The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-16
The Unconscious Comedian in the Third Row

Frcm the New York Times.
How would you like to 90 70 the theater
expecting. TO sit next TO a friend, find
the seat occupied by a stranger whose
face was oddly familiar. have your
friends visit you between the acts. and
gaze curiously at your companion, and
then find out the next day that
Well. the experience Of no less a cele-
brated first nighter than Paul NJ Potter
is the best answer 10 his hypothetical
question. Furthermore. Mr.. Potter. who
admits the joke is an him, declares that
the incident actually took place as de-
scribed.
I rarely go TO frst nights said the
playwright. But once I was actually
induced 10 put on my evening clothes
and attend an important opening night.
Never mind what play it vast was a
Broadway first night, and was there at
the particular request Of the author. who
happened 10 be an intimate personal
friend. The author had the management
send me two seats on the aisle in the
third row-a most conspicuous location,
for all the aisle seats in the neighbor-
hood were occupied by the critics and by
prominent theatrical people whom
knew we'll
Il was IN doubt as 20 whom 10 invite
to this premiere. for as a rule 1 seldom
go 20 the theater unless with a party Of
friends. and I knew Of no one in par
ticular to invite I happened TO run
across an artist friend at luncheon, and
as I hadn't seen him for more than a
year I invited him 10 come with me to
the opening the next night, at the same
time handing him the ticket calling for
the aisle seat.
His thanks and protestations OF
friendship were somewhat thickly Ut
tered, but 1 concluded that the inciplent
Jag would disappear within twenty-fou1
hours and that he would be in a suitable
condition TO put on his evening clothes
and make ereditable appearance.
THE next night 1 arrived a trife late.
and was shown TO the second seat in the
third row. expecting to find my artist
friend To my amazement. a stranger
occupied the seat-not a stranger. either.
for his face was familiar 10 me, and he
at once spoke with an air Of cordiality
Good evening. Nj. Potter" he said.
Mr., b couldn't come. and he asked
me to take his place and explain that
something unexpected happened so that
he couldn't get here. He hopes you don't
mind
Net at ALL" I replied. puzzled, for
couldn't recall the mans name. though
was sure had met him before. I meet
so many people, however, that it is diff
cult TO recall the names unless the party
you are talking with gives you some clev
to work upon. This man. however. was
Sphinx. only speaking when spoke &c
him. and giving me positively no clev
whatever 10 his Identity Yet he knew me
and that convinced me that I had me-
him. Moreover, the fact that he was g
friend OF my artist friend made me ex,
tremely cautious, for I dislike hurting
any ones feelings.
ct tried several times before the cur.
tain rose to get some inkling Of who tn,
man was next to me. but in vain. He
was a middle-aged man. with hair slight
ly tinged with gray, smooth shaven. H'
wore a Tuxedo coat with a black tie, but
there was nothing wrong with that com
bination except that his collar seemed un.
usually low. However, as corpulent mer
often wear low collars. this did not seen