Show STUDENT LIFE 110 if the aisles could be filled with chairs and a few small boys suspended from the gas-jet- s Promptly at 1 p m the brilliant procession left Logan the sun shining banners waving horns blowing and the saner and more dignified members of the troupe devouring peanuts There had been one accident already but nobody counted that The Master Mechanic the Property Man and a few more officials had and been gathering in the calcium-light-s attempting to drive through an innocent-lookin- g in the street had dropped down the crater of an extinct volcano and been extricated with the derrick the city council keeps for such purposes The fifteen miles to Richmond may be summed up in one mud-pudd- le Everybody sang expressive word— noise everything she knew and a great deal she did not until even Taylor was persuadeed to give up his customary lethargy and join In the chorus Once In a while when people stopped for breath the Stage Manager could be heard pleading tearfully with the principals net to ruin their voices for the show Arrived at the “showgrounds” the Advance Agent performed his greatest piece of diplomacy One hotel had made a 20c rate for all meals the other rated adults at “two bits” and children at 15c The principals were driven rapidly to the first establishment while the fairies were tucked under protecting arms whisked off to the bargain counter and cautioned to be sure to eat their money’s worth During the afternoon the rumor was current that the performance must be postponed because the Stage Manager found it absolutely impossible to satisfy his appetite but at C o’clock— at the requestor the landlady— he appeared on the scene of action And such a scene of action! The Official Artist was ruefully inspecting the array of “back drops” trying to determine whether they had been painted with diamond the Mistress of the dye or Patton’s Sun-proBallet was anxiously figuring how many fairies could gracefully execute on a stage just 6x10 and Hermia and Helena as usual were off in a corner arguing which was leading ady After a while order arose out of chaos inside of jig-ste- ps and then the elements decided it was their time to contribute From nowhere in particame cular a whole brigade of storm-cloud- s chasing each other across the sky with all sorts of thunder and lightning in their train and the rain came down in torrents The audience that had already gathered looked wise while most of those who had not looked wiser and remained at home However it was a comfortable audience of Richmond’s best people that greeted the rise of the curtain Then the fun began The bugler though from Logan was a trifle slow and just as he was settled to blow a mighty blast the end of the curtain struck the bell of his cornet driving all the notes most of the horn and several teeth well down into his anatomy He is reported to have remarked “I’ll be blowed!” but on good authority this is disputed The production moved on with its usual vim and attractiveness till the appearance of the fairies Then the orchestra for some reason or other failed to connect and the ballet presented for a few minutes a charming imitation of a man trying to walk the hurricane deck in a heavy sea They rapidly collected themselves however and worked out their own salvation amid thunderous applause In which the heavens joined Another pathetic feature of this episode was the frantic attempt of the Business Manager to juggle the calcium light The best he could do all evening was a poor wavering little spot of green light on the backs of two fairies Finally the machine gave a despairing sputter and went out altogether The hoodoo lifted until the fourth act and then it worked over time The stage was so small that the various sleepers piled up like cord wood in no very realistic manner Next the ass’s head partaking of the spirit of mischief positively refused to leave the head of Bottom though I’uck always determined to do her duty almost succeeded in performing an act of decapitation Meanwhile the Official Artist had been preparing to distinguish himself as understudy to the disabled bugler Out n as his instrument in the rain with a he had been practicing all sorts of trills and flourishes and was letter-perfeready for his fish-hor- ct |