AMUSEMENTS. 24.^ 



of one-man audience inspiriting and enconniging 

 to their professional efforts is of course quite an- 

 other matter. 



But for the respectable middle-aged citizen or 

 citizeness in these modern States of America to 

 get up after tea or dinner, as the case may be, and 

 go off seeking amusement at any of the recog- 

 nized establishments supposed to purve}'' that 

 commodity to our towns and cities, is really too 

 preposterous and serious an undertaking. If you 

 belong to the wealtliier class which dines sumptu- 

 ously at seven every day, you have to rush awiiy 

 from your claret and your peaches, leaving your 

 dinner half digested, and drive down in hot haste 

 to the centre of town, just in time to find the sec- 

 ond act half finished as you enter tlie theatre. If, 

 on the other hand, you belong to the far larger 

 body of American citizens which takes its tea at 

 half-past five, and looks forward to a light supper 

 at the end of the evening's entertainment, you 

 have to wait about for an hour before the portico 

 until the doors open, and then take your chance 

 of getting in with the rush in that great scramble 

 for places where miglit is still right, and where 

 the hindmost is still devoted by popular politeness 

 to an unmentionable personage. These things are 

 all very well in their way while one is yet sweet 

 one-and-twenty ; but, as time begins to grizzle the 

 beard, and faint lines pucker up the once smooth 



