| Show taw y f by REBECCA OTTO copyright by ays arb dofing nights in a barroom in the tan twenty thirty houses in the small towns at the atme alten that scale of prices enjoyed great vogue throughout this country we many sections 0 of sixty miles over aers making a jump stretch ot railroad a particularly poor and every one was in a bad humor owing to the tact that we were bound to arrive toolate too late or our christmas dinner matinee at 3 and as we had a doomed to fast sharp we were until supper time our discontent aggravated grava ted by the irregularity with which ghost had recently been walking brought about a conversation upon the unreliability 0 ten managers in general and 0 ours in particular vou youngsters may consider this a tough observed the first old man but this is to what I 1 iia e been through hast christmas I 1 was our was in manitoba bill too we struck a little town the name ot which I 1 forgot but I 1 do rc f i member that we were booked lor two nights and of course the usual carlst atis matinee we arrived at about 5 in the morning and the company started once forthe hotel recommended by alie alleged advance agent who I 1 may add parenthetically had the acuity of f getting things wrong oftener than any h mn I 1 have cv ermet I 1 had been with the f company the season before and I 1 knew i ahat it meant when he recommended a house Cooking like mother used to lo 10 on the blotting paper in the reals jaery theres no place like home or home home or perhaps both worked in shaded worsted mottoes on ahe walls frost an inch thick on the windows at noon and all that sort of thing bo I 1 called the manager aside and made a quick touch for 2 I 1 got 20 cents which was exactly 20 cents more than I 1 expected but I 1 concealed my elation as best I 1 could and informed the manager that I 1 guessed I 1 should go to another place of which I 1 had heard lie said that as we were paying pur own board no difference to him cautioned me to remember aliat we were to play in tho hall above the brick livery stable and not in the as advertised and then rushed on to join the others of the com looking back as he went doubt r less wondering what in all creation a man could want altho cents in lucli a town started in toward what appeared to be the proper place for the middle ot the village and seeing a saloon the external appearance of which seemed to indicate that I 1 could there get more than one drink or my 20 cents I 1 dropped in I 1 say dropped tor while there was nothing to lead one to suspect that the floor of the saloon was AS I 1 STEPPED IN I 1 FELL HEADLONG not on the street level it was really about a ool below it naturally therefore as I 1 stepped in I 1 tell headlong my moist overcoat with ita long fur buffa and deep fur collar here the first old man paused and looked about him impressively picked up a large portion athe sawdust with which the floii and when some of the hangers on about the place assisted nie to mya eat I 1 was a sight and no mistake abw ever I 1 soon forgot my troubles and it Is possible that I 1 was reaching that more pleasant mental condition by the numerous rounds pal or by the only other man present beside myself who appeared to be a stranger I 1 there learned too that the village had long been in need of a firc department and that christ mas night had been set aside or an entertainment in which it would appear from the conversation every man woman and child in the place was to p ar indeed I 1 marveled at the shortsightedness of policy of hay ins the entire as entertainers leaving no one to play the role ot spectator my heart sunk when I 1 heard ot this opposition or I 1 new that our manager had less than 12 in cash at the time while railroad fare to the next stand was more than 25 but in good company especially when that good company aae an apparently inexhaustible supply 0 money trouble does not rest heavily upon ones shoulders and I 1 had soon forgotten that there was such a thing in the world as bad luck my new found friend jarries aln dus was a strikingly handsome fellow he was immaculately dressed and I 1 could not help mentally calculating that his sealskin ulster would have sold for enough to pay the board of our entire company for several months windus professed to have taken a great fancy to me arid we were soon on terms of intimacy as celoso as though we had known each other for years windus intimated that he was traveling through canada in the interest 0 a syndicate organized for the purpose 0 wiping out the BO called beef trust n the united states at any rate he had contracted in that neighborhood tor hundreds of cattle to be delivered during tho following summer ho had paid deposits in many instances and whatever doubt of his responsibility the suspicious may have had was quickly dispelled by the promptness with which the checks to his order were cashed by the local merchants who were vastly impressed by the name of the big packing firm at the bottom of the paper windus had become exceedingly cee popular although he had been in the town less than ten days prior to the arrival of our company it was manifest at a glance that this man was no dude aside from pie fact that he was particularly well built there was about his every stephat indefinable sinuousness which indicates the man of athletic training in one respect I 1 did not like him his eyes BO shifty as to lead at first to thebe alet that he was suffering suf Cering from some affection of the optic nerves I 1 soon savy that this was not so and that moreover nothing escaped that pair of eyes then I 1 began to feel that he was insincere his ultra effusiveness lending col or to the theory but a single square look at the roan who when the occasion demanded could look as unflinchingly into ones eyes as into the bottom of a glass was suin clant to dispel all doubt and make you his friend 1 I had lost all track of time it had not once occurred to me that I 1 had neglected to engage board and that wo were advertised to give a mallner at 2 some one started finally for the door with the semi apologetic statement that while he disliked to leave so olly a crowd he would be compelled fo do so as his wife had made him promise to be home sharp oh time for dinner that lady it developed wished to get away promptly to attend to her duties in connection with the fire company entertainment of the evening that brought me to my senses temporarily pora rily i had previously told aln of my connection with the theatrical crowd and knowing that the lanager na nager would not object to having a man with real money around in case ia necessity I 1 made bold to invite him to meet me at the theater at halt past I 1 for the purpose of going back during the performance he accepted the invitation vi tation and in turn insisted that I 1 should be his guest at dinner explaining that he had two very fair rooms over the saloon the snow had begun to fall in heavy flakes shortly after I 1 reached the place and when we looked out the ground was covered to the depth of several inches I 1 was convinced that the combined opposition of christmas THE THEATERS ON FIKE dinners and that snowstorm would et factually destroy whatever ties of a good had grevl bously existed aken too the pros hect of a substantial home cooked meal tempted me and I 1 yielded thi other members of the little group Jef fitter awhile an adus and 1 I go into an animated of the rela r r tive claims of nev fsr K and chicago to metropolis of the a becoming united states gewere trifle heated when the proprietor announced awaited us upstairs that dinner and what a dinner i ahat was fifteen A turkey which inest have weighed pounds and was roa sted to a turn at one end lay in all his savory glory and the other mcg celery table of the flanked trimmings christmas while from an adjoining his told olor which pungent room issued a that we were to unmistakable terms in made by 1 with a pudding wind up who understood the concocting concoct ing person a of a real of this moat blowout windus dla the christmas and honors as if to the manner born that he had helped while I 1 protested could possibly dispose me to more than I 1 certainty of an of I 1 could not after attack of indigestion which help admiring the perspicacity discern that I 1 was had enabled him to a mighty hungry mah I 1 waited politely though I 1 must confess rather impatiently tient ly to him to help himself before beginning my attack 1 upon the appetizing viands when he biad served himself rather sparingly as I 1 thought in view of the elaborateness of the repast 1 I grasped my knife and cut off a piece of the breast the juice actually followed the steel the first old man again paused every member of the company sat up straight and evinced the first acute interest in the narrative one or two of the people stealthily brought out packages containing daled to a crasp sandwiches smuggled against the rules from the table of the hotel at the last stand it was manifest that the tale was increasing rather than the dissatisfaction produced by the dismal prospect ahead of us the first old man continued yea I 1 was just about to take my arst mouthful of the turkey when the proprietor of the place thrust his head through the doorway and yelling the theaters on ire rushed down the steps it transpired that he was the moving spirit in the plan to organize a ire department and was slated to be the first chief hungry as I 1 was the i prospect of being stranded in that jay village was too horrible for contemplation pla tion and I 1 dashed from the room followed by windus we found that some hay in the livery stable on the floor below the theater was afire the entire village was on hand and every man appeared to be in the way of every other man suggestions were as numerous as snow but aside from these there was nothing doing finally some genius ln spasm of inspiration suggested that what was most needed just then was sater some of us rushed to the well at the rear of the stable only to find that the chain was frozen in hard hot water was obtained the chain was thawed clear and there was every prospect 0 extinguishing the blaze in short order when the chain broke it then became necessary to form a bucket brigade the members were obliged to walk nearly the distance of a city block for water it Is therefore not that by the time the second round had been made the fire had extended to the stage above the stable where were all our costumes these were totally destroyed awful blow to our company U was an of the loss not so much because for costumes as you ot the costumes in all know do not cut much figure the ten nights in a barroom and street clothes of most of us would have but all of fair substitutes made very aliat would have been our hotel trunks had we been in position to indulge in such modern luxuries had been sent to THE performance WENT OFF VERY SMOOTHLY the theater accordingly aside ram the apparel at the time on our backry we were practically cloth esless there was the greatest scurrying about you ever saw the manager again informed us with that exasperatingly easy air of comforting assurance which had caused him to be cordially hated by all of his people that the money in his possession was less than halt of what was necessary to transport us to the next stand things looked mighty blue I 1 can tell you at this juncture came to the front like a man hire the ballroom of the hotel he suggested and give the entertainment there A splendid idea replied the manager who forthwith set out to make arrangements for the hall and to have handbills hand bills announcing the change printed the hall was readily secured but there was no printing in the town I 1 got hold ot the dregs in a can 0 green paint in the hotel and with the aid ol 01 the proprietors wife an old sheet and a couple of mop handles soon had a very fair sandwich sign constructed the wind was blowing a gale and the property man who was sent out with the sandwich promptly returned vowing that nothing would induce him to venture forth again the leading man was the most athletic member of bouc company and despite his protests he was sent out with the sandwich within five minutes he returned minus the sandwich which had been blown to ribbons As a last resort we stuck a notice up in the at 6 the drugstore had been sold that not a seat ana once more came to the front calling the members of the company aside he said give athla performance tonight dont be worried about get ahne to the next stand here are some five dollar united states money at that one for each 0 you keep the facts of this little gift away from the manager I 1 shall tell him hat hla performance before 1 he will give me tonight I 1 will pay him 0 in gold when the final curtain falls talk about your new york alta and that sort of thing nothing that ever happened to us could have made us happier you would not have suspected had but a few minutes earet r hatic lost practically all we owned the hotel served an early supper and we went to the theater with light hearts 0 o seats had yet been sold the same con prevailed at even arrived we sent out a scouting had not party and learned that he had been celebrating his triumph in having special performance all to a trifle too heavily and the town consta ble had inconsiderately locked him up our manager seeing the promised going a tried to negotiate with the officer but that official was obdurate finally in consideration 0 10 which the manager reluctantly paid leaving himself practically broke was liberated and was soon seated in the hotel ballroom the performance went oft very smoothly and applauded during the arst two acts at every possible opportunity achere was a long delay between the second and third acts and when the sheet which did duty as a was drawn aside had disappeared we immediately closed in again the manager not knowing 0 the gifts to us suspecting treachery just then the hotel proprietor came back he was very indignant as he explained that had rearrested hi authority being a telegram from he chief of police of winnipeg who as sorted that windus was one 0 the counterfeiters counterfeit ers in the wor woolda lda that he was suspected of then hang in his possession several thousand f alous five dollar gold pieces the first old man sighed so did S talk about your hard luck christmas he said there we were the train came to a sudden halt asi though t had struck something as 5 deed it had a snowbank we 8 stuck in a cut miles away from any where with no prospect the conductor comfortingly assured us of getting out until a snowplow could reach us alj drifts rifts he added would not be before midnight t the first old man got up and walked to the end of the car where he took the seat immediately facing the stove doubling up into as small a compass as possible he pulled his collar once fur up about his earsa drew his cap down as far as t come and was soon asleep but hei dreamed likewise he spoke in his sleep and this much could be brokenly made out by the brakeman who stood i near imade amistade in ing that engagement dear old harry harry irvcng offered me |
