The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-03-30
AN IMPROMPTU FARCE.
Days Clever Comedians md the Inn
aEe In the Audience,

Charles Matthews, the veteran English
comedian, came over to act at Mr.. Da-
ly's. His was a graceful, polished, vola-
tile style of acting, and he had n high
opinion Of his power as maker Of fun;
SO that he was considerably annoyed one
night when he discovered that one of his
auditors would not laugh, says Clara
Morris in The Critic. Laugh? Would
not even smile at his efforts. Mr.. Mat
thews, who was past 10, was nervous,
exctable, aud-well, just n bit Cranky"
and when the play was about half over
he came off" angrily talking to himself,
and ran against Mr. Lewis and myself,
who were just about to go on" Look
here" he exclaimed, taking from. his
vest pocket broad English goldpiece
and holding it out in his hand. Look
herew he added, pointing out gentle
man seated in the box opposite. do you
I've toiled over him till l sweat like a
harvest hand. and laugh he won't-smile
he WON'T"
remarked musingly. HE looks like a
craven image" And Lewis suggested
cheerfully, Perhaps he is one"
"No!" gruaned the unfortunate star.
i III nUl i Ill III StI
i saw him move once. But look here.
Now. you're a deucedly funny pair. Just
turn yourselves loose in this scene. Ill
protect you from Daily. Do anything you
like, and the one who makes that wooden
man laugh wins this goldpece."
1t was not the goldpiccc that tempted
us to our fall hut the hope of succeeding
where the star had failed | seized mo,
ment in which to notify old man Davidge
of what was going on, as he had prom,
incnt part in the comm scene, and then
we were on the stage.
The play was The Critic" the scene
burlcsQuc rehearsal of an old time mclo'
drama. Our opportunities were great,
and heaven knows we missed none of
them. New York audiences are quick,
and in less than three minutes they knew
the actors had taken the bit between
their teeth and were off on a mad race
for fun. Everything seemed to go" We
three knew one another well: each would
see another's idea and catch it with the
certainty of n boy catching n ball. The
audience roarcd with laughter; the car
penters and scene shutters, against the
rule of the theatcr, crowded into the en-
frances with answering laughter. but the
man In the box gave no sign.
Worse and. worse we went on. Mr..
DAILY, white with anger, came behind the
scenes. gasping out. "Are they utterly
mad" to the little Frenchman-whom
he had made prompter because he could
not speak English well enough to prompt
us-who, frnntically pulling his hair,
cried: "Oui! oui! zey are all mad-mad
like re dog in re summer time"
Mr.. Daily stamped his feet and cleared
his throat to attract our attention, but,
trusting to Mr.. Matthews protection, we
grinned chcerfully at him and continued
on our downward path. At last we reach
ed the CLIMAX" and suddenly heard
Mr.. Matthews say, She's got him-look!
Il think she's won!"
could not help i'll turned my head to
see if the "graven image" could really
laugh. Yes, he was moving! his face
wore some faint expression-but-
he was turning slowly to the laughing au-
dience. and the expression on his face
was one Of faint wonder!
Matthews groancd aloud: the curtain
fell, and DAILY was upon us. Matthews
said the cause of the whole business was
that man in the box. Upon this Mr.. DAILY
angrily declared. THAT man in the box
could have had nothing to do with the af-
fair. since he is deaf and dumb and has
been so all his life!'
remember sitting down very hard and
very suddenly. remember Davidge. who
was an Englishman, blasting" a good
many things under his breath. and then
Matthews exclaiming with wonder that
he had been playing for years in a farce
where this very scene was enacted, the
whole play consisting in the actors eff
forts to win the appreciation of man
who was deaf mute.