Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-01-14

I
the rigging the opportunity It would
| give for the accomplishment of their
plan, when he should leap from the
mast, and more, yet more, had passed
| between the two speakers, and as recol-
| lection came back strong as advancing
| daylight on q summer morn the whole
villainy that had been brewing poured in
| with awful rapidity and increasing horror.
A short round of applause for the mo-
ment reused me. Miss Floppy came off
at the wing where 1 stood.
I've just been locked up" she cried,
laughing, to me. Now come round tc
the upper entrance, and you will be able
to see Reginald take his great leap"
! We moved up toward the back of the
stage just as the prompter's whistle told
me that the carpenters scene" had
opened, and that the ship in full sail was
before the audience. Shots from the prop
erty pistol now followed in quick sue
session. caught sight of the agile actor
scaling the mainmast.
Now" said Miss Collingham, excit-
edly-." now you'l see-it's tremendous
| jumpp'
{" For Heavens sakep' cried, "tell me
quick. Does he jump, does he Jump down
on to bedl Is it not at the right upper
entrance2"
Yes, yes but why do you askY'
All! knew it, of course, there it isl"
and my eye fell at this moment on large
feather-bed laid ready to receive the man
as he would reach the ground-the com
mon arrangement for such stage business.
Come with me-" I continued, hur-
riedly; "it is case of life and death.
Come down below to the mazareen floor.
Don't hesitate, my dearest girl pray come
OniplY a0tnap3 or1 Iffa~o 1ixy a., I,o,-
with me down a narrow staircase, which
my familiarity with such places told me
led to the floor beneath the stage.
Meanwhile, above, the excitement rap
idly increased. Shot followed shot, shouts
and answering cries of defiance. The
whole strength Of the little company was
crowding the wings at the front entrances
TO keep up by their united voices that
buzz and hallooing indicative of general
excitement incidental to sensational scenes
Of this nature.
A sharp yell Of despair now rose above
all.
That's when he gets his wound" said
Floppy; " in moment he will take the
great jump. But what on earth are you
bringing me here for ?"
Where is the trap? where is the
trap ?" | cried in an agony, as we reached
I
meath the stage. "There is trap surely
just under where the bed is lying-a
hinge trap, heard them say, made for
special purpose last Christmas Quick,
quick, run on and showr'
The next second we gained the spot
My worst surmises were realiZed it was
wide open! the flap of the trap hung
down, and the feather-bed on which the
| actor was to alight was now supported
only by a couple of thin laths, and thus,
therefore, masked a yawning gulf. The
devilish intention had been, of course,
that Calverton, plunging straight into
this, should mutilate or perhaps kill him
self among the machinery Of the lower
floor.
This was the plot had overheard in
dream, as | had at first thought but it
was waking, horrible reality, and it was
all visibly before me again now, Just as
had actually watched and heard the two
| ruttians concocting the means on the
stage the night before, when, long after
! the performance was over, thew imagined
they had the theater entirely to them
selves: The young villain Dunkley,
goaded to desperation by his rivals sue
cess with FlOppy, and having access,
through his wealth and position as the
Mayors son, behind the scenes, had
bought over the carpenter to compass
Calverton's destruction.
These facts flashed through my mind
like lightning, and the whole action in
which | was now engaged took place in a
quarter Of the time it takes to recount.
was in fever of agitation. Miss Col
lingham was also beside herself with ter
ror at the sight of the open trap. But l
called to her to keep up her courage.
Now, now; there's not moment to
lcse; come under it," cried, "and help
me to raise it,"
Our united strength easily brought it
| into position, and was about to shoot the
bolt, when Mud, down came the whole
weight OF man upon my uplifted arms
But bravely had the sweet girl in an in
slant toreseen the situation and my diff
Guilty. Her arms were raised also to aid
me in resisting the shock, and our united
| strength was sufficient to prevent the bed
from slipping through the trap.
The first jar of the fail being thus
broken, we gently lowered the trap, and
lowered the bed, with Calverton on it, IN
safety to where we stood.
This ere is all along o. the youngsters
being so arbitrary about seeing of it for
himself. If he'd a left 1t to me nobody
wouldn't a knowed nothin' about il,
stead o. which what does he do but hides
himself and stays here until everybody's
gone TO 's'plaIn to me what to do! lust as
if |, who have been stage carpenter, man
and boy over four twenty years,
didn't know how to loose trap when it
was wanledl Oh, dear no! that won't do,
| if you please, for himl He must have it
all clear out before his own eyes on the
stage TO show me how he was to do it, and
so he makes me stay on and meet him,
when all the lights is out 'cept the fire.
ms, and TO go over it agin and agin 10
make quite sure worritin' young fool!
Then all this ERE time there's cove A.
watchin' of us and a listenin' to us in the
little box, as had been asleep and over
looked when the house was shut. OfcOurse
young Dunkley paid me, paid me and
some, and that's more than anybody else
does in this 'ere old theayter-how is a
blOke TO liveY'
After this fashion spoke the estimable
Mr. Mammoth when taxed with his share
of the diabolical scheme, and when, un-
der the influence Of the promise that,
il he confessed and turned Queens
evidence against Dunkley, he should be
let Off The clustering swagger of Mr..
Dunkley himself was very soon checked
by this outspoken behavior of his accom-
plice. Only through the amiable and,
as think, misplaced leniency of the
charming Collingham did the rascally
young cad escape the punishment which
would surely have followed his arralgn-
ment before the county magistrates on the
charge of conspiring to MAIN and iniure.
She interceded for him with Calverton,
and as my visit TO Dumborough would
have the result of at once and forever re-
moving her and her lover from the neigh
borhoOd in which the Mayors son was a
power in the land it was thought better
to let the affair drop. When, however, 1,
as is not unfrequenlly the case, am tempt.
ed by the destinations of Mrs. Reginald
Calverton to witness some of hers and her
husbands triumphs on the London boards,
the just pride in my pr0t6ges is always
mingled with an additional satisfaction at
remembering that but for me the happy