Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-01-11

Let this morning. said 1, !. ard theres -
money--three pound three thirty -eae@a ~
For had half share clear Of all expenses,
same - here. LiIzie-tl,at's my wife, yeu know
WAS quite proud to think was going 20 have
sadenee ss win wiz taae to Wild beests. You may
get schools aud pious people, that oeject to ths
drama, but consider . Sman putting his head
run upon lions in the Scriptures-but as rule,
your bexes ere shady. So my Liz was proud Of
my dress-circle that night.
~ wondsr whether IFS the mayor and his
family, she sai9, spscalating about that big
-. mo. 1 tod Aer. 'iss ssasas~AA and stran-
4. sss.se ~ MIX e ~ NM
performances tegxu with one of your talkee-
talkeo geutee1 Comedies, and the liuuse wal 50
full and noisy the actors couldn't hear them
there was short overture, and chen the curtain
went up TOT my performance. The three lbns
discovered in forest, to slow music, which gets
round for fhem, and gives me my entrance and
ssYou know the beasts, they were the same
three I've got nOw-BrOwn, Jones, and Robin
SON. Old Browns harmless old chap enough,
not sound tooth in his head, and NO more harm
in him than in an elderly jackass; Jones L. a
deep old dOdger, but there isn't much harm in
him; but Robinson'sa nasty-tempered beast, q
brute you never can be sure of, an animal that
will lick your hand one minute and be ready to
snap yoor head off the next
"Wen, got . frst-rate reception; thought
the gallery would have never left of applaud
ing; and the sight Of the house crammed to the
ceiling, made me almost giddy. Perhaps it was
the heat of the place, which was like an Oven
perhaps, IS I'D been standing treat or being
stood for of and on pretty well all day, may
have taken q little more than was good for me;
anyhow, felt the koase spinning round me-
just as if I'D been some duffer Of = novice in
stead Of the old stager that am. go -..
81 looked at the family box O. P, curious to
see who'd taken it. There was only one GENTLE
man there, man of fifty or Whereabouts, with Q
dish hair, very straight, combed neatly ON each
side OF his forehead. He was dressed in black,
regular evening dress, white choker and ali
complete, and, do you know, the instant that
turn" - !
THAT was queer fancy" said Mr.. de In
Zouche, helping himself to tobacco from The
Hers guta-percha pouch, which lay open on
perhaps it was; but If the night was to come
over again, 1 should have the fancy over
his own looks, think, partly the way he looked
ut me; not like the rest of the audience, all
good-natured. expecting to be amused, but
made my blood run cold. That's man who'd
like to see something happen to me- said to
myself.
began the performance; but l stole glance
at my sandy-haired pale-faced gentleman now
and then. and always found him looking at me
in the same way. He had large light-gray eyes,
very light, and very prominent. I can see them
now, and they followed every move made,
like cats following a mouse. He never novel
his eyes from me, he never smiled, he never
leaning over the front Of the box, watching me,
and he male me feel as IL had a ton weight
tied to each of my legs Everything went we'll
for some time; though felt felt. ia "a, never don.
tifully; but just toward the last, when had to
put my head in RObinson's mouth to bring down
the curtain, saw that the brute was in one OF
him out-I Know that the perspiration Va.
pouring down my face-Or perhaps he didn't
like the look Of that cadaverous gentleman in,
and when wanted to collar him, bounced away
from me.
The house turned as still as death all in
moment, and l could see the audience was
the box. He was leaning little farther over
the cushion with something like q smile on his
face. Such smile; 1 could fancy any one
going to see a man hung smiling ike that.
.. Bray to not pc frightened, laties and shen-
tlemens,' said in my broken English, Gold
sauerkraut, the phecleid at the lane, taught me
veesh; and then gave Robinson a pretty
smart cuff, and began to drag his jaws open.
1.-The brute snaTled, turned upon me and ia
the next instant would have had his teeth in my
shoulder, if I hadn't given the signal for the
curtain. Half a dozen carpenters rushed Don
the stage and helped to tackle him. We had
him safe I'm less than a minute; but just at that
as near as q TOUGHER.
There was a good deal of applause; not that
I'D done nything to deseryeit for the business
of putting my head in the brute's mouth was In
the bill and the audience had been swinlled ont
Of that, but they evidently knew I'd been in
danger. and they called me before the curtain,
l looked up at that white-faced devil in the
private box. He was standing up, rubbing his
hands In a satisfied kind Of way, as If he had
seen what he wanted to see; and as I passed
f,ist under him he said in low, measured voice
"a narrow escape, Herr: Very well done
indeed! congratulate you.'
II gave him a look, which he ought to have
understood if he didn't, made my bow to the
house, and went of the stage. Robinson was
quiet enough by this time. My man Joe Purdy
had walked him of to his box, and there he was
growing over his shin-bones, as mild q lion As
you'd wish to see. Only let me get you safe
back to London, my FRIEND says 1, 'and I'll
take YOU dawn to Jamra ck's and swap you for
better tempered. Talent is all very
the world However that's five years ago,
and there's Robinson still performing with
me. The brute has such wonderful gift for
his profession, and his heart and souls in 1t too
Take that animal in the middle of the day.
when he amt particular hungry, and he's a
decent fellow enough; but come between him
and his business. and you'll find out what a lion
Is. He's the vainest beast out, aud cuts mp
rough if he don't get round of applause for
every trick he does. But, Lord bless you,
there's no such thing as genius without vanity.
He's been fortune to first and last, has that
animal Brown and Jones are nothing more
han supers to him?''
'.YOu didn't see any more of your friend in
he box?' inquired Mr.. de In Zouche, who was
interested i'm these praises Of The
gifted Robinson.
Course him, no! By the time I'd changed my
clothes he had left the house! i went round. TO
he boy-office to see If the box keeper could tell
ne anything about him. No; he was stranger
lie had taken his box that morning, finding
here was no stall to be had, and paid his three
yuineas without question.
Now 1 daresay you'll think me an 0ut-and-
,ut fool when tell you l couldn't sleep that
night, nor many nights after, for thinking of
lIat man. I couldn't get his pale checks and
ank jaws and hght-gray ewes, with that h0rrid
yioating look in them, out Of my mind.
"sThat's a fellow who'd 90 70 see O man
hung, said to myself. That's man who'd
stand by to see his fellow creatures hung, drawn
md quartered, and enjoy it-especially the
lrawing' hadn't doubt in my mind that it
Was through him l made q mess Of it At the
end
.Did you never see him again?'' asked the
ow comedian "a,
"Never; God forbid I ever should, for I've
notion that if did, 1t would be the death of
me. I'm not q nervous man in general way,
nor suIerstitious either; but I'D give up the big
pest haul ever made by benefit rather than
act before that man." .s.f
ga queer notion, I" said the humorous Ti,hii-