on at Mr. Daly's that I was not in, but I was looking on at it.
In one scene there stood a handsome bronze bust on a tall pedestal. From a careless glance I took it to be an Ariadne. At the changing of the scene the pedestal received a blow that toppled it over, and the beautiful "bronze" bust broke into a hundred pieces of white plaster.
The laughter that followed was simply caused by the discovery of a stage trick. The next character coming upon the stage was played by Miss Newton, in private life known as Mrs. Charles Backus, wife of the then famous minstrel. No sooner did she appear upon the stage, not even speaking one line, than the laugh broke forth again, swelled, and grew, until the entire audience joined in one great roar. I expected to see the lady embarrassed, distressed; but not she! After her first startled glance at the house, she looked at the pedestal, and then she, too, laughed, when the audi
ence gave a hearty round of applause, which she acknowledged.
A scene-hand, noticing my amazed face, said, "You don't see it, do you?"
"No," I answered.
"Well," said he, "did you know who that bust was?"
"Yes," I replied, "I think it was Ariadne."
"Oh, no!" he said, "it was a bust of Bacchus; then, when Mrs. Backus appeared—"
"Oh!" I interrupted. "They all said to themselves: 'Poor Backus is broken all up! Backus has busted!'"