The Comedian Who Never Came — and the Advance Man Who Took the Town

The Review, unintentionally and much to the regret of the management, was party to perpetrating a slight fraud upon the community this week. Upon the representations of the advance agent and the promise of so much per line, in our last two issues we announced the coming of the versatile comedian, Jas. O'Neill. We have no doubt but that it was O'Neill's intention to be here on the date announced, but painful circumstances over which he had no control prevented him from carrying out the programme as announced in small bills. We have heard, in a roundabout way, that the humorous actor is involved in one of the real comedies of life at Billings, which is by no means amusing to the chief actors. Synopsis of play — Poor houses. Comic Peters. Sheriffs and warrants. Company collapses. General sparring for vittles, etc. Such being the case, the renowned O'Neill is not around to fill dates. We have only sympathy for a man in trouble, and have nothing to say against Mr. O'Neill, but we would like to feel satisfied in regard to that advance agent. He may have been honest in his preparations for the arrival of his troupe, and again he may have known the impecunious condition of O'Neill, and played his hand here merely for a lift further down the road. He managed to burn some of our people to the extent of a number of dollars, anyhow.