The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-08
Trying to Make a Craven Image
THuRh


Mr. Charles Matthews, the veteran Eng
lish comedian, came over to act at Mr..
Days, writes Clara Morris in the Critic.
His was a graceful, polished, volatile style
of acting, and he had a high opinion Of
mis- power as a maker of fun; so that he
was considerably annoyed one night when
he discovered that one of his auditors
would not laugh. Laugh ?-would not even
smile at his efforts Mr., Matthews, who
was past seventy, was nervous, excitable,
and-Well just a wee bit cranky" and
when the play was about half over, he
came of angrily talking to himself,
and ran against Mr.. Lewis and me, who
We're just about to Ego on Look here"
he exclaimed, taking from his vest pocket
a broad English gold piece and holding it
out on his hand. Look herev' he added,
pointing out a gentleman seated in the
box opposite. do you see that stupid dolt
over there? Well, I've toiled over him till
I sweat like a harvest-hand, and laugh
he won't-smile he WON'T
I remarked musingly, He looks like
craven image" And Lewis suggested
cheerful1y, Perhaps he is one"
NO" groaned the unfortunate star,
I'm afraid not Im-Im almost certain
l saw him move once. But look mere.
Now you're a deucedly funny pair. Just
turn yourselves loose in this scene. I'll
protect you from Daily Do anything you
like, and the one who makes that wooden
man laugh. wins this gold piece"
1t was not the gold piece that tempted
US to our fall, but the hope of succeed
ing where the star had failed. / seized
a moment in which to notify old man
Davidge of what was going on, as he had
a prominent part in the coming scene,
and then we were on the stage.
The play was THE Critic" the scene a
burlesque rehearsal of an old-time meo-
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 We're off on a mad race of fun.
Everything seemed to go" We three
knew one another we'll. each would see
anothers idea and catch it, with the GER
tainty of boy catching ball. The au-
dience roared with laughter: the carpen-
ters and scene-shifters, against the rule
of the theater, crowded into the entrances
with answering laughter; but the man in
the box gave no sign.
Worse end worse we went on. Mr.. DAILY,
white with anger, came behind the scenes,
gasping out, Are they utterly mad2" to
the little Frenchman-whom he had made
prompter because he could not speak Eng
dish well enough to prompt us-who
frantically pulling his hair, cried, "Oui
Oul. Hty are All Illdu-lHdu IKE LS IOS III
re summer timeI'
Mr.. Daily stamped his feet and cleared
his throat to attract our attention; bur
trusting to Mr. Matthews protection, we
grinned cheerfully at him and continued
on our downward path, AT last We reach
ed the Climax" and suddenly 1 heard
Mr. Matthews say, she's got him-look
I think she's wont"
l could not help it'll turned my head Ia
see if the craven image could really
laugh. Yes, he was moving! His face
wore some faint xpression-but-but-h
was turning slowly to the laughing audi
ence. and the expression on his face was
one of faint wonderl
Matthews groaned 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, THE man in the boz
| could have had nothing to do with the af-
| fair. since he is deaf and dumb and has
| been so all his lifer
| l remember sitting down very hard ant
| very suddenly I remember Davidge, who
| was an Englishman. blasting a gool
many things under his breath and Their
! Mr.. Matthews exclaimng with wonder
that he had been playing for years in G
| farce where this very scene was enacted
the whole play consisting in the actors
| efforts to win the appreciation Of a mar
| who was a deaf-mute