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Show A CRUEL ANNUAL JOKE. Every year a cruel joke la perpetrated at the Comedte Francalae, Parte. Thla theater, belrif atate aubventloned, is compelled by law to give a hearing; to those foolish enough to beliere they have a chance of being- engaged there. The house la empty: M. Claretle alts tn one of the stalls, a few aocletaires wander' wan-der' about In the semi-darkness. The candidate on the atage cannot help feeling oppressed by these lugubrious surroundings. If he speaks out loud he raises a kind of grotesque echo in the empty bouse, while If he drops his voice his words lose their effect. Everything la against, him. and yet there are a few who still fondly believe they have a chance to Join the house and present themselves at the annual competition. But the hearing, or rather the farce, la finished. M. Cartle politely thanks the candidates and tells them that they will hear from him In a week. Then they each receive a letter with the famous fa-mous seal of the Comedle Francatse and the equally famous date of Its foundation, 18S0. The contents of the message seldom vary: "We are much obliged to you, but" and the candidates candi-dates need not read the rest. Boston Transcript. |