Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-07-09
"Mv friend !' cried the general with e.

"MV friend J! Crleu the general WIN e
motion. But Dutton proceeded.
81 cannot describe my feelings yesterday
while seated at your luxurious table.
thought of my poor Jane, depriving herself
of a morsel Of bread to give it to her baby
of nv little pale thin Annie, whose delicate
appetite rejects the coarse food which is all
we can give her; and in an evil hour trans
ferred two pates from my plate to my pock-
ct thinking they would tempt my little dar-
ling to eat. | should have died of shame
had these things been produced from my
pocket, and your guests and servant made
witnesses of my cruel poverty. Now, gen
eral, YOU know all and but for the fear of
being suspected by you of crime, my dis
tress should never have been known HS
"a life of unblemished honor" replied his
friend, "has placed you above the reach OF
suspicion; besides, look here.' And ne
showed the missing watch. ''Itis L. con-
tinued he, "who must ask pardon OF you
all. Tn fit of absence had dropped itinto
nv waistcoat pocket where, in Johnson, $ :.
presence, discovered it while undressing
eff had only known p murmured poor
Dutton. =,
"Don't regret what has occurred" said
the general, pressing his hand kindly Ut
has been the means of acqualnting me with
what you should never have concealed from
an old friend, who, please God, will find
some means to serve you" ,
In few days Captain Dutton received
another invitation to dine with the general.
All the former guests were assembled, and
their host, with ready tact took occasion to
apologise for his strange forgetfulness about
the watch. Captain Dutton found paper
within the folds of his napkin; 1t was his
nomination to an honorable and lucrative
post, which insured competence and COM
fort to himself and his family.
CONFUSION s. TERROR IN A THEATRE IN
ALBANY.-Some actors were playing Ham
let In the scene where two grave dlggers
are at work, Wyman bethouhgt himself OF
l;ttle fun for his friends. The skull which
is thrown out of the grave is taken by
Hamlet, who soliloquises thus:
ALAS poor Yorick-
Wyman, dextrously throwing his voice
into the skull, exclaims i amt Yorick !"
The startled tragedian hesitates-turns pale
but continues:
i knew him we'll
NO YOU didn't neither !! put in Wyman.
This time the skull fell from the hands OF
the terrified actor, and rolled towards the
footlights-the audience bursting in gener-
al roar of oflaughter at the gnmaces and con-
tortions of the poor fellow without knowing
tbe cause of his discontinue. He stares
at the rolling skull, trembles and looks much
paler than before, but after while, IN
measure he recovers himself sufficiently to
make desperate effort to join in the laugh,
but evidently a decided failure in the at
tempt. After another effort at fortifylng
himself he takes courage and proceeds, to
pick up the scull again, but as ne lays his
hand upon it Wyman in sepulcheral tone
CRIES out Go away-don't touch me! ! The
amazed actor again starts back. and the
laugh among the audience was not so gen.
eraI- it begins to look serious, and they en-
tertain superstitious notions about it, which
is more strikingly developed as Wyman be-
gins course oi Sulluldi lid II" Ho
ter among them, in different parts OF the PIT
and behind the scenes, which occasions
perfect atampede among the actors and au-
dience, who make grand rush for the
door.
The absent manager at this moment rush
es in, cries Hold ? and pointing upto the
smiling phiz and roguish sparkling eyes, OF
Wyman, who set in private box, compla-
Gently looking on the confusion and terror
he had occasioned-Gentlemen 1t is only
Wyman, the Ventriloquist, the mystery
was at once solved. Three cheers Tor wy
man, cries the multitude, which were glv-
en- and gracefully acknowledged by the
Wizard. and the play proceeded much to
the satisfaction of those whose courage was
put to the test by the queer .genlus.-Al6d-
ny Erpress.