OCR Text |
Show How Mis Escaped Death William II Dills, stago director of "The Old Homestead" company, which will present America's greatest great-est drama at tho Lyric on Tuesday, Oct. 0, Is a firm bollever In fate. Ha waB Intended for a sailor. Hl3 father, a famous Chicago doctor, thought the lad would never llvo If ho lingered on shore, so It was nr-taned nr-taned for tho boy to leavo old Chi. on one of tho lako passenger steam era for a fow trips to nco how ho would like It. Arrangements had been mado for William to sail on Wednesday morning morn-ing at 8 o'clock. Ho got up at 5, counted over all his trinkets and Igavo tho most highly prized ones to his school chums, and then got his I clothes In shlp-shapo. An hour J ahead of tlmo, Dr. Dills and son started for tho dock with tho family Ihorao and buggy. Thoy had gono I half way when tho horso slopped; ho would not movo; every effort was 'mado to start tho animal, but It I would not budgo. I Tho father urged tho lad to go on, I, . , I,, ... ., , i but William would not do so. As shot would have killed tilm If that I a result they nlisBed'the steamer; It mysterious sticking feeling had not H put out, and was never heard from caused him to walk on when ho C'd 9 'again. Months afterwards, somo of Mr!' Dills 'does not believe la ghests t J the wreckage was t washed ashore, but he does th'lnk that some fairy M and one or two bodies were picked godmother looks' after actors. B up. Dut of tho fate of the vessel, no one has ever heard one word. Another time, Dills was playing with Richard Mansfield. For somo reason, the show did not play for a couple of days while the company was in New (Orleans. The present stage director always looks about the strange corners of the cities he visits. It was his first time In old Orleans, and ho was looking around everywhere. He got tired and stopped for a minute min-ute to lean against a polo In front of a levee saloon. Something seemed seem-ed to b'o slicking him, and ho moved to look if thore was a nail protruding; protrud-ing; there was not and he leaned back again; again the same feeling and he walked on. A minute later a shot from the saloon struck tho polo whero tho actor had been stand- |