THE BIT THEATRE. 275 



himself. As there was no way from the street to the stage 

 except through the auditorium, the players were obliged to 

 make ingress among the audience. As they passed us my 

 little friend addressed them in quite a familiar way, though, 

 to do him justice, more from a desire to show me his iac- 

 quaintance with them than from any lack of respect. Not 

 so with some of his fellows. These spoke to them in words 

 neither becoming nor complimentary. The young actors bore 

 these pinthrusts into their dignity with the nonchalance of 

 veteran tragedians when receiving sentient attention from a 

 demonstrative lobby. Disappearing through a side door they 

 left the audience anxiously expecting their reappearance. At 

 length the bell announcing the rising of the curtain was heard, 

 and simultaneous with its ringing there was a hush in the 

 ubiquitous conversation and clink of glasses, and soon com- 

 menced the performance of " Brigham Young ; or. The Prophet's 

 Dream." This was a mixture of comedy and tragedy, the 

 former preponderating. The Prophet was represented by a 

 celebrated acrobat, whose main forte was in tying himself up 

 in bow-knots, but who, in a pinch, could figure in the drama. 

 His Sultana was the ripe-aged Miss Rowena, his other wives 

 being represented by three juvenile actors, arrayed in female 

 garments, and who created a great amount of amusement by 

 their efforts to adapt themselves to their parts. The only 

 efforts made to carry dignity into the play were by the two 

 leading characters, and, to do them justice, they did well 

 under trying circumstances ; but, alas ! their efforts were not 

 appreciated by their listeners, who would loudly laugh at and 

 guy them during affecting scenes. Unasked-for advice and un- 

 seemly remarks would discompose the Sultana while in heroic 

 attitude she prepared to slay the faithless Prophet, while the 

 high-tragedy voice and action of the latter were turned into 

 ridicule. Especially were assaults made on the dignity of poor 

 Brigham when, after performing in an affecting scene, he 



