Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-02-25


mentS"
"what else was there for non.laborer
like meS"
Couldn't l write and ask Robert
Franks for the loan of a little moneys He
would be sure to lend il. He was always
such kind.hearted fellow"
"What would be the use of five or ten
pounds? / couldn't ask him for more
when that was gone. And why does my
little comforter fearG"
And the little comforter cried on my
shoulder, and told me she was afraid-yes,
afraid that the degradation would be too
much for proud spirit, and that if my
heart didn't break l should perhaps destroy
myself.
Then turned comforter, and told her
how there was no degradation to be un-
delgone. should be honestly earning
my bread honestly working for money ;
and under no more suspicion of mendi-
cancy than Charles Kean was in acting
for money on the stage. My stage was to
be the street that was the only differ.
ence. I went further, took higher stand,
and, indeed, scared off the ground altogeth-
er by the ii ne got ahead a bit. "Yes !;
it was mere question of work and wages.
Wasn't it more spirited than living on
ones relatives,-even supposing | could
exist until heard from England Yes
there could be nothing more honorable ;
nothing more becoming a gentleman of
spirit, barring the one fact of his living
upon his lawfully acquired means !"
scared, as you see, and my little woman,
from crying turned to smiling, and wing
and wing we flew off together"
"And /, darling, with my voice can
help you. In few weeks, when you
have made twenty or thirty pounds over
expenses, we can hire rooms, and give
concerts ; and, perhaps, you know, l may
take nearly as we'll as you. And then we
can go on the stage and, with your fine
appearance (D we shall be sure to make a
fortune | If really succeed in taking
only half as well as you, we shall"
Who can blame me for finishing the
sentence with I" We shall be safe to make
an independence, at least, in two or three
years ~
Or else go home to England as prinsa
donna and tenOre."
too wet, and that the horse was too tired
for me to begin that very evening.
The next morningI was still enthusi-
astic enough not to take Che trouble
of making my usual daily visit to
the hotel to see the advertisements
in my line in the Argus,-at least, didn't
trouble to go until after two o'clock.
But the time went on, and the dusk ar.
rived-with the fog too. l had made up
my mind to set out about six o'clock
drive into Melbourne, and there deter.
mine on where / was to make my debut
whether in city or suburb. Somehow,
fancied that the fashionable Saint Kilda
would be my best ground. If struck
my first chord at between seven and eight
o'clock, it would be cark enough in all
conscience; and my audience, having
dined, would be at comfortable leisure tC
attend to me. Well, at about six o'clock
then, 1 quietly put the horse to, slipped
my sack alpaca coat and my soInbrero into
the gig, and then went indoors for my
| guitar, and half crown from the sad
| faced worker.
care you going out for long, sir9" Mrs
| Tom Smith asks.
"Yes, Mrs. Smith, am going to tn
play. may leave early, and be hom
about ten o'clock"
And then, turning to my wife, I saic
Significantly
"Adeline, I'm taking in the guitar fo
some new strings" for had perceived
that Mrs Smith had observed me putting
the instrument into the gig. Then AIDE
line, after what l thought very curiou
silence, gathered up her work in he
arms, and unceremoniously ran out int
the veranda whereupon Mrs. Tom Smitl
looked to me for an explanation of a.
this. laughed, and said,-
"She is angry with me, perhaps, for nc
taking her to the theatre; but under
stood all along that she didn't care 70
going"
ASK her now, sir. I'll take care Of tn
children, and welcome"
"That will, Mrs. Smith. / suppos
she wanted to go, but didn't like to leav
the youngsters to trouble you.
Arrived in the veranda, and going
its darkest corner among the clemati
where lady was weeping bitterly, not
say hysterically, say, gayly,-
",Well, madame, so we have lost ou
courage at last and that stage-fortun
that we were to have is not to be ours a
ter all"
go, William, dear, do forgive me L
"a comforting sort of thing, this is
not, for this cold eveningw
60, it is cruel, William, dear-so cru,
in me. But could't help i'll couldn'
indeed and you know / am not so stron
now as-as might be !"
Poor little woman l knew that we
enough; for the thought of it was hell
] ing to break my heart as well as hers.
What else couldI do? / stayed to con
/ fort her and the effect was so great tht
in few minutes the bonnet and SHAY
} were run N for, and both of us were sea
ed in the gig and on our way for drive
| AS then and there agreed upon, it was
? drive of reconnaissance du pays, to 81
! | har I,n 1slyo1yy 10
2 declare we drove around the Westel
suburbs that night until ten o'clock a
5 tually picking out the groups of hous
where was likely to secure an audienC
, and debating on the matter as professio
r ally as if | were regular old hand at Il
g business.
Wednesday, Thursday, and Fridt
morning in town, going through the o
unhappy routine of place seeking, B
|, all without effect. Is it any wonder tn
: became more and more eager to try n
a schemey And what is more, was d
! termined not to be baked this time
any lady at the gate. l knew she was
good hands. So on Friday afternoon
drove back from town; told my old sto
!, OF non-success; gave my horse his fe
/ OF chaf (alas he, poor fellow, felt &
masters poverty in his short allowance
;, corn); and, putting my guitar and n
: clothes for disguise into the gig, wait
for favorable opportunity, when no I
/, loving eyes were looking on, and dro
off in an undignified canter away on q
o fortune hunting expedition
s. While am dong this let me say ft
words about my antecedents. l am HI
u foreigner-that Is, my mother, like b
Of many another Englishman, was
l. alien. This fact goes a good way to {
count for my being a player on that U
British instrument-the guitar. am {
Ie ceedingly dark, as was my mother, a
u altogether have not a thorough Britt
u look. So this being half a foreigner "
IT now rather in my favor. 1t enabled
to pass for a whole one, and by good f
E. tune also to sing in other languages
D. sides my native English. 80
2, Everybody knows the kind of weath
1t autumn brings-good suicidal weather
the world over, as well in Australia as
I. Europe. AS plodded through the aVenr
V I falf nuuttarahIV miaaFahia Oh n