. Theatrical and circus life;. ke the precaution to avoid traps, and as aconsequence found themselves shot up into the flies,or hastily dropped down to the dismal depths belowthe stage. It is a very common trick to let people through atrap-door. I was present several times in the theatrewhen victims were carried down to the black and un-inviting space below the stage. At a benefit given toa popular treasurer in St. Louis, a well-known youngman who was in the liquor business was prevailed uponto appear in the programme and was put down for alecture on temperance. The house was crowded that nigh
. Theatrical and circus life;. ke the precaution to avoid traps, and as aconsequence found themselves shot up into the flies,or hastily dropped down to the dismal depths belowthe stage. It is a very common trick to let people through atrap-door. I was present several times in the theatrewhen victims were carried down to the black and un-inviting space below the stage. At a benefit given toa popular treasurer in St. Louis, a well-known youngman who was in the liquor business was prevailed uponto appear in the programme and was put down for alecture on temperance. The house was crowded that night, and P H — was there in all the glory and wealth of his wardrobe, fully prepared to entertninthe audience for half an hour or so. One of the boyshad had the pleasure — so he termed it — of hearingH read his lecture through, and he gave the 154 NOT DOWN IX THE BILL. others the cue for the fun. The lecturers table wasplaced just at the edge of a trap, and a trick candle,one such as is used in pantomime, and that keeps on. THOS. W. KEENE. growing taller and taller as the clown in vain tries toget within reach of the flame, stood at one side of thepiece of furniture. H went on the stage bowing NOT DOWN IN THE BILL. 155 his neatest and smiling his sweetest. He was, ofcourse, received with thunders of applause, andstorms of the same kind interrupted him at frequentintervals. At last the place was reached where thefun was to commence. Bang;! went a gun in theair, the thunder rolled, there was red fire, and the floor parted. Down went H slowly, and up went the candle. He was so terror-stricken that he coulddo nothing, and was left to grope his way through thedarkness to the stairs. The language he used whenhe once more found himself among his friends wasstronger and less elegant than were the phrases of hislecture. He appears at no more benefits. A young society man now of Cincinnati was treatedin the same way, a trap having been left open uponwhich he stepped in the middle of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublishe, booksubjecttheater
