Milford chronicle., 1891-05-29
APPLAUDED THE BOYS.
a BOSTON AUDIENCE THAT RESENT
Ed A woMAN's SATIRE.

Eb = WOMNdNo o. ihEs
A story Of Florence sEarryatt's First APP
pearanee In America-she Spoke Be
fore an Unsympathetio Audience, and
Failed 70 Arouse Enthusiasm.
The story published recently relative TO
the impressions left at Kansas City by the
Yale Glee club recalls an incident which
happened three or four years ago in bos-
ton. One Of the best entertainment bu-
reaus Of that city had engaged Florence
Alarryatt, the authoress, to give series OF
entertainments in this country. She first
appeared in Boston, at fremont Temple.
Rery billboard throughout the city was
sblaze with her portrait and the announce
ment Of her first appearance in America,
and down toward the bottom Of the BILL IN
small and modest letters, was the further
announcement that she would be assisted
BIZ the Harvard quartet"
Bostou people had been treated to a taste
If English Sweetness and light" in the
person Of the famous English critic, Mat
thew Arnold, only a short time before and
were, therefore, all agog with expectancy
and interest as to how this English com
modify would be dispensed by and English
woman.
On the evening appointed fremont
Temple was packed. Every seat was occu-
MED. and the aisles were filed with people
standing up. The quartet Of Harvard boys
had been engaged to sandwich in" be-
tween the numbers on the programme re-
served for Miss Marryatt, and the manager
felt some misgivings as to whether the
BOYS would be able to hold their own and
keep the digniied pace set by the star Of
the evening.
She began the entertainment by reading
Glove Letters" a composition Of her own.
She appeared in the conventional full dress,
and posed as a leader Of English society
reading her love letters and commenting
upon the character Of those who sent them,
always to their disparagement.
THE RECEPTION OF THE STAR
One Of these letters was supposed to be
from a newly graduated Oxford man, who
had offered her in this letter his heart,
hand and fortune. He came in for the
lions share Of feminine sarcasm and rid
icule, and was left in sorry condition
when she got through with him. She
made him out an inane, conceited puppy
q mere blotch on the healthy body Of so
ciety When she had completed the au-
tOpsy she bowed herself grandly of the
stage ana swept Anbu plo 3AeSA ANvAA WIN
the air of = cOnqueror.
The audience was stupehed and dumb.
Presently it occurred to somebody in one
corner Of the hall that it was the proper
thing to applaud, for the sound of a soil
farv clap broke the awful stiffness which
followed her disappearance from the stage.
The applause started from the rear, skip
ped over the body of the house, found two
or three sympathizers on the other side Of
the hall, froze there and died.
The manager was frantic and scarcely
Eknew whatEo say to Miss Narryatt-ip -
gRlal,tion q sl.A1s cold reception given her.
- iaie a "a enzieu1 .ance from her room
to where the college boys stood, az the
other end of the hall behind the scenes,
irving to console the woman and pathet-
ically begging the boys to do their best.
"Can you hold your own" he asked In a
frightened voice.
eyes. said the giant bass, well be out
in the middle Of the audience before we
get through"
IT WAS A COLLEGE NIGHT.
And they soon were. They first sang
popular glee and followed it up with sew
era1 college songs, which called forth a
storm of applause. They came out again
three times in response to eneores and
started to respond to the fourth, when the
manager begged them not to go before the
audience again, beseeching them to con
slider Miss Maryatt's feelings
The hurricane out in the audience died
after awhile and Miss Marryatt once more
appeared. This time she was enveloped in
flaming red oxford gown and cap, and
stood before the audience as a young col
leeian. The house Immediately caught
ON to the irony of the thing and remained
mute with astonishment, not knowing
whether her role as e0llegian meant
peace or war.
A spasmOdic burst Of laughter in the
rear, in which every one wanted TO join,
was, however, soon hushed, and Miss Mar
ryatt began her lines, the tenor of which
was, with a slight difference, much the
same as her previous sketch, and the same
cold reception was accorded her
She left the hall in a towering rage i'm
mediately, and the college boys came on to
sing once more They were greeted with
tremendous applause They ''OWned the
house, and every one in it.N. The audience
was demoralized aud jubilant. Women
waved their handkerchiefs and men
clapped their hands and pounded the door
with their sticks and feet.
When the audience arose to leave one
very old man, with happy look on his
face, started for the door, leaving his aged
wife to find her way out as best she could.
He forgot where he was for a minute, and
trolled in a quavering voice:
"Ill go no more a-roving with you, fair
maid. New York Tribune.