An Actor's Jokes.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2039, 1 August 1885, Page 6 (Supplement)

An Actor's Jokes.

Mr Fkank M» io, the actor, and the Kie Mr. E A. Sadism were warm friends. Mr. Mayo remetnoerd u.^ny o! the pnmke playtd by Sotoern daring tbs latter's visit; to America Mr. Mayo ssj9: — "I remenb^r once when bh great chum, Billy Florence, WxOte him an auonyincus tatter o£ the most cousive description, wutiouT, the slightest indication that it yd not genuine. He read it carefully over, then, as it Riinplv becan ' Sir,' without using his n<.me, he enclosed it in an envelope, and, v ifhout a moment's hesitation, addressed and ported it to Bouoicault." But perhaps Sotheru's greatest joke was the one he played on the people of New York. It was th? greatept canard ever perpetrated. He insetted an advertisement in the Now York papers to this effect : — " Notica. — In order to test my new flying machine I will at 3.30 o'olook on Wednesday afternoon next fly from Trinity steeple to the top of building opposite. A Biglh." "One would think," saye Mr. Mayo, "people would have Been the point of the joke in the name, but they didn't, and at the honr named Broadway wm jammed with people for two blocks eaoh w*y. Florence stood a block above and Sothern a block below the church, and exactly at the half-hour Sothern started up, crying to the crowd tbat the man nnd his machine were on the other side of the steeple, and Florence went down making the same announcement. You can imagine the effeot of ten thousand people rushing down Broadway, meeting ten thousand more coming up in the same block. The two rogues stood Dy and enjoyed it." When Lac, the husband of Adelaide Neilson, first visited New York, he had the most ridiculous ideas of the roughness of American society, expecting to find revolvers and bowie-knives regular portions of gentlemen's full dress. " Ned talked with him," Mr. Mayo relates, " and encouraged the idea, then invited him to dine at a certain restaurant. The table was spread in a small private dining-room, and half-a dozen of the ' boys' in the joke were present. " In the midst of the meal Florence made some sta f ement which Spthcra contradicted, when Billy called him a liar. Ned at once drew a revolver, Florence did likewise, the gas was turned out, and a perfeot fusillade of shots were fired. When the gas was relighted, poor Lee was pulled from under the table nearly dead with fright. Of course thfl cartridges we*e blank." " One of the funniest jokes be over played," continues Mr. Mayo, "was on a professional runner whom he met at George Brown' 6 chop house. Ho got to chaffing the athlete, and finally offered to give him a start and baok Charlie Bishop ( Wulirw Brdott), whom he introduced as the • Oshkoah Pet,' Jo run him a race for the supper. Bishop being bo fat, this looked ridiculous enough, but Ned mfede him believe it, and also said that the ' Pet' could easily give the genuine sport odds. After badgering the life nearly out of the man, he was at last induced to run. "The ooarne was arranged: Broadway, from Tweoty-sccond-street to Fourteenthstreet, Fourteenth-street to Fourth Avenue ; Fourth Avenue to Twemty-seoond-Btreet, and back to the starting point, the men to run in different directions and pass eaoh other. They started, and the professional came puffing and blowing in end asked, ' Is he here?' " 'Of course he is,' said Ned, ' and being rubbed down." " And there was big Charlie, sure enough, being sponged off, though he had only trotted down Nineteenth-street and crossed over, yet his opponent did not suspect the joke, bo perfectly waa it aoted and oarried out."

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