Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 250, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1914 — Good Joke on Sothern. [ARTICLE]

Good Joke on Sothern.

Mr. Samuel Sothern, the English actor, says the worst moment of Us stage career was passed in a state of mental paralysis owing to a trick played on him by another actor. This actor, who had a passion for practical joking, and Mr. Sothern were appearing in the same play. It was a sentimental comedy in which Mr. Sothern had to make a long and effective speech with the stage all to himself. The practical joker got an alarm clock, timed the alarm very carefully, and set it upon a sideboard upon the stage. "At the very moment I opened my mouth to declaim,” Mr. Sothern says, "it went off. I stood before the footlights literally gaping, whilst the blatant beß rang and thrummed and clattered through an eternity. It was a nightmare! I wanted to run, and could not; I wanted to speak, and could not Suddenly from the gallery a piercing voice cried out: ‘Bay, boss. I guess your line’s engaged!’"