Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1901 — FORGOT HIS LINES. [ARTICLE]

FORGOT HIS LINES.

Amateur Comedian Spoiled Effect of Ule Speech of Appreciation. “I’ll never forget one of my earliest appearances on the stage,” said a sol-emn-faced comedian who now enjoys a solid reputation as a panacea distributer for the blues. "It was in an amateur performance in a small town where I had lived for some time apd was well known, and where the populace is sometimes inclined to treat the crude efforts of aspiring Thespians with considerable levity. I was to do a specialty between acts—a sort of ‘Face on the Hnr-room Floor’ recitation, with plenty of ‘cracked ice’ music and all that sort of thing—and 1 had rehearsed that thing so thoroughly that I believed 1 was a second Booth. “The afternoon before the performance the stage manager, who was a professional, quietly Informed me of a little plot on the part of some of my unappreciative friends. Although It was the wrong season for cabbages they had hunted high and low for one of those one-time popular tokens of approval, and finally they went so far as to have one shipped from a neighboring town. “ ‘Now,’ said the stage manager, confidentially, ‘l’ll tell you how to get back at ’em in a nice way. When the garden truck has been passed over the footlights just smile pleasantly, as though It were the finest bouquet ever presented to a prima donna-and say: “Ladies and gentlemen—l thank you very much for this kind evidence of your appreciation, and my only regret Is that you didn’t also send the corned beef.” ’ “Well, the eventful niglit came, and sure enough, when I had finished my recitation a fine big cabbage head, most elaborately trimmed with flowers and ribbons, was passed up to me. I accepted it gracefully, and then made my little set speech, but this Is the way I said it: “ ‘Ladies and gentlemen—l thank you very much for this evidence of your appreciation, and my only regret is that you didn't also send the cabbage.’ “This was of course received by tha audience with a most solemn silence, but there was a crash of glass back of the scenes: The stage mannger, who had been watting near the wings to note the result of the little retort on the audience, had fallen down stairs."