| [CHAPTER I]. |
| A PRELIMINARY PEEP. |
| | PAGES |
| Admission Fees—Cerberus at the Back Door—The Awe-Stricken Stranger behind the Scene—Swarms of Actors and Employees—Description of Stage Settings—The Green-Room and Dressing-Room Explored—A Visit to the Dressing-Tent of the Circus—An Act that Beats anything of the kind in the World—The Female Minstrel Gang and the Break-o'-Day Girls | 19–27 |
| [CHAPTER II]. |
| A THEATRE OF SHAKESPEARE'S DAY. |
| Rude Carts as Primitive Stages—Followed by Stone Theatres with Pits for Stages—Theatres of the Elizabethan Period—Sunday Theatres in the "Golden Age"—Description of the Globe in Shakespeare's Time—Plays in the Times of Henry VIII.—Sign-boards as Scenes—Anecdote of Charles II.—The "Wits," "Clever" Men and the Vulgar Crowd—Pipes, Tankards, and Gossip | 28–36 |
| [CHAPTER III]. |
| THE AMERICAN THEATRE. |
| Davy Garrick at Drury Lane, London—English Actors sail for America—Voyage in the Charming Sally in 1752—The First American Theatre—The First Programme—The First New York Theatre, 1753—The First Performance in Philadelphia, April, 1754—The First Show in Boston, August, 1792—The Priest and the Spanish Lady—Elegant Theatres of the Present Period | 37–42 |
| [CHAPTER IV]. |
| AT THE STAGE-DOOR. |
| Front Door and Back Door Entrances—"Mashers" at the "Stage-Door"—The Cerberus who Stands Guard—Perquisites Paid to Him—Bulkhead and the Ballet Girls—The Tricks of the Scene Painter on the Girls—The Girls' Revenge—Bold and Heartless Lovers—Notes Pushed under the Dressing-Room Door—Alice Oates's Mash—Watching the Manœuvres of the "Mashers"—Tale of the Pink Symmetrical | 43–54 |
| [CHAPTER V]. |
| BEFORE THE FOOT-LIGHTS. |
| People who Patronize the Theatre—The Young Blood—Members of the "Profesh"—The Giddy and Gushing Usher—The Bouncer—The Peanut Cruncher—The People who go out "Between Acts"—The Big Hat Nuisance—Anecdote of George and Harry | 55–68 |
| [CHAPTER VI]. |
| BEHIND THE SCENES. |
| An Amateur Theatre—The Author's Experience as "Imp" in a Spectacular Scene—A Trip to the Moon | 69–85 |
| [CHAPTER VII]. |
| IN THE DRESSING-ROOM. |
| Goodwin's "Make-up" for Hobbies—Booth and Company Playing "Hamlet" in Street Costume—Dressing-Rooms of Old-Time and Present Theatres—Louis Harrison Spoils a Play at San Francisco—How Actors "Make up" for Various Parts—The Hair-Dresser and the Actress | 86–105 |
| [CHAPTER VIII]. |
| WITHIN THE WINGS. |
| The Stage Prompter and His Duties—Actors who "Stick" and some who "Never Stick"—A Popular Actress and her Useful Husband—The Firemen's Amours—Mary Anderson and Her Chewing-Gum—Emmet's Indiscretions | 106–121 |
| [CHAPTER IX]. |
| STAGE CHARMS AND OMENS. |
| Burning of the Southern Hotel and Kate Claxton's Presence—Superstitions of John McCullough, Raymond, Joe Jefferson, Sothern, Florence, Booth, Chanfrau, Byron, Thorne, Neilson, Lotta, etc., etc.—Courtaine and Ince | 122–143 |
| [CHAPTER X]. |
| NOT DOWN IN THE BILL. |
| Actors who Memorize whole Newspapers—Lovely Peggy—Kean Dying as he Played—Sol. Smith's Funny Adventure—A Masher made Serviceable—Charlotte Cushman and the Colored Bell-Boy who brought Down the House—The Call-Boy's Revenge—The Lecturer, Trick Candle and Trap Door—An English Performance of William Tell | 144–161 |
