Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-06-25

1
look at one who had so often ministered %
their amusement
Dinner over, / was mysteriously beckoned
into private room by Bonilace, who said he
wished to have few words with me We
took seats. Tho worthy landlord here indul-
ged IN u look at me- the corners Of his mouth
aud twinkng Of his eyes indicating ~ GER
tain twitching aud wnking that - laugh wns
on the point Of breaking through all restraints;
and making itself seen and heard. After sun
dry "hems and "hasr' and moving his chair
a little this way and a little that, my friend
cleared his throat and thus began eonvcrsa-
ton which resulted in singular adventure.
"You must excuse mel can't help think
! ing what change has taken place in you; but
/ must do you justice to believe that you are
sincere in your professions VIII you tell me
condidly, Mr. S. whether you like your pres
ent mode Of living as well as You did that Of
last year, when you used TO travel through this
country with your company, and make us kill
ourselves with yonr comicalitiesi
| Surprising my questioner merely wished to
ascertain whether ] was satisfied with regu-
lar engagement in New Orleans, after indug-
| ing in the excitements and adventurous Incl
dentto the life ola preambulatne manager +
answered
81 must confess, my friend, that tie change
is very agreeable to me; and southern eli
mate is essential to my bodily health in the
winter
"You are, then stationed permanently in
New Orleans, during the winter inquired
the landlord
permanently, replied wondering what
could be the object of these questions.
"But the income pursued my friend
'the income that's the point Do YOU make
as much in your present line Of hie as you
did in managing theatrcs2
well | responded, that is somewhat
doubtful-but, in management, there are n
thousand cares and yeXations which | now
escape, and il my income is not quite 50 large
it is now fixed and certain, my salary being
sure
"Ahl yes, chuckled the landlord ~ believe
all Of you take pretty good care about the sal
ary-and tits all right you should the laborer
is worthy of his hire But how do you look
now upon the morality of your past life
"Why us to that" | answered, ut is not for
me to speak | have endeavored to do what
is right in all my transactions, as manager
andNctor, and do not look back with any
regret ON my past life
"Well, come, like you all the better for
never would run down your former profess
sion; and believe you are honest in your
present course" said the landlord and !
will now proceed to business"
was somewhat mystfed, | confess, with
the conduct and conversation of my landlord
but determined to wait patiently for a solution
of his meaning.
"The fact of the matter is just here; the
citizens of B., hearing of your arrival,
have expressed an ardent desire, they have
hope indeed, wish, ! may say, unanimous
wish, that is, if you've no objections, and |
am commissioned to request, solicit, thatyou
will stop here tonight and HOLD FoE11r at
the courthouse
"Hold fortlrat the court housel" echoed !,
what give an entertainment2 Impossible,
am announced lat Nemphiss for Tomorrow
night and must 90 on in the stage.
"My dear sir, persisted the commissioner
from the inhabitants of B., "you cannot
conceive how very anxious we all are to hear
you-indeed, you must crafty them you can
not imagine the excitement your arrival has
caused, and the people are determined to have
yon stop and
at is out Of the question" demonstrated,
my engagement at Memphis is imperative,
must be there tomorrow"
$50 you shall be, my dear sir answered
mine host; wye have arranged all thar, befoe
it was decided on to let the stage go on with
out you
"What r, ] exclaimed in alarm, "has the
coach departed and left me here to-
Been gone three quarters of hour re
piled my friend, deprecatingly but don't be
alarmed, Squire Jones has agreed to hitch up
his team of horses tomorrow morning, be-
fore daylight, and by two o clock you'll see
the Mississippi river,
In the early part Of my professional life |
had been compelled, as have said else where,
to give entertainments solitary and alone
but for several years | had abandoned this
dsagreebe mode of raising the wind and
hoped should never be compelled toresort to
il again ; consequently | felt a great repug-
nance to the proposition of the ciiizens oi
B.. Lectures had not at that time come
into vogue, else | might have easily fixed up
something for the occasion, Songs and reci-
talions were all | could depend ON for the en-
tcrtainment of an audience.
Aftera moments reflection, during which
took into consideration the fact that my
means of proceeding ON my journey were cut
off, by 'pious fraud, as the landlord (called
il J and that my finances we're in n state that
required replenishing, / suddenly inquired of
the landlord what | should make by opera
tion2
"Why, as to that, he readily answered,
can't exactly say but am sure our citizens
will be liberal one thing can assure you OF,
you will have the greatest congregation ever
assembled in this burg
but there is no notice given, ! arguedi
isn't there p tiumphantly inquired the
| landlord ''iuSt step 10 this window and look
| out, but ! cannot say much for the pleasure
experienced when | saw crowd around the
court house, which stood bat n few PAGES off,
reading little plain card, two lines of which
only could decypher, one of which was,
"SOL SMITH"
aud the other
THIS EVENING
:. This seemed to settle the matter, | conclu-
ded to give the entertainment, and trust to
Squire Jones horses and wagon for the full
!, illment of my engagement at Memphis on the
4 morrow
70 my suggestion that some little fitting
mp of the Court House would be required my
accommodating entertainer cut me short By
saying
leave that TO me--the house shall be light
ed, the seats arranged place fitted up for
YOU and everything arranged as it ought TO be
for the OCCASION give yourself no trouble
about il my friend, but retire to your room al
once, and prepare Yourself At Z O'Clock, ]
will go with you 10 the court house and il YOU
don't end the greatest gathering you ever did
sec, ] win never make another call on YOU "a
hold forth in this village again
Thus assured, ] retired to my room, aud
after skeichipg a programme for the night