South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-09-15

. the artist He tods handsome, there was
, no denying that, with his broad wideawske
, and velvet coat and silky mustache; but
!, should have much preferred to see his
beauty in the distance, say picturesquely
!, half mile off; but he was so pleasant
and gentlemanly, that couldn't quarrel
with him.
Presently Miss P begged him to go
on with his work; and then she said, ss
she looked over his shoulder, that he
ought to put in figure or two; and how
it came aboutI don't know, but / found
myself standing at the edge of the surf
Tin imminent peril of wet feet and pre-
tending to throw bluefish-line into the
breakers. $751;
1t was hardly consolation to think of
being part of a famous picture, when that
required one to stand with ones back to
all that was of of'inmedidte interest. But it
was much worse to be reused by a shout
from the wretch, and to see my own horse
walking leisurely away toward the town.
l know fastened him securely.
hurried up the beach, and the ruff1an
met me with look of pretended sympa-
thy on his features.
"This is too bad, he said. al am afraid
you will have to leave Miss P to my
care. will stay with her while you bring
your horse back. If you shouldn't over
take him" added the ogre, 4" l will see that
she gets home; but really can't leave
Just yet, l have got such splendid chance
which l have been waiting for all summer;
such a surf and such light on itP'
1t did not occur to me then, though it
did afterward, that the miscreant might
have offered me his team. Instead of that
he hurried me off, bidding me run, which
l did. So did my horse, just quickening
his pace till he got far enough away to
Craze, and then starting on as got near
him. l had to foot it the whole way to
town. The beast went safely enough till
he reached the stable; but there he pushed
right into it, and, catching the buggy
against the Intel, smashed the top COM
pletely. Twenty dollars would not make
good the damage, the stable folks said. l
told them to send up to the hotel at half
past nine and get their pay, after the loss
had been properly estimated.
One thing seemed little odd. had
unbuckled the check rein to use as a hitch
ing-strsp. 1t was found buckled all right,
but not checked, which makes me think that
the horse had learned to unharness him.
self. They are knowing animals, the
Nantucket horses.
Then 1 went to the clerk of the hotel
l told him thought would give pub
lie reading that evening. Could / have
the use of the dining roop,s l would put
the tickets at twenty-fieti cents, and at
that rate would probably secure an audi
ance. l had heard that one of the Har-
ward fellows had done the same thing in
one of the rural districts, and netted one
hundred dollars. The clerk said the di-
ning-room could not be well spared and
would not hold enough, but the Athene-
um Hall was the place where such things
usually were given. Would he engage it
for me? He would send and get it right
away, and would send the town-crier to
announce the reading, as there was no
time to print bills, and that was the usual
custom, moreover.
Then l went to my room to prepare a
programme. 1t did not seem ten minutes
before heard the voice of the herald pro-
claiming in vocal small caps that There
will be ORA matte Reading this evening
at Athens um Hall. Doors open at seven.
! Pformance l. cmence t eight O'Clock.
'Dmittance twenty-five cents" Then the
diDg-dong of his bell died away up one
street and was heard coming down the
next. 1t was evident the town would be
thoroughly csnvassed. Could l read +?
Well, had tried it in private circles
Milita0i non sine gloria, and at the public
Latin School where graduated had won
the Hancock medal. The first thing
was to get books. / asked the clerk, but
he was book-keeper, not a book-lender. |
However, he thought might obtain the |
loan at the Atheneum, on depositing their |
valuation. As l only wanted them to go |
from the library-room to the hall upstairs |
ventured on this, depositing with bold |
hr1th haof roratx dOll
bill, and receiving Shakespeare, a Byron, |
and three volumes of Mrs Browning |
Also copy of Handy Andy. This last, |
being doubtful of my skill in rendering the |
Irish tongue, I took to nv room, unluck- |
lily. The others thought could man- |
age at sight, especially as ] meant to keep |
to the pieces knew by heart, and wanted |
| the books more for form than for use. By |
this time the tea gong sounded, and l went |
to the table with an anxious breast and a |
sense of being the observed of all observ- |
ers. Miss P was already there, but in |
my seat was the Jsnd, mean the artist |
in human shape. l expected to see Miss |
Minnie look embarrassed, but she only |
looked radiantly happy, and smiled sweet
ly upon me as I passed by to take my |
place at the foot of the table.
could not eat; in fact l had a doubt |
whether it would be well to attempt it |
before public reading; so after bearing in |
silent torture the spectacle of the vampire |
helping Miss P to blue-ish and black |
berries, retired to dress. That operation |
was limited to the putting on of cloth |
coat in place of tweed, my last clean |
collar, and taking my last ditto handker-
CHIEF, and at seven l started for the hall. |
The streets were not inconveriently |
ra6 hrrf =. IL xrotD II
mentally. had left Handy Andy in my |
room, not feeling quite up to the comic,
but in a mood to which was sure 0thello |
would come in great force. found the
town-crier, who was also to be the money
taker and stage manager, at the door, but |
no one else. He suggested that, as il was |
still daylight, it wasn't worth while to
light up yet, to which agreed, and re-
tired to the dressing-room with my vol
umes, a solitary candle and a glass of |
water. l shut the door, so as not to be |
disturbed by the noise of the assembling /
throngs, and gave myself up TO study. l
had heroically determined not to look at
my watch lest should get nervous, and
when eight o'clock struck from the South
Church tower, l confess l started with
surprise. Selling my books and giving
myself no time for stage fright, 1 walked
ulSnlHeuly Oh 10 the plaIIOrm, 1OunQ my
first place, and raised my eyes to survey
my audience There were two people in
the hall, ghoul and his victim, 1 mean
the artist and Miss P. The crier, that
is, the ticket-t4ker, stood by the entrance,
his hands in his pockets. My audience
preserved respectful silence, though
there was queer look on the face of the
female portion, while the monster, mean
the male part, made motion of the hands
suggestive of applause. 1 sank back into
seat. The crier walked up the hall, put
ting out the lights as he went, and saying
in voice startlingly loud in the stiffness
as no use waiting any longer t'nieht,
and the sooner shet up theIess gas will
be wasted. I'll jest hand them folks their
money back and you can Settle with me-"
Then, as the compsny dispersed, one of
whom, by the way, declined to receiyehis
quarters, saying soto 00cs, "Tve had de-
lightful entertainment, and really feel
conscientious scruples at taking anything
back" The crier proceeded to sun up,
"The hall, well, we can't charge more'n
hslf-price under the circu,yetances-