| [CHAPTER XI]. |
| THE ILLUSIONS OF THE STAGE. |
| Mrs. Bellamy and Mr. St. Leger in Dublin—Rousseau's Description of Paris Opera—Modern Mechanism—Producing Steam, Fire, Thunder, Lightning, etc.—Olive Logan and her Jewels—Snow Storm in "The Two Orphans"—Rain in "Hearts of Oak"—Rivulets in "Danites"—Funny Inventory of "Property" in a London Theatre | 162–182 |
| [CHAPTER XII]. |
| MORE OF THE MYSTERIES. |
| The Property-Man and his Duties—Sunlight—Moonlight—Twinkling of Stars—Ocean Waves—Fire in "Phœnix" and "Streets of New York"—Full Description of the Famous Raft Scene | 183–194 |
| [CHAPTER XIII]. |
| THE ARMY OF ATTACHES. |
| Broken Down or "Crushed" Actors as Door-Keepers—The Treasurer of the Theatre—The Usher—Orchestra and Leader—Stage Manager—The Scenic Artist—The Stage Carpenter, Supes and Minor Attaches, and Last but not Least the Call-Boy | 195–205 |
| [CHAPTER XIV]. |
| STAGE STRUCK. |
| The Young Man from Cahokia—The Box of Gags—Stage Struck Girls of Louisville—The College Graduate from Illinois—"The Warrior Bowed His Crested Head"—The "N. G." Curtain—Marie Dixon's Failure—Mrs. H. M. Lewis, of Charleston, Duped by Schwab & Rummel—Harry Russell Pseudo "Manager"—A Colored Troop's Curious Epistle | 206–226 |
| [CHAPTER XV]. |
| THE REHEARSAL. |
| Old-Time and Present Rehearsals—Olive Logan's Description of a Rehearsal—Rehearsal of the Corps de Ballet—Appearance of Taglioni, Cerito, Carlotta Grisi, Lucile Grahn at Her Majesty's Theatre, in London | 227–240 |
| [CHAPTER XVI]. |
| CANDIDATES FOR SHORT CLOTHES. |
| Advertising for Ballet Girls—Salaries Paid them—Who Apply—Where the Can-Can Flourishes—The Ups and Downs of a Ballet Girl's Life—The Nautch Dancers | 241–250 |
| [CHAPTER XVII]. |
| TRAINING BALLET DANCERS. |
| Interviewing Sig. J. F. Cardella—The French School Theatre La Scala—Amount of Practice Required—The American Ballet—Salaries of Premieres, Coryphees, etc.—The Time Required—A Little Fond and Foolish at Times | 251–263 |
| [CHAPTER XVIII]. |
| PLAYS AND PLAYWRIGHTS. |
| The Trials and Tribulations of the Gawky Young Dramatist—English, French and American Playwrights—The Desire for Foreign Plays—Bartley Campbell's Christmas Story | 264–275 |
| [CHAPTER XIX]. |
| MASHERS AND MASHING. |
| Gunakophagists or Woman-Eaters—Corner Loafers—Mashers of the Profession—Female Mashers—The Blonde Beauties of the Leg Drama—Model Letter—Lillian Russell's Escapades—"Patti" and the Midget "Foster"—The Old Masher Squeezed—The Girl in Red Tights at Uhrig's Cave—Music and Mashing | 276–295 |
| [CHAPTER XX]. |
| THE MAIDEN AND THE TENOR. |
| Ambleleg—His Soul Full of Art and Throat Full of Music—Miss Justaytine the Pink of Beauty and Perfection of Belleship—The Chorus Singer Mashed on the Maiden—The Mash Mutual—The Brother and Lover Mash the Tenor—Suit for $10,000 and the Compromise | 296–302 |
| [CHAPTER XXI]. |
| FISHING FOR FREE PUFFS. |
| A First-Class Puff in a Leadville Paper—All Anxious to Appear in Print—Various Ways of Puffing—Sending Photos—Diamond Robberies—Falling Heir to a Fortune, etc.—Minnie Palmer's Artless Display of Underwear—The Abbott Kiss—Catherine Lewis Fling—Emelie Melville's Presents to Critics—The Morning Buzzard and the Evening Crow | 303–314 |
| [CHAPTER XXII]. |
| THE ACTRESS AND THE INTERVIEWER. |
| All Performers must Meet the Interviewing Fiend—How the Interviewer is Received by Patti, Nilsson, Gerster, Kellogg, Cary, Hauk, Abbott, Bernhardt, Morris, Modjeska, Neilson, Anderson, Davenport, Mitchell, Lotta, and Others | 315–319 |
| [CHAPTER XXIII]. |
| A FEW FOOT-LIGHT FAVORITES. |
| Mistress Woffington—Children as Actors and Actresses—Little Corinne—Debut of Emma Livry—Nell Gwynne the Fish Girl—Lola Montez, the Pretty Irish Girl—Adah Isaacs Menken as Mazeppa—Mary Anderson the Tragedienne—Lotta and Maggie Mitchell, and a Host of Others | 320–342 |
| [CHAPTER XXIV]. |
| CHINESE AND JAPANESE THEATRICALS. |
| Great Length of the Play—Description of a Chinese Theatre—The Prompter—The Audience—The Actors—The Musicians—Japanese Theatres—No "Reserved Seats"—Prices of Admission—Side Shows | 343–352 |
| [CHAPTER XXV]. |
| OPERA AND OPERA SINGERS. |
| Palmo, the Father of Italian Opera in America—Interview with Col. Mapleson—The Cost of Rigging a Company—What it Costs Every Time the Curtain is Rung Up—Mme. Grisi's Superstition—The Best Operas—Salaries of Singers—Neilson and the Diamond Merchant | 353–366 |
| [CHAPTER XXVI]. |
| THE MINSTREL BOYS. |
| Emmet, Brower, Whitlock and Pelham among the Earliest—Pot-Pie Herbert—Daddy Rice and Jim Crow—Zip Coon—Coal Black Rose—My Long Tail Blue—Early Days of George Christy—Minstrel Men Generally Improvident—Minstrel Men as Mashers—Haverly's Mastodon Minstrels—The Boys at Rehearsal | 367–381 |
| [CHAPTER XXVII]. |
| PANTOMIME. |
| George L. Fox, the King—G. H. Adams, his Successor—Boxing Night in London | 382–388 |
| [CHAPTER XXVIII]. |
| VARIETY DIVES AND CONCERT SALOONS. |
| First-Class Varieties—Harry Hill's Famous Resort—Interview with Harry Hill—Ida and Johnnie—Deacons in a Dive—The Bouncer at Work—The Cow-Boy's Call for Mary—The Can-Can—Music by Bands—Over the Rhine | 389–415 |
| [CHAPTER XXIX]. |
| A TEAM OF IRISH COMEDIANS. |
| The Song and Dance Men—Harrigan & Hart—Levi McGinnis the Alderman | 416–429 |
| [CHAPTER XXX]. |
| THE BLACK ART. |
| Sword Swallowers—Jugglers in America, Europe, China, and Hindoostan—Herman Sells the Barbers—Herman Sold by the "Boys"—Wonderful Chinese Jugglers—How Ladies are Suspended in Mid-Air—How to Eat Fire—Walk on Red Hot Iron—Cut off a Man's Head, etc., etc. | 430–439 |
| [CHAPTER XXXI]. |
| THE INDIAN BOX AND BASKET TRICK. |
| The Trick-Box—The Board—The Basket—The Magician's "Ghost Story" | 440–448 |
| [CHAPTER XXXII]. |
| VENTRILOQUISM. |
| Prof. Kennedy and Val Vose—Louis Brabant Valet de Chambre to Francis I. Wins Wife and Fortune through his Wonderful Gift—M. St. Gille and his Wonderful Exploits—Alexandre and the Load of Hay—The Delusion Fully Explained—How to do it—The Suffocated Victim | 449–458 |
| [CHAPTER XXXIII]. |
| ON THE ROAD. |
| Making Dates at the "the Square"—Copy of Contracts—Billing the Town—The Cyclonic Advance Agent | 459–465 |
| [CHAPTER XXXIV]. |
| THE GREEN-EYED AND OTHER MONSTERS. |
| The Street Arabs and Lotta—The Stage at the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century—Little "Accidents" of Bernhardt and Indiscretions of Patti—"Sudden Johnnie" and Colombier—Lizzie McCall's Crime—Miss Bertha Welby and Miss Cleves—The "Old Gray" and the Skipping Rope Dancer—Husband and Wife and Ballet Girl—Mephistopheles and Venus | 466–483 |
| [CHAPTER XXXV]. |
| JOHN WILKES BOOTH, PRESIDENT LINCOLN'S ASSASSIN. |
| Shooting of Abraham Lincoln—Booth's Rehearsal at Wallack's—An Old Actor's Opinion of J. W. Booth—His Richard the III. a Fine Piece of Acting—Booth and Collier as Richard and Richmond | 484–491 |
| [CHAPTER XXXVI]. |
| THE SUMMER VACATION. |
| How the Stars and Lesser Lights Disport Themselves—Actors at the Seaside—The "Old Gray" Surprises the Actors at the Banquet—Millions Spent upon Theatricals | 492–501 |
| [CHAPTER XXXVII]. |
| FUN AMONG THE ELKS. |
| Who the "Elks" are—Jughandle's Friend Wants to be an Elk—Getting the Candidate Ready—The High Muck-a-Muck—The Peculiar Circle—The Descent—The Path of Progress—The Upward Flight to Glory—Down! Down!! Down!!!—On "Eincycle"—The Merciful Net—An Elk | 502–511 |
| [CHAPTER XXXVIII]. |
| THE CIRCUS IS HERE. |
| The Disengaged Canvasman's Poetry—Circus Posters—The Grand Parade—The $25,000 Beauty—Twelve Ponies and Forty Horses on a Rampage—Henry Clay Scott and his Aged Father—Sold his Stove to go to the Circus | 512–521 |
| [CHAPTER XXXIX]. |
| UNDER THE CANVAS. |
| The Small Boy and the Circus—Beating the Show—Slack Wire and Balloon Performances—Donaldson's Ill-Fated Trip—Frightful Accident in Mexico—Circus Green-Room and Dressing-Rooms—The Clown—Bareback Riders and Tumblers—Merryman's Admission Fee—The Clown's Baby | 522–535 |
| [CHAPTER XL]. |
| ACROBATICS AND EQUESTRIANISM. |
| Training Children—Olive Logan on the Circus—Trapeze Performers—Tight Rope Feats—Training Riders—The Leading Equestrienne—The Great English Rider, Miss Lily Deacon—The Georgia Lady's Experience—Cow-Boys Raid on the Ring | 536–552 |
| [CHAPTER XLI]. |
| A ROMANCE OF THE RING. |
| Shadowville—Miss Nannie Florenstein, the most Wonderful Bareback Rider in the World—Her Cruel Taskmaster—Ned Struthers to the Rescue—"All's Well that Ends Well" | 553–562 |
| [CHAPTER XLII]. |
| LEAPING AND TUMBLING. |
| The Athlete of Ancient Rome—Grand and Lofty Tumbling of To-day—Double and Triple Somersaults | 563–571 |
| [CHAPTER XLIII]. |
| AN ADVENTURE WITH GIANTS. |
| Capt. M. V. Bates and Wife—The Tallest Couple in the World—The Fat Woman and the Living Skeleton—The Circassian Girl | 572–580 |
| [CHAPTER XLIV]. |
| THE TATTOOED TWINS. |
| The "Ad." in the Morning Paper—Capt. Costentenus—The Modus Operandi—Henneberry and the "Old Salt"—Singular Story Told by Henry Frumell—Tattooed by South Pacific Savages | 581–589 |
| [CHAPTER XLV]. |
| IN THE MENAGERIE. |
| Zazel Shot out of a Cannon—The Zulus—Gen. Tom Thumb and Wife—Thumb and Campanini—Hugged and Kissed by an Ape—Millie Christine the Famous Two-Headed Lady—The Eighth Wonder of the World—Jocko Spoils a Comedy—Circus in Winter Quarters | 590–608 |