Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-02-14

the william of the piece. Further, his
(Mr. O'Leary's) experience induced him
to believe that in a crowded assembly
one trombone would probably make as
much noise as two; and all that Mr..
Whltf1es had to do, after announcing to
himself as Mr.. O'Leary's substitute,
would be to take his seat leisureIy IN
the orchestra, and, when the curtain
rose, carefully watch the proceedings
of the other trumbone player, and imi-
tate his every movement so that, in
reality, one trombone would make all
the noise, although apparently two
were being played Lastly, he advised
Mr.. Whiffies to be careful and to mind
what he was about, as the leader was
a.!
Soon afterwards the friends left the
Albion and proceeded on their several
ways-his friend and companion al
ready more than half repented his rash
ness in embarking in the undertak-
ing.
The sombre shades of twilight were
enwrapping, as with shroud, the
streets of London, when, carrying Mr..
O'Leary's trombone in his hand Mr..
Whiff1es might have been observed woe
fully picking his way through the pur-
lleus of Drury Lane, endeavoring to
find the stage entrance of the Royal
Dash Theatre. Two or three salloW-
faced gentlemen were smoking short
pipes IN front of the entrance, and oc-
casionally lady or gentleman passed
hurriedly in, evidently under the i'm
preston that they were behind their
time, but a glance at the clock in the
hall appeared to reassure them as they
made their way more leisurely towards
their respective dressing-rooms. Up
on reference to his watch, MIR. Whites
found that the doors had just been
/ opened; and he therefore had some
leisure to look about him. He loitered
at the door for some time, wondering
who this was, and who that could pos
sibly be, until small, but uncomonly
sharp boy plucked him by the sleeve
and said:
HYou'd better make haste-they're
agoin' to ring in.
Mr.. Whiffies then became aware that
he was almost alone. Without having
the faintest idea of the meaning Of
ringing in" he mechanically followed
the small boy down a gloomy passage,
tumbled down few steps, picked him
self up, and found himself upon the
stage. He had hardly time to cast a
hurried glance upon the novel, not to
say dreary, objects by which he was
surrounded, when an elderly Individual
IN white beard, and whose shirt-front
appeared to be plentifully besprinkled
with snuff, beckoned the boy
| &C Tom - said ha &c ro into tho ,,o,,c;o
room, and ask Mr.. Loyejoy for my copy
of Old King Cole" @
/ The boy at once complied. Rightly
conJecturing that the mushroom was
the place wherein the musicians assem-
bled previous to making their appear
ance in the orchestra, Mr. Whif1es fol-
lowed the boy down score or so of
r1ckety stairs to the great detriment of
shins, into scantily furnished apart
ment, situated Immediately beneath
the stage, wherein he found several
/ gentlemen composedly tuning their in
struments. Upon hearing Mr.. Love-
t Joy, the leader, addressed by name,
Mr. Whlffiles nerviously introduced
himself as Mr.. O'Leary's substitute
! Very good,'' said Mr.. Loveioy :;
Z" hes told you everything, [ suppose 2"
Mr.. Whiff1es bowed assentingly, and
darted q piercing glance into every
corner OF the apartment in search of
the other trombone. Horror He
wasn't there The man upon whom
he solely depended, absent What was
was to be done2 Retreat was out of
the question as, while he was con-
templating flight, a small bell sound
nH o1,I tho u l.
take their places in the orchestra. Mr..
Whltt1eB still bearing the fatal from
bone, despairing followed, and ere
long, found himself in the presence of
the British public. The novelty of his
situation SO confused him that he, for
moment, seated himself in the chair
belonging to Mr.. Lovejoy, and was re-
celved with prodigious outburst of
enthusiasm, the audience supposing
him to be the talented leader himself.
This mistake was soon rectified by the
| appearance of the veritable leader, who
muttered something under his breath
by no means complimentary to our hero
and motioned him angrily to the seat
usually occupied by Mr. O'Leary. The
audience, perceiving the mistake, ex-
pressed their opinion of Mr.. Whiffies
in candid and unmistakabIe terms as
he ruefully made his way to the spot
| indicated by the irate conductor. After
trying to reduce to something like or
der the sheets of music udon the stand
before him, Mr.. Whiffies regained suffi-
! cient courage to look around him. The
house was packed from floor to ceiling
everybody was on the tiptoe of ex-
pectation, and sundry anxious voices
appertaining to impatient goods" i'm
plored the musicians to strike up at
once and appease their anxiety. 10 O.
Again the small bell tinkied. Mr..
Lovejoy tapped his desk-raised his
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 Puffier, the other
trombone, hadn't as yet put in an ap-
pearance.
"Couldn't " they do without him 2'
asked Mr.. Enthusiastically hoping
in his heart of hearts they couldn't.
" Certainly not" was the reply.
" Wouldn't the big drum do as Wells"
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 Russet, the heavy mani 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 a variety OF
emotions IN 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 e1-
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