne
added: Now it's all right
The panied lOoklett the comedian race
4 . han 81
,,lsss. hut he could not be prevailed upon
IN reueat the experiment. though one after
another Of his hosts stepped mp and aiteI
lifting n glass from the tray. drank us
contents TO show him nothing was wrong
Tho other guests began TO arrive, hrst
AMONG them being Mr.. Brooks, who as be
shook hands with one Of bis hosts on ms
entrance. suddenly doubled up with vel
and then began shaking his arm as though
he wanted - shake 1t OF.
"Tutl tut - solemnly said the electri
clan. "the atmosphere 10 Overcharged To-
NIGHT. and I'm afraid Mr.. Brooks IS over
sonsitive." an opinion in which that lndi-
viduol fully agreed. for. rs he sad later,
he felt as If he had had stroke Oh
II was when they sat down to the table
though that the fun began. FIRST cram
iumDed up from the chair on which he ha'
seated himself rs If propelled rom ea'a
pult. Then when he tired 20 hsh uP hl'
knife and fork he found his hand sudden :
glued. rs it were 70 the table ard as SUD
denly released.
The mterlude being ended, and supper
half over a dish Of ordinary-lOoklng bon
hons. one Of whose contents he tired t5
remove assumed the appearance OF 6lacE
CATS back in the dark when IT IS rubbed
the wrong way. and sparkled and cracked
IN a most alarming fashion.
And so il went on until the guests begar
10 be afraid to perform the most ordlnar'
action for fear Of receiving q shock or o
something startling happening. h'
oueerest part Of it al was that though th'
| electricians might do the very same thing
as their guests immediately after then
none Of the peculiar consequences woulc
| follow. At last. IN funny speech' Crane
/ COMMUNICATED his host on having taken IN
most thoroughly one who was himself
/ past grand master "a the art Of practica
| Joking.