The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-09-23
AN OLD SHOwMAN'S STORY.

To be Jealous of brother or sister per-
former is the prerOgative right of pro-
fessional, and in no other walk in life is
the society of the green-eyed monster" |"
courted to so great an extent. With
our ladies especially is this fact particu-
larly noticeable, and, on more than one
occasion, have been called upon to play
the part of peace-maker between rival
aspirants for histrionic fame; and it gen.
orally proved that the trouble grew out
of the fact that Miss st. Clair happened
to have five more lines" than Miss
Bellfower, or some similar cause.
Again / have seen one of the two act
resses who would not speak to each other,
except as business required them to-,
lying sick upon her bed, and her rival
endeavoriag to cheer her up by dropping
in an hour or two each day with the
latest gossip, or sending flowers and fruit,
or books, wherewithal to beguile the te-
dunn of sickness.
1t was in the year 1868 circumstance
occurred which even to this day l recall
with something of shudder. In the
fall of the year / organized variety
company to travel South by boat on the
Mississippi, making stand" at each
of the large towns situated upon its
banks. My company was composed of
the best talent l could procure in the
West, and comprised serio cemic ladies,
danseuses, Ethiopian comedians, song
and dance men, acrobats, tight-rope per-
formers, and a fine orchestra under the
leadership of Charles COurtland. Sam
Mitchell was my stage manager, and
Charlie st. Clair advance agent. When
the morning of departure came, stood
on the wharf at st. Louis and saw the
company and baggage safely on board
before condescended to follow; and a
fine set of "people" they were, too, that
composed my company.
Our first stand was at N, where we
did an excellent business, and it was
here that my attention was first called
to the fact that the "sallow fiend F" was
busy in the company. When the cur
tain fell upon the last act in the even
ing's entertainment l adjourned to the
hotel, leaving Sam and his help 10 pack
up and get every thing in readiness for
an early departure in the morning. l
carried letter from st. Clair, which /
found awaiting me in the Office of the
hotel, up to my room, and, after perusing
its contents, undressed and jumped into
bed. / had hardly got asleep before
was aroused by knock on the door. |
arose land, after asking "Who's thereT'
U always took this precaution when
aroused in the night, for kept con-
siderable amount of money in my room
opened the door and admitted Mitchell.
whats up, Sam ?" asked, as soon as
we were seated at the small table upon
which a candle was burning.
"There's gunpowder loose" he replied,
"and the DEVILS huntin' for it with q
red-hot poker. / tell yer what it is, Hal,
you'll have yer hands full of tar and
feathers till things are squared; why,
that green-eyed lobster you talk about
so often is wallowin' about, sh0win' his
teeth in circular saw"
"But what is all this trouble? Who
is making itT / quietly asked.
"Why, Miss Fannie La Rose and Mile
Cubini have had falling out, and
heard Cubini swear that she would get
even with La Rose, 80 / thought I'D
come up and tell you to be on the look
out for the dogs of war before they are
unclaimed"
After promising to exert myself in the
matter, / bade Sam goodnight, and once
more turned into bed.
knew not how long had slept before
1 was again awakened by the cry of fire
and hastily pulling on my clothes and
securing my valuables, opened the
door and rushed out into the hall, where
encountered Sam, who was just coming
to burst open my door and drag me Out
of bed.
"No time to lose, Cull,p said he; /" the
whole top Of the house is on fire, and
there are three or four trunks to get dowr
stairs yet"
The utmost confusion and consterna
| ton prevailed, and but for Sans cool
ness and forethought we might have los
several hundred dollars worth of cos
tunes. The trunks secured, we looket
about us on the lawn in front of th.
hotel, where our people were assembled
to see if all were there, when Sam ex
claimed, La Rose amt therel Has an!
one seen La RoseT' he shouted. No on
had seen her, and her room was on th'
top floor, from which we then believed
| ali communication had been cut of b,
| the fire. Beside the hotel, and on th,
side upon which the windows of the girl
room opened, stood large elm tree. "a
ladder-quickl bring me ladderl" San
called out. A ladder was quickly brough
and placed against the tree, and San
was soon among the top branches climb
ing towards the top. In a few minute
he had reached branch from which h
could enter the window. We breathlessl
awaited his appearance, and when h
showed himself IL was to shout for
rope, and when that article was con
veyed to him through the medium Q