Show fritz emmets N kerec T erve only one auditor at a matinee yet he proceeds to play san francisco examiner congressman amos J cum among his reminiscences of the late J K emmet relates the following story of fritz the smallest audience I 1 ever had was in columbus ohio it was many years ago the managers were trying to introduce matinees mati nees into the inland cities joe jeffer BOH son denman thompson and some of the big stars had gone through the mill at columbus their audiences were so email small that the actors shied they refused to take the gate the money was returned at the box office and the disappointed ticket buyer departed I 1 resolved never again to patronize a matinee in columbus then I 1 struck the town after two or three performances the posters announced a matinee 1 I went to the theatre at two that afternoon and found my com company a in in their everyday suits sky skylarking arking behind the cur tain I 1 peeped into the auditorium it was a surprising audience there waa wait only one person in the theatre he ile sat way back in the parquet it was as much as I 1 could do to outline him in the darkness ident I 1 went out to the box office I 1 1 did the audience this afternoon pay for its ticket I 1 asked 11 yea yes 50 60 cents tho the treasurer replied lied with a emile smile on his face retried ret T the e manager told me to return his money 9 anil nd close the th theatre datre no you wont I 1 remarked 1 I have never disappointed an audience when im sober and I 1 dont propose to do so now it looks like an appreciative audience well play for it 1 I went into the parquet introduced myself to the man and thanked him for his attendance I 1 told him that as he had bad thought enough of me to come and see me and pay half a dollar for the privilege he should have as good a performance as if there was a packed house he ile seemed a little nervous but I 1 told him that he feel half as much chagrined as the actors and finally succeeded in reassuring him I 1 then went behind the curtain and requested the company to dress dreas 91 great scott joe 0 one of them remarked you aint MIA going to play lor for that one danl yea yes I 1 am I 1 answered iles eaid paid his money andee shall have his is moneys worth oh the devil broke in another member of the company ill pay his 60 50 cents and you let i him go 1 replied that the performance must go on as usual and warned each one that any attempt taluy to guy the audience or any failure t to 0 P play ay a part in full would be the signal for a it discharge well the orchestra played an overture and the curtain rose ai I 1 came upon the stage I 1 walked down tu to the footlights and invited the audience to come forward and take a front seat where it could ice see and be seen it thanked me came forward and settled itself in the front row I 1 suggested that a little generous applause thrown in in where the audience thought the actors deserved it would serve to inspirit them and warm them to their work the audience entered into the spirit of the performance it seemed to appreciate the situation and ind agreed to give ni us all the encouragement that it thought we merited the performance thus began with great I 1 was in n magnificent ent eDt spirits I 1 dont think I 1 ever played better I 1 threw myself f heart and soul into the elar character acter of fritz and sang th the e lullaby so tenderly ly that the entire audience was in tears it called for an encore I 1 replied that we aarel rarely y gave an encore but as thia this was an extraordinary occasion the desire should ba be gratified however it was not a discriminating audience it lacked critical acumen it applauded liberally at times where where no applause was deserved again it failed to applaud where applause was really merited at such times I 1 came forward and called its attention to the omission and asked whether on reflection it did not think it made a mistake it was an accommodating audience A hint was sufficient it readily acknowledged its mistake 3 it clapped its bands hands as if perfectly enchanted and shouted bravos like an enthusiastic italian at one time the tile great word lb ravis simo burst from frum its lips in fortissimo simo the company although delighted paid no attenni attention on to tho the au audience but went on with its performance as regular as clock work between the acts sets however one or two of them evinced a die disposition position to go out into the auditorium auditorium and fraternize with the audience I 1 set my face against it and they refrained at the close of the second act the manager entered the theatre he ile had bad been out for a walk never shall I 1 forget the look of astonishment VC upon his face he ile seemed dumbfounded at seeing the house brilliantly lighted and the orchestra playing for the delectation of the man but he w was as more a astonished shed when the curtain arose and the performance was resumed with as much unconcern as though the th house ehouse was packed from pit to dome but be e had bad an eye to business he ile sent word of what was going on to the newspaper offices and half a dozen reporters arrived in time for the last ac act t no actor ever received finer news paper criticisms some of them were spread out over a column it turned out that the audience was the owner of a copper mine in michigan and very wealthy it showed a its appreciation on the following day lay by giving a royal ban banquet pet to the company attebe at the leading hotel it entertained us aa handsomely as we had entertained it and we parted with mutual regrets just a year afterward I 1 announced another matinee in columbus it was well advertised and the house was packed to suffocation I 1 took in over my sense of obligation to the man who had paid half a dollar to see my performance returned us a golden Il harvest arvest |