St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-17

ACT, necKS were craned, and Mr.. Ell
felt, who was looking at the audi
ence through pin holes in the back
drop, could see the anxious express
slons on the countenancGs of all. as
they closely scanned the dramatis
| personae, only to find no new faces.
But at last it was time for Mr.. Ell
felt to go on, and how he was re-
| ceived is best told in his own words.
The instant appeared n view of
the audience" said ME-. Eifelt, there
was a confused buzzing all over the
! house. Then I could hear the Whis-
pers circling round:
It's Charley Elicit, it's Charley Ell
felt, Charley Elicit.
Z, Il advanced
TOWARDS THE FOoTLIGHTs
and bowed slightly. AS 1 did so T
could hear the prompter in the wings
whisper:
Keep it up, Charley, you're doing
! Splendid
AS l bowed, friend of mine who
was seated in the front row threw me
a bouquet-of thistles. at once stopped
and picking up the thistles, tucked
! them gently under the bosom of nv
military coat, and then the audience
broke into loud laughter and cheers.
while the prompter cried:
Keep 1T up, Charley, keep it up:
you're doing Splendid
well, managed to get through the
part all right, for I was, strange to
say, perfectly self-possessed. 1t sound
ed odd to hear myself called Capt.
DIXON on the stage, but 1 soon became
accustomed to it. The next day, how
ever, l experienced the queerest sensa-
ton. AS I walked down the street.
! 1t seemed as if from within every door
way, behind every tree and on every
street corner, people Were calling:
! Capt. Dixon, Capt. Dixon, Capt.
, Dixon.'''
! That same year, In July, Linden and
/ UnderhilPs theatrical troupe played a
short engagement in the old court
house, which was located on the site
; of the present building. About this
/ time, or little later, Market hall was
opened in the old market building on
the site of the present structure, and
) occasionally troupe would play there
: for half dozen nights. Mazurka hall
was still used, but after 1854 dramatic
! performances were seldom given
there. In May, 1857, Sallie st. Clair
varieties opened at Market hall, The
company was composed of clever COM
edians and speciality artists and proved
highly popular
! At last the people were ready for a
genuine theater, and one was prompt
ly built on the northeast corner of st.
:, Peter and Fourth streets, where the
! Lowry Arcade now stands. 1t was
managed by H. Van Lew, and was
called the Peoples theater. It was
good-sized frame structure built upon
the theater plan. Mr.. Van Lew en-
gagged good company, and retained
it for the three seasons 1857, 1858 and
1852 Comedy was still the principal
diet, but occasionally heavier plays
were presented, such as East Lynne"
Lady of Lyons" @'The Hunchback,"
''Oliver Twist and "Othello."
But the first real theater was fated.
On the night of Sept. 8, 1859, during
political meeting at which
SCHUYLER COLFAX
and Galusha A. Grow spoke, the thea
ter caught fire and was subsequently
burned to the ground
In the meantime, a short while after
the opening of the Peoples theater,
dramatic performances were inaugu-
rated at Irvine hall, Seven corners.
J 1t was there that Caroline Richings and
Peter Richings, her father, first sang
! in ST. Paul. Azolene Allen, another
celebrated vocalist, made her apear-
ance at Irvine hall. The destruction OF
the Peoples theater resulted in the es-
tablishing of the Athenaeum, which
was located on Sherman avenue. not