The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1890-02-01

the O primitive acting; gong from
town to town and giving entertain
ments Ill the dinlng-rOoms of the h0-
tells. AS there were no papers pub
lisfied i'll these small villages, there
were no printing Offices. consequently
no bills so flaming announcements Of
our arrival il i bold handwriting were
displayed in the three important
points of the town, viz: the hotel. the
post Office and the barber shop. It
fell to my duty, being an adept with
the brush. 10 write, or rather paint,
these advertisements. The PLAYS
We're acted in costume. but without
scenery or curtain. The nightly re-
celpts We're smail-ju>t about enough
10 get Us from place to place.
Gun objective point was the town Of
Liberty, Miss. but there was some
difficulty i'll getting there. as the dis
lance was greater than we could ac-
complish in a day. A. farmer who had
been to the theatre the night before
for the first time in his life was SO
struck by the performance that he
proposed to have his teams brought
III and take us to his farm house about
- miles distant. According to his
suggestion we were to rest for d l;y.
give an entertainment in his barn, and
SO go on to Liberty.
But" said my brother. ''you tell
me there is liz other honse there but
Your own. What shall we do for an
audience?"
WELL" said the farmer, ..all my
family will come, to begin with, and
there is Il dozen or more on 'em: then
there's eight or ten farmhouses close
by. and if Il Of your men will drive
there with my sou and blow the horn
they will all come, for there amt one
on EN- ever seen a play before. I'll
ensure you a full barn
So the matter was settled. and we
actually played il a barn. the house
that we stayed III being the only one
IN sight. 1t seemed in vain 10 look
for an audience in such a lonely place.
but the farmer was right. Soon after
the sun had gone down tie full harry
est noon rose, and by its dim light
we could family See family groups Of
people, two and sometimes three on 4
horse, coming from all directions over
the lill-now a wagon with il great
load. Some Of them walked. but all
We're quiet and serious, and apparent
~ wondering what they were gnin.
TO see.
Those who have travelled through,
the Southern States will perhaps re-
member the kind Of barn we acted in
there were two Lighthouses Joined to-
getEer, with an opening between them
which WAS tioored and covered i'll.
The seats were arranged in the open
aIr-benclles, chairs and logs. The
double barn on each side was used for
dressing rooms and for making en-
RANGES and exits. while the opepina!
was devoted to tie stage. The open
ar was well filled. containing an au-
dlence OF about 90 persons. Our en-
thuslastlc admirer, the farmer. col
lected the admission fee. 4 dollar he
ing charged and freely given. The
plays We're The lady Of Lyons and
The Spectre Bridegroom The
farmer had supplied rs literally with
candles, so that the early part Of the
entertainment was brilliantly illumin-
ated, but the evening breeze had fan
ned the lights so t~iercely that when
the farce began the tootlights We're
gone. The little claiming ministers"
had all sputtered ont, so ..The Spectre
bridegroom was acted in the moon
light.
1t was curious to watch the effect of
a strong, emotional play like ..The
Lady of Lyons upon an audience
that had never seen a drama before
they not only were much interested.
but they became excited over the
trials of the herb and heroine they
talked freely among themselves. and
at times to the actors. One old lady
insisted that the lovers should he sal
lowed their W way" and a stalwart
young farmer warned the villain not
to interfere again, "if he knew what
was best for him.'-Joseph jefferson.
IN December Century.
The electric light plant is going M
rapidly and will be located on the
mill yard Of Messrs. Gall q Pharr.
these gentlemen having taken the
contract to operate it. The steam
will be supplied from their saw xiii
boilers through Il pipe connecting
with the electric plant. The wires
and lamps are also being pnt up and
we understand that the company al
ready haze 500 lights taken by phi
vate parties. But one very regretta-
ble feature is that no understanding
has yet been had between the Electric
Light Company and the street lamp
,a ,,frnotor ani az ,,att.p- 4Y
the town proper is not to be lighted
by electricity. We are sure that all
the gentlemen concerned have at