The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-15
How Sheridan Paid His Debts.

SHERIDAN was peculiarly sharpi eva
sions of dues and sheriffs. The charm OF
his manner alone was irresistible. ray
lor of the Opera House, used to say OF MN
that he could not pull off his hat to him
i'm the street without it costing him fifty
pounds, and if he stopped to speak to him
it was a hupdred. Once when creditor
brought him bill for payment which had
often been presented to him before, and
the man complained of its soiled and tat
tered state, and said he was quite ashamed
to see it-"I'll tell you what I'd advise
you to do with it, my friend," said Sherl-
dan; take it home and write. it upon
parchment ~ He once mounted horse
which horse dealer was showing off near
a coffee-house at the bottom of st. James
street, rode it to Tattersall's and sold it,
and walked quietly back to the spot from
which he set out. The owner was turi-
Gus, swore that he would be the death OF
him, and in a quarter of an hour alter
ward they were seen sitting together over
bottle of wine in the coffee house, the
horse Jockey with the tears running down
his face at Sheridan's jokes, and almost
ready to hug him as an honest fellow.
Sheridan's house and lobby were beset
with duns every morning, who were told
that Mr.. Sheridan was not yet up. and
shown into the several rooms on each side
Vi IDp G0lTd1lCc. AS SOUll dS nc llub
breakfasted he asked, care those doors all
shut, John?' and being assured they
were, marched out very deliberately be-
tween them, to the astonishnent of his
self-invited guests, who soon found the
bird was flown. He owed large sums to
Holland, the architect of one of the hand
soonest theaters in the kingdom, of which
Sheridan was the manager; but the poor
man could never obtain settlement or
even an interview on the subject with
Sheridan. He haunted him for weeks and
months at his own house, at the theater,
at his usual resorts, but he was nowhere
to be seen. AT last he tracked him to the
stage door, rushed in in spite of the oppo-
sition of the burly porter, and found the
| manager on the stage conversing with
party of gentlemen whom he had invited
to show them the theater. Sheridan saw
Holland approaching, and knowing that
escape was this time impossible, put bold
face on the matter. "Ah my dear fell
low," exclaimed he, you are the very man
| wanted to see-yOu have come most
apropos. am truly sorry you have had
the tronble of calling on me so often, but
| now we have met, in few minutes l shall
| be at liberty; we will then gointo my
room together and settle our affairs. But
! first you must settle an important ques-
ton here. Some of these gentlemen tell
me tnere are complaints, anu lOuQ ones,
that the transmission ofsound is defective
in your beautiful theater-that, in fact,
the galleries cannot hear at all, and this is
the reason why they have become so noisy
of late" "Sound defective! not hear ~
reiterated the astonished architect, turn
ing pale, and almost staggering back.
why, it is the most perfect building for
sound that ever was erected; I'll stake
my reputation on it; the complaint is
most groundless." $50 say" retorted
Sheridan; "but now Wen uring the ques-
ton to issue definitively, and then have
paragraph or two in the papers. Do you,
Holland, go and place yourself at the
back Of the upper gallery, while stand
here on the stage AMI talk to YOU" Ger
tainly," said Holland, "with the greatest
pleasure" A lantern was provided with
a trusty guide. and away went the archi-
tect through labyrinth of dark and
winding passages, almost days journey,
until he reached the distant and elevated
post. Snow, Mr.. Holland" cried Sheri-
dan, ''are you there and ready?" eyes,"
was the immediate answer. "Can you
hear me?" Perfectly, perfectly, Mr..
Sheridan !" "Then l wish you a very
good morning" So saying, Sheridan
disappeared, and was two or three miles
off before Holland could descend. Anoth-
er long interval occurred ere he was able
to chase the fugitive to his lair again. L
believe there was but one debt paid by
Sheridan--the debt of nature.-Rate n.
Sanbs,7a, IN GALAXY for May.