The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-10

Of Paterson Is held Gen ill-repute. There
aourishss within rs limits a unique t0sti-
tuition. the Decorative order Of the Ancient
Egg The latest entertainer 10 ran up
against this order Is ne lecturer and hU-
mOrist. BIT Ny, who encountered it GA
Tuesday evening. and was decorated eN-
5enSiYely. pictureSquey. and oGoriier2t}siy
before he could escape from town. IN re-
oE8itiQn al his efforts 20 smuse Paterson
lans He left behind him many regrets.
whose basis vas INC fact that his manager
Eot away with 500 for an exhibition which.
as far as Nye was concerned, was - the
Paterson nsople say. inferior IN Quallty 10
the eggs that emphasized his exit.
Announcements that Ban Nye. assisted
by Bert Poole. he lightning illustrator
would give an entertainment IN the FIRST
Baptist church caused rush for tickets,
and the young mems class OF the church
who had the matter in charge. this being
the first OF a series of entertainments, vera
greatly elated over the sales. They had
secured the combination through the az n
cy OF a literary bureau, which highly re-
commended Nye as the leading American
humorist" \ few DAYS before the night
set the committee got a report from Allan
tic City that caused them some uneas!ness.
The report intimated that the lecUrer on
his appearance there had fortified himself
beyond tis own capacity. and II embodied
the m0urnful expression Of Manager FRA
''Bill Nye has been here and gone. May
ne never come again"
Paterson is chanting this refrain now,
but AT thal time the committee ia charge
could not forssee tho impending faseo.
Counter reports assured them that Nye had
been III, but was all right Doubt was
thrown on this by reported performances
Of Nye in Chickerng Hall on Monday. This
time the committee communicated with
Nye's manager who assured them that the
lecturer would be on hand and in good con-
diion at the time set, and when on Tues
day afternoon "A telegram came aanoune-
ing that the combination would arrive ear
~ that evening they felt much hetter.
Meantime all the reserved seats had been
sold. and before O'Clock a very large and
fashionable audience crowded tho church
to the doors. y wait followed. Nobody in
formed The people Of the reason fof il. hut
the time was taken mp IN an interview be
tween a member Of the management COM
mittee and Bill Nye. The fact that a third
person. Joseph Newman. an elocutionist.
had been brought along by Manager
Thearle added 10 the suspicious which
Nye's appearance orr his arrival in town
had caused. and the committee intended To
see about 1t. Thcarle insisted that Nye vas
all right, but the committeeman wanted 10
talk TO the lecturer himself about r..
How DO YOU feel, Mr.. Nye?" he asked
him. soliCitousiy
"Au right. sir" was the reply. IAN
right. l say. / feel all right, sir. Yes.
sir. all right"
Thus assured tho young man felt some
hesitancy about any further questioning,
bat ne bravely stuck 20 his guns
Are YOU sure that you're we'll enough
to speak?" he asked. Hadn't yoa bet
ter-er-postpone it,
Not at an. sir. answered Nyc. Not
at all Postpone Il? Not al all. sir. All
right"
II was haif-past when the entertain
ment began. Poole the artist appeared
first and dill some clever sketchlns which
was appreciated by the audience This
lasted about ten minutes, and Nye was
20 appear next IN his lecture,
Farming Exposed lie came out the
side door. near the pulpit. and the
audience craned It's many necks 70
see him. They saw thin man
with a very bald head. clad in a dress
suit proceeding with great deliheration
toward the steps. He stood MP stinly
erect and his eyes looked neither 10 the
right nor the left bat We're fNed with
military rigidity straight to the front
Look at him said the people, one to
another. Isn't he funny
But i'm his appearance there was no
suggestion Of an intent 10 supply fun az
that particular moment. Instead, there
was a vague suggestion Of uncertainty as
to how he was going 20 gain the plat
form When ne reached the steps that
Ied M 20 V he saw the railing. and
reached for - with an expression 81 re-
lief Now the stairway 20 the platform
IS not particularly difficult Of ascent. but
Nye went al it us 10 81 constituted
parallel 20 the AIattcrhorn. With the
help OF tho railing he attained the sum
init but no sign Of triumph at III" sue
cpesfuI achievement showed in his stern
face Re froated The audience impassiv@-
~ and began 20 speak. At least II Is
eupposcd that he began 10 speak. for his
Tins we're seen % move and people IN the
frort seats assert that they HttFd
small murmur proceeding therefron
wei. that's good. too" said those fur
.her hack 20 each other Hes iollylug
us along In u minute he'll spring some
bir Joke" and they laughed softly 20
themselves
Pretty soon the strain on their ears he
gan 10 ~ painful. Expectation gave way
90 surprise and surprise 20 q stronger
feeling. when inc lecturer paused iH ms
iabial calisthenics and spat v1th great
crnuhasis UNION the floor From time p
time be repeated the perfof nance Wnfth
was much mere audible than anything
he said. His prrforwanr" mas
CONSUMED three minutes. ana t"Waf' tih
end bc gathered enough energy T" Hi"'
f.r n4tlf understood I'm Few @tliI'"~"8
g-Ittfrfsrns on biblical suhiccf4 wHirh
were not particularly Wen rNcftFf5. ~
t..,.frtr the stage he omitted 20 ho". nN-
iog nrtaated 10y evident haste 90 rfhIe
{0to serlasion. There Was ""h1 ~
+ tongues as DO disappeared one man re-
I rrsrke9 ir tones sudiolo 90 most ~ ihe
..Toex no think that no can come 20
/ rssttersou and give a pantomine without
1 rssfurese This looks 10 mo like SKIN
/ game