The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-21
AN AMUSING FARCE OF
OTHER DAYS.
CFrom Harper's Weekly.)

=
Mr.. VIM. E. Tefft sends the Weekly
/ an amusing account of a farce that had
2 snort but highly successful run in
/ New York theater in days long gone. He
relates when a young man he went to
/ the the first night performance of the
! little play called THE House to Be
Solo, a BUrton's new theater on Broad
way opposite Bond street. 1t was to be
/ the second play of the evening. After
! an lntermisSiOn of 10 minutes the or
] chestra played, the little bell (customa-
ry- in those days. was rung, and the
curtain rose about two feet-far enough
+ for the audience to see that there was
/ confusion of some SOrt-When the little
/ bell rang again and the curtain rolled
1 down.
Mr.. Vincent, the manager, pulled the
curtain aside and approached the foot
nghts and informed the audience that
Mr.. Charles WalcOtt, who was cast for
one of the principal parts, had been to
dinner and had not put in an appear
ance at the theater, and he regretted to
say was not in a presentable state. He
said that, not wishing to disappoint the
audience, the play would proceed if the
audience would permit him to read Mr..
Walcott's part, and hear Hamlet
without Hamlet.
He had hardly left the foot lights
when MIR. WalcOtt appeared, frock coat,
high hat and light Overcoat thrown over
ms arm; he Informed the audience that
he had part in the new play, that
his time to be at the stage door was 10
o'clock.
]
will see, I am on time" but he explain
ed that on arriving at the theater he
was aStOnished to hear that Mr. Vim
/ cent was in the front of the curtain
apOlOgiZing for him, and that he had
/ stated that he was not in a presentable
1 condition.
He added that he had been the pub
] lie servant for years, and he thought
/ that in justice to himself it was neces-
saTy to come before the curtain, that
/ they, the public, could judge of his con-
ditiOn.
Withdrawing, he added that the play
1 would then proceed. Loud cries from
! all parts of the house ensued for Bur
/ ton, who, after a While, appeared and
/ made a characteristic speech, talking
| a good deal but saying little. He was
/ about to retire. when an old gentleman
| mark Smith, who occupied the left
{ hand second tier box with a young lady
! CMrs. Mark SMITH, presumably his
! daughter, addressed himself to Mr.. Bur-
| ton, saying:
! MI. Burton. I am an old New York
| er, and have been regular attendant
! at first night performances (here his
| daughter interrupted him by saying:
! Don't pa" which of course pleased
| the audience), and I have never seen
| so disgraceful d performa nce-never.
L am astonished that you should allow
| anything of the kind"
] Mr.. Burton remained on the stage,
I and was about to leave, when Mr. Jno
/ BrOUGham, in the lower box, arose and
| appealed to the audience by saying that
! ne was the 3QluOI' OIL the play. InaJ ne
| had given the manuscript to Mr. Bur
| ton with the understanding that it
! was to have a fair representa- ton. and
! asked the audience if they deemed this
/ a fair representation.
He also asked if they did not con-
slider him justified in demanding the re-
! turn of the manuscript. Mr.. Burton
/ had something to say in reply, and end
/ ed by saying that now the play would
/ go on.
The orchestra played, the bell rang.
! the curtin went up, and there in line
! stood Messrs. Vincent, Walcott, Burton.
i Mark Smith and Mrs. Mark Smith and
! BrOugham.
Mr.. Brougham advanced a few steps,
1 made one of his memorable speeches,
and ended by informing the audience
that by all this apparent misunder
| standing the house had been sold"
/ The theater had been packed by the
minor actors, whose duty was to ex
! cite the audience by pounding on the
| floor with canes. clapping hands and
! calling for Mr.. Burton and others. Il
: remember" adds Mr.. Tefft, that Mr.
] Norris sat near me, and kept up great
/ pounding with his cane. OF course the
/ play could not run. and two or three
nights ended it, as the fun was all
! gone when the public found out the
/ plot"