276 A CALIFORNIA TRAMP. 



came in front of the curtain in the role of a " supe," to extin- 

 guish the footlights, in order that the room might be darkened 

 to the proper consistency while he indulged in his dream. In 

 the face of a battery of uncomplimentary remarks he accom- 

 plished his humble mission, and then retired to reappear in 

 his remarkable vision, in which the ghost of his murdered 

 wife was to awaken him to consciousness, remorse and peni- 

 tence. The only appreciated acting was done by the young 

 actors in female rig, who, at last ignoring the characters in 

 which they were designed to act, seemed only possessed with 

 a desire to amuse the audience ; and this they did until the 

 clouds of tobacco swayed to and fro with the shocks of convul- 

 sive laughter underlying them. 



During the performance of this play my friend, the small 

 boy, rendered me great service. Entertaining me with 

 critiques on the actors and their style, he told me the names 

 of his friends as they came upon the scene. My small boy 

 was of the dignified pattern, and did not join his fellows in 

 their ridicule of the actors, but confined his remarks to me, ^s 

 also the smoke of a large cigar he was puffing. 



Following the play was a series of acrobatic feats by 

 the late Brigham, and then a dance by one of the boys. Next 

 came a song by a little girl of twelve years, who, on account 

 of the homeliness of her last name, was simply known as 

 " Miss Lottie " on the bills. The dance was accomplished to 

 the entire satisfaction of the audience, but, owing to hoarse- 

 ness, Lottie broke down amid the " Shells of the Ocean." Thrice 

 she essayed the effort and as often failed. The miners, many 

 of whom had known her when among the mountains on a 

 professional tour, sympathized with her condition as much as 

 they wanted to hear her sing, and it was amusing to listen to 

 them in their rough but kind tones encouraging her to go on. 

 At last, getting into a pet at her failure, she ran off the stage 

 amid the applause of her friends. I did not know I would 



