The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-24


 ants commsAcsd saootins at each other, and turned the interior lights out and tn1riedistdfy the Audience hastily left the house. The theatre was quickly nr sfnptisd and. h [ measure. order was
 Etxns wit fssIa1s.
 The Porter boys were 50 incensed at that they quietly located their enemies. from suhdry rerhArks. and followed them when they started to camp which was located in portion of Wilson's grove and on the large "sayre'' lot adj0ininG the residence of Mrs. Ann R. Az the Indian soldiers reached the old "Belshaw" cofner, the shooting began. several of the Indians were wounded and scattered, several running down Commerce street. Just in front of Hall, Moses and Roberts old store. a stand was made by three or four Indians and an officer who seemed to be in charge. and here it was that Billie Porter, shot 1t the yankee off1cer--fnissed him--and killed his own brother Henry Porter. After this sad affair the trouble be- tween the "yankees' and our boys be- came less frequent.
 To me it is almost incompreh ensible. and to the theatre-goers of the present day 1t will sound improbable. that Montgomery with a population of less than twelve thousand inhabitants could sustain companies for an entire season and at prices that would be con sfdered ruinous to the travelling man. ager of the present day. Such Is a fact, during the season of is65-6S. fs6e-7 and 1S67-s, the following Opera companies played weekly engagements to cr9w3ed houses And at profits that would de- light the souls of the average syndi- cate manager of the present day.
 During the season above named the follow companies played weekly en- eagements every year, The Susinii and Ghionii Italian Opera Company, Piere Bernard and Caroline Richings Eng iish Opera Company, The Franz Him. mer- -Frederici German Opera company and the Alice A. Oates Opera Bouffe Company. Those companies would ay- craze fifty people in the caav exclusive of an orchestra of usually fifteen pieces augmented by from five to eight local musicians; and in those days the local musicians of Montgam- cry were artists in their various lines, as witness the names. Etora Barrilii, Eiiadora Camp, Joseph Schmit, Emile Karsh, Henry Meyer, Salli Dreyer, and though not feast Fritz Hiile. for years organist at the Catholic and Baptist churches in Montgomery.
 Some Famous Actors.
 On the old stage the year of it's open ing there appeared the following cele- brated actors and actresses; Edwin Forrest, Edwin Booth, Lester walleck, Mir. and Mrs. James wa1leck, Mir. and Mrs. w. j. Waller in their celebrated play--"The Duchess of Ma1ff'. Kate and Alice Bateman and their father Charles Bateman; Charlotte Cuchman. drama, ..'Fanchon. the Crickett". and the great meio-dramatic Englsh actor, Charles w. Roberts, in his spectacular production of the "Corsican Brothers" Since the close of the war, Jefferson, Booth, Forrest. Salvini. Mansfield, Lau- rance, Barrett McCu1loch. Ristorii, Bernh ardt, Jaunacheck Rose and Chas. Coghlan, Emma Abbott, Annie Pixley, Robson and Crane. and many other dramatic lights known to fame. have delighted Montgomery audiences.
 Wednesday night, Novem b c r the curtain was "rung down" in the old playhouse to give way to one of more modern construction. The soft glow of unforgotten scenes alone ia left to me, and many whose hearts have throbbed with hope for the future years, as nightly we ascended the broad stairs from the street, to listen to and witness scenes of comedy. music and tragedy. Thus Is marked the pas sing of the glory of the old Montgoni- cry theatre. IL was ctottSN oe Q eAtiS as shown herein when this Union was in the throes of uncertainty, it closes at a period in the history Of our beloved State which marks an era or prosperity and development gratiIying to the heart of every citizen who claims Alabama as his home.
 A ciirsory reading of dear. depart cd old friend-Lucien Walker-gives me -wrf idea in closing this sketcn which sa,idens me as no doubt 1t does very | many to whom the old house has brought joy unalioyed. In the sight Of many of us c rainbow will span the old | playhouse in those quiet hours. and hone and cherish treasures Of sweet | soothe. There is not one of | us who has not gone up the wlde stairs loving. and come down them loving the more. There Is not one of us | who has not left some weight of the | soul there and never returned' to claim it.
 Vale! old house, the ghostly shadows of scenes long to be remembered will continue to hover within thy hallowed xualla till the inevitable march Of |