Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-03-20
zeke and Polly at the Theater.

stepped up to the oox oWct ~ TIC .noo'ei
the other night, just at the window was
opened, for they had come early to make
sure of getting all there was to be of
the show.
The scale of prices was explained by
the ticket seller.
"Crab cider and mince meat" ejacu-
lated Zeke; "that's more'n they charge
at a circus with two clowns. Can't you
let us set on the top benches for
quarter apiece? You'll not find us any
ways stingy about buyin' lemonade
and peanuts. What dye say. Is it
dicker?"
He was informed that the prices were
as Interchangeable as the times, and after
considerable parley invested in couple
Of balcony tickets, which they both
read and examined critically to be sure
that no gouge game was lurking for
them I'm the pasteboard. A few minutes
later found them comfortably installed
In front seats with eyes wide open
drinking in the wonder and magnifi-
cence of a theater for the first time.
saint it too purity for anything"
said Polly. "Look at all fine flxin's;
an, nv sakes! what bouncin' big
picter that is"-meaning the drop cur
tain. 81 never expected to see the like
o. that in all my born days. But where's
all the people, wonder. It'll be too
bad and kind o. lonesome for US If no.
body else comes"
"a man down at the tavern" re-
marked Zeke, twas sayin' that nearly
every theater the head woman of this
show performs in burns down, and
maybe the folks is scared so about il
they wont come on that account. Hold
on though, there comes two or three
down stairs there. and maybe it'll all
come right after all. What gifts me
though is, where they're goin' to have
the doin's-the rings full of seats"
"But did you ever see anything so
splendid as this is?" said Polly, with
eyes sparkling in delight. "See what
lots o. lamps they've got. An such
whoppin' lookin' glasses-big as barn
door. What a sight of money it must a
cost"
Enormous! !" chimed in Zeke. GAS
much as a thousand dollars, I'll bet.
But wonder what them cubby holes is
there, with all them fancy fix ups
meaning the boxes.
al 10 ha hand y,srha ,,
ventured Polly. 81 don't see anywhere
else TO put 'em."
"Like as not, )" said Zeke, "but they re
terrible slow about gittin' started. See
how the folks is beginnin' to pour in,
thought" and he laid his head on the
railing and busted his eyes watching the
crowd gathering in.
''Zekep' said Polly, quickly pulling
his arm, "there's some more picters up
on the ceilin'.
"Sure enough" replied her husband
looking up. 81 wish we'd a went in
that other gallery. l Ib'lieve we could
a seen better up there. Is'pose, though
that's the dollar place, and there's no
use throwin' money away. Hello !now
we'll have the show at last-there they
come"-as the orchestra came sfuffling
up from under the stage.
"It amt nesr so nice as brass band
or George Thompson's fiddlin' at
parties" said Polly, with disappoint-
ment; but when the overture was finally
completed and the curtain went up on
the first act eyes and mouths never
opened wider in astonishment and de-
light than did theirs at that deleetable
moment.
"Potater bugs an prunