The autobiography of Joseph Jefferson . anager. I cannot allow you to buy tickets, said he. I am obliged to you, said I; but I have myfamily with me, and could not think of intrudingthem on your good nature. Your family — take my box, said he. Youare quite welcome. Where are they ? There, I replied, pointing to the group. Twenty-four of them. Twenty-four! said he, aghast. Yes, said I, and as they are not profes-sionals, I must insist on buying the tickets. All Iask is your good offices in getting us seats together. This was done, and in the center of the theatersat four-and-twenty Jeffersons a
The autobiography of Joseph Jefferson . anager. I cannot allow you to buy tickets, said he. I am obliged to you, said I; but I have myfamily with me, and could not think of intrudingthem on your good nature. Your family — take my box, said he. Youare quite welcome. Where are they ? There, I replied, pointing to the group. Twenty-four of them. Twenty-four! said he, aghast. Yes, said I, and as they are not profes-sionals, I must insist on buying the tickets. All Iask is your good offices in getting us seats together. This was done, and in the center of the theatersat four-and-twenty Jeffersons all in a row. If there is one thing more amusing than an Eng-lish pantomime, it is the English audience that goto see it. Men, women, and children who areintelligent enough on ordinary occasions seem,under the influence of this potent spell, to lose allcontrol of themselves. Before the curtain rose, thefaces in front were expressive and even when the entertainment was in full swing,all sense of propriety was thrown JOHN BROUGHAM AS THE ogRADY IN aRRAH NA POGLE. OF JOSEPH JEFFERSON 313 The audience were carried away and delightedbeyond measure, and swallowed the most idioticnonsense with one broad grin that seemed tomantle the face of the whole house. Shout aftershout went up when the clown sat on the baby;and as the cockney swell appeared, extravagantl)-conscious of his own dignity and charmed by theeffect of his personal appearance, the heartlesspublic sat in eager expectancy, well knowing thatsome disaster was about to befall him; and when ahalf-barrel of flour was poured upon his devotedhead they would burst forth in the most boisterousmanner. Any catastrophe that occurred to thepolice was always hailed with delight. Why is itthat these guardians of our safety are held in suchcontempt theatrically ? When a double-dyed vil-lain gets his quietus, and the innocent heroine isrestored to the arms of the first walking gentle-man, we applaud with delight. Sure
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectjeffers, bookyear1890
