Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-01-04

meeting devoid of enthusiasm. Sometimes we throw an alderman down stairs and se- cure harmony, and sometimes the six of them unanimously pitch into us and tenn porarily ahridgo our ofllcinl authority, but these things are to be expected and should bo taken as part of the routine. Any one finding and returning our visitor will be suitably rewarded, and we guarantee that nothing else shall occur to givo him an unpleasant surprise.
 DRAMATIC.-we have several times as- serted in these columns that the dramatic combinat nn which would open here in tho sort of play demanded by our people would meet with unqualified financial success, and the performance given by the New | York Shakespearcan Dramatic association Wednesday evening proved that we know whereof we asserted. When the company , arrived 1t was the intent to play "The Merry Wives of Windsor" A ten minute | talk with the manager satisfied him that he had taken the wrong trail. Most of our people have heard more or less about | Shakespeare, but always in connection with Hamlet" We told the manager what had happened to other combinations and what was likely to happen in his case if he swindlcd tho audience, and he had tho horse sensc to mako radical change | of programme.
 Tho hall was filled ut an early hour. We counted 42 men in the orchestra who had two guns apiece and had come with the determination to pop at something if things did not go right. They expected the curtain to go up on parlor scene with at least fivc stuffed chairs in it, and some of them were ready to shoot when the thing started of with n sand jig, which caught tho house inside of 30 seconds I This was followed by skirt dance and some high kicking, and this again by a | four round slugging match, in which one of tho contestants had his nose smashed. The other features of tho play were fight with the Indians, Hamlet seeing his ia ther's ghost, the hero throwing the villain over a precipice, two songs and dances, a love scene on n trolley car and a duel to the death between two duffers who both wanted to marry the same girl and set up housekeeping on the installment plan.
 Not only did the Shakespearean Dramat- ic association rake in over $400 in clean cash, but from first to last tho applause was continuous and the enthusiasm un- bounded, and after tho performance they were rendered tho freedom of the town and treated to the very best that could Do had. Being billed for only one night, the com. pany had to depart next day, but the actors will shortly return and entertain us for a wholo week. Up to Monday night our people, or such of them as had heard of Shakespeare, looked upon him as only e plug of a man who didn't die any too soon for tho benefit of his reputation. That opinion has undergone radical change and drop into any saloon you might dur ing tho week tho talk was all in his favor and every body was willing to go broke or him as tho right sort of n critter. 1t is ( pointer which other combinations should put in their pipes. Give our people Shake speare us WIG size him up-a man who likec to shake his foot, sing song, scrap lit
 tie and hnve fun with the boys-anC there's bari of money In 1t. Give ui
 Shakespeare aS the east sizes him up, ana the performance will Do shot of the stag within five minutes after the curtain gOe up. M QUAD.