The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-06-17
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA. -

A Stage Carpenters Presence of Mind
Averts Probable Tragedy-Two Mems
Fierce Fight With a Couple of Sharks
in Florida Waters-saved by Dog.
"In time of an emergency" re-
marked an elderly man in group of
takers, 81 would rather have presence
of mini than gum
81 fancy the gun might do more
harm than good if there were no pres
ence of mind with it," admitted an
other.
(Which reminds me of story cor
roborating the wisdom of the first
statement" said third, who on an ap-
peal from the others continued.
Something like ten or dozen years
ago." he said, II was in Western
town of ten thousand people or so, and
it happened that show was billed for
that night. Having nothing to do, and
not knowing anybody in town, 1 took
in the show. 1t was transforming
troupe of Thespians doing a repertoire
of Observation-Disclosures, and the conse-
quence was they had nearly full
house. Everything went along very
nicely except the peculiar actions Of the
leading man, who seemed to be drunk,
or getting that way very fast.
'As no effort was made by the man
agement to Suppress him, the audience
after q while took hand and began to
hiss. This brought matters to elm
ak at once, and with an oath the actor
stepped to the center of the stage, and
whipping out of his clothes pair Of
revolvers, he announced to the audi
ence and the people on the stage in the
calmest and coolest manner possible
that the time had come when somebody
had got to die, but that he was not yet
decided who it should be. Somebody
started at this, but ne said that the
first person who rose to go out would
be shot. Everybody in the house
seemed to be paralyzed by the mans
GOODNESS and nobody moved. I know
I sat well down toward the front, and
would have given up my place willing
ly to anybody who asked for it, but
when l looked up al that cold face and
those two guns poir ting down my way
I preferred to take chances on remain
ing as was.
''For at least minute the actor
addressed himself to his trembling
audience, and then deliberately Sc
lecting conspicuously white-haired
man in the very center of the house, he
commanded him to rise and be shot.
Otherwise he would shoot promiscu-
ously into the crowd. At this point in
the proceedings, I am willing to state
without bias that I never was in the
midst of so much suppressed excite
ment. For second the house was as
still as death, and then as the white
haired began to twist about as if he
were going to obey the actors COM
mand, woman shrieked, and as half
dozen followed suit and tainted the
actor suddenly disappeared from the
stage, nobody knew where, but he was
gone and the panic was ayerted, though
everybody made break to get out as
fast as possible.
'The curtain went down quick then,
and the manager, white and scared,
came out and announced that the actor
had gone crazy over the loss of his
wife, and that thanks to the presence
of mind of the stage carpenter, that
gentleman had hurried under the stage
and pulled the trap on which, FORUM
ately, the crazy man stood. The fall
had rendered him helpless, and he was
then waiting at the stage door to be
taken away by the authorities.
(Which proves what I said in the
first place." said the elderly man with
an air of pride, and the proof was ac-
cepted.-Washington Star.