Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-02-15

baton-looked on each side of him,
and-stopped He whispered the First
Fiddle, then left his seat in the or
chestra.
Mr.. Whiffles asked his next neighbor
what this might portend /; and was in
formed, in reply, that Putfler, the other
trombone, hadn't as yet put in an ap-
pearauce.
Couldn't they do without him -
asked Mr.. Enthusiastically hoping
in his heart of hearts they couldn't.
g Certainly not, was the reply.
! Wouldn't the big drum do as well 2"
I inquired Mr. WHITES.
! His neighbor regarded him with some
/ surprise, smiled and continued
/ ''Do without him how can they (?
Don't you know that you and he begin
! the moment the curtain rises, to bring
on an old Russell, the heavy mans He
| couldn't come on without his music,
you know; as he appears at the back at
| first-then crosses the mountain from
| left to right-then from right to left,
and finally comes down left upon the
stage, where he expresses variety of
emotions III pantomime, and all to your
music"
AT these words Mr.. Whites resigned
all hope and was mentally calculating
the dangers to which he would be ex-
posed if he leaped into the stalls, from
/ thence into the pit, and fought his way
out of the theatre; when the leader re-
| turned, an ominOus frown upon his
brow, followed by fat, pale-faced gen.
tleman, apparently of foreign extrac-
ton, who carried trombone under
his left arm. JOY Mr. Whites felt a
man again. This, then, was Putfierl
/ Mr.. Whites remembered his instruc-
tions and watched the new conner at
tentively, who, upon his part, appeared
to regard him with the uttermost con-
Germ. Mr.. Whites had occasion to
/ shift his trombone-Puffler did likewise
Mr. Whites felt for his handkerchief
Mr.. Putiler followed his example All
this seemed very mysterious, and Mr.
/ Whites was lost in wonderment when
/ the overture commenced. Luckily, the
/ trOmbones were not wanted until the
commencement OF the drama The
overture ceased.
"Now, look out" observed Mr..
/ Whiffie's neighbour" it's you now.n
! Mr.. Whiffles mechanically raised the
instrument to his lips, keeping a stead
fast gaze the while upon the proceed
ings of Mr.. Puffier, who did his best to
stare Mr.. Whites out of countenance.
Mr. LovejoY looked around, and see
/ ing the trombones perfectly ready,
awaited the rising of the curtain. 1t
was an agonizing moment. The silence
was positively painful. One might
/ have heard pin drop. The small bell
was heard again. Mr.. Lovejoy tapped
/ his desk, and the curtain slowly rose
on solemn silence Mr. Lovejoy be-
gan beating the time slowly, aud had
| even accomplished few strokes before
he realized the fact. Turning round to
ascertain the meaning of this eXtraor-
binary circumstance, his surprise and
/ bewilderment may we'll be imagined at
! perceiving the two trombone players
hard at work, distendlng their cheeks
/ to their utmost capacity, nervousiy
manipulating their instruments, and
producing not .. sound And the most
unacconntable thing was .hey never took
their ewes off one another. Mr.. Love
| Joy was transiixed with Amusement.
"This is very strange" thought Mr..
| Whites. q wonder when the fellow
is coming to begin"
The little bell tinkled again and
again. Mr.. Russell stepped upon the
stage with some amount of dignity
and left it without any, under the I'M
preston that he was tritle too soon
| The stage manager, gentleman et
! excitable temperament and much ad-
dicted to the use of passionate Ian
guage, who played one OF the principal
parts in the piece, rushed from his
room, discharged on the spot the moi
fensive "super" who, unfortunately
happened to cross his path-went,
half dozen at a time, down the score
or so of ricketty stairs at the imminent
hazard of breaking his neck, and, APP
pcaring at little door under the stage
that led into the orchestra, demanded
in unmeasured terms what the-very
bad wmd-Mr. Lovejoy meant by such
/ conduct, and why the excessive rude
observation-he didn't go on? MIR.
/ Loveiov was too astounded to reply.
He could only point III silent wonder,
/ TO the two trombones. There they sat,
putting and blowing vigorously, but
with no result. The stage manager
jesticulated violently, and nearly had a
/ tit.
The audience, unable to comprehend
what was going on before their eyes,
Kissed loudly, and finally the curtain
fell. Then Mr.. Loveioy gave vent to
his feelings. He leaped from his seat
and rushed towards Mr. Whites, who
painting after his unaccustomed exer-
toms, was wiping the perspiratlon from
his face, wondering what on earth was
agoisig to happen next. No sooner,