The Somerset Herald

Two Entertainments:
One Performed on the Stage, the Other
In the Audience

I attended a recent performance given
by some amateur actors and actresses-
very good they were, too-and while I
enjoyed the stage entertainment I was
not unmindful of the one that was in
progress directly behind me.
It was furnished by an old lady and
two young ones-when I say "young
ones" I don't mean children-and its
beginning antedated the overture in this
style:
"Can you read the programme, moth-
er?"
"Why, yes: but it must be wrong.
Here's Annie's name down, and it says
she's a servant. I thought you said she
was an actress."
"Only a servant in the play, mother."
"But that seems a kind of mean thing
to play. She doesn't have to do that,
goodness knows!"
"She has to play whatever they give
her to play.
She's a beginner, you
know."
"Well. I wouldn't begin that way."
"Annie" appeared presently.
She said, "Yes, my lady," and "No
your lordship," and "I will tell her
ladyship that you are here," and a few
more stunners of that sort very well, I
thought.
But when the French count with the
pointed beard chucks her under the chin
I could hear the old lady behind me get-
ting into a fine rage.
"Well. the idea of our Annie letting
a man do a thing like that!"
"But, mother, that's in the play."
"I don't care if it is. I suppose he'll
kiss her later on! The idea!"
Well, he did kiss her shortly after and
got a good slap in the face for his pains.
The old lady almost rose in her seat.
"Good, good!" she cried in a very
audible voice.
"I thought Annie wouldn't stand any-
thing of that sort!"
She objected to the young girl's little
love affairs with the footman. however.
and could hardly be kept in her chair
when the two plighted their troth.
"Idon't call that play acting." she
said. "They were just like two servants,
and I don't like it."
When the curtain dropped, they all
went around to the stage door, and
somehow I felt sorry for Annie, coming
from the stage full of hot enthusiasm,
only to receive-mentally at least--a
bucket of cold water.-Polly Pry in
New York Recorder.