An Entertainment that did not take place.

Manawatu Herald, 28 February 1899, Page 2

An Entertainment that did not take place.

Many entertainments, some good,, some bad, and many indifferent, have made descents on this city in the past, says the Christchurch Truth, but the latest and most picturesquely , and v , entirely novel is ''The Long-haired Man." This gentleman was advertised, to appear at the Opera House last Thursday night, and to present to what no doubt he imagined would be a large, fashionable, and enthusiastic audience, an entertainment which, judging from the advertisements, was going to be a mixture of " long-haired man acts, mesmerism, a " local v Justices of the Peace '' extravaganza (whatever that might be), and clairvoyance. Alas, he reckoned without a knowledge of a hard-heart ed^ind indifferent public. The result wJWfet a " frost," it was a veritable blizzard. Strangely enough, however, the inured and nonchalant Press men were not proof against the attractions of that advertisement, and accordingly, as the clock struck eight, two of them presented themselves for admission at the door. They were referred to a greasy-haired individual, who said he was running the show, and did not want any Press men, anyhow. He had paid his pounds to the papers, and they could say what they liked about him. He didn't want the. Press or their notices. The representatives of the Press immediately bought tickets and took front seats, along wiih some seventeen or eighteen other people. There were about the same number hidden in the, shadows at the back of the hall, and the rest of the building was empty. A young man wearing a worried look and a grey, coat came in and made anxious inquiries about the band, which had evidently got lost. The Press representatives to whom he appealed assured him that they had not appropriated the band, and he went out to prosecute his inquiries elsewhere. Directly the seventeen people in the background began to get uneasy, and stamped violently on the floor and whistled tunes, at the same time making candid and -critical remarks about the long-haired man's promptness. At five minutes past eight the crowd had increased to forty'"'. 1 nine people, and the pit was whistling that popular and melodious piece of classic music known as " Get Yer 'Air Cut." At 8.10 there were 67 people in the hall, and three or four minutes later two more came in. One gentleman, well known in the police court, was heard to offer to bet "drinks" that there were not eighty people present. He was promptly taken up^ , and on heads being counted thefe>L were found to be seventy-one. Tbist cheered and amused the crowd. About a quarter past eight the . longhaired man himself appeared on the stage, and it is only tair to say that his hair came quite up to expectations. He announced that he was going to return the money. He had never played to less than a £40 house in his life, and was not going to begin now. He thanked them for their patronage and retired. The seventy-one peoplesscrambled for their money and went ■ home.