A First Night.
Indignant Playwright (to leading actor, behind the scenes). "Confound it, man, you've absolutely murdered the piece!" Leading Actor. "Pardon me, but I think the foul play is yours!"
Smart. How do, Smooth? (to theatrical manager, who frowns upon him). What's the matter, eh?
Smooth. Matter? Hang it, Smart, you wrote me down in "The Stinger."
Smart (repressing something Shakspearian about "writing down" which occurs to him, continues pleasantly). Wrote you down? No, I said the piece was a bad one, because I thought it was; a very bad one.
Smooth. Bad! (Sarcastically.) You were the only man who said so.
Smart (very pleasantly). My dear fellow, I was the only man who saw it. Good-bye.
[Exeunt severally.
Motto for a Box-Office Keeper.—"So much for booking 'em."
"A considerable demonstration of approval greeted the fall of the curtain." How are we to take this?
