Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-02-13
DIDN'T SHOW UP.
THE BURDErTE LECTURE THAT WAS TO HAVE
BEEN, BUT WASN'T.
An Opera HOuss Pull Of People Greatly Disap-
psinted-Posimaster 0owden Breaks the
Nsws--AOney TO Be Refunded.

If the carping critic were to adiudge
the literary performance at the opera
House last evening, he might per
haps pick some technical flaws
in the lecture, chief of which was
the fact that there was no lee
turer. The great humoriSt, Bob
Burdett, under the auspices OF the y.
NJ. c. A. was to have tickled the people
with The Pilgrimage OF the Funny
Man" and one of the largest audience
of the season had gathered on the
scene. prepared TO laugh right out loud.
There were but few vacant seats
In the theatre, and those scattering,
and viewed from the stage the assem-
blage presented a sea Of faces. H. was
a representative audience as well. While
the people were sitting in the auditor
ium chatting merrlY and waiting with
expectant delight for the avalanche OF
iokeIets, there was an altogether differ
ent scene behind the stage. There
Secretary Lynch, Postmaster Cowden
and other interested members OF the
committee, were nervously wondering
how TO size up the situation,
as neither hide nor hair Of The
star performer Of the evening had
been heard from for several hours.
A telegram was received by Secre-
tary Lynch early in the day stating that
he was in PittSburg on the way 10
Wheeling, and it was expected he would
be i'm about six o'clock. Buta search OF
all the hotels after supper failed 10 re-
veal his arrival, and the committee be
gan to think they were in somewhat o.!
dilemma, aud dilemma il was. Be
sides the diSagreeable duty Of breaking
the news to the audience, there was
represented in the house outside Of course
tickets, nearly SlGO from the sale OF seats
which the association would have
been only too glad to keep.
As the minute hand OF the
clock began to push by the figure eight.
the audience began 10 get impatient,
and as everybody came prepared 10
giggle, it really became tireSomc 10 hold
the pent-up visibility at bay. Finally,
after sending messengers To the varl-
Gus hotels and other public places with
out avail, the committee held hurried
consultation behind the scenes, result
| ing i'm delegating Postmaster Cowden 10
step to the front OF the stage and make
! the painful announcement that the lee
ture was of, owing 70 circumstances
over which the committee had no con
trol, and that the money would be re-
funded at time and place to be de-
cded by the committee and published
in the papers.
Such change of countenance a.
came over that vast aSSemblagc. Ii was
amusing to watch the different eN-
preSsionS and to hear the diversified re-
marks that rent the air. As a rule,
however the people took it good IA
turedly.
Quite a number on going out Of the
Opera House, however, gathered about
the box-oilice TO secure their money. or
something that would show that they
had purchased ticket, as many OF
those who had purchased reserved
seats outside Of the course
tickets had thrown their coupons
away. For while it looked
| like run ON u bank, and the man in
the box Office was in quandary what
to do. He ran in behind the
stage to consult Secretary Lynch and
the other members. 1t was finally
agreed to give pieces of cardboard TO
all who applied where it could reason
ably be complied with, the Association
to stand the loss Of whatever mistakes
were made. This was done rather than
to create any i'll feeling on the part OF
/ the auditors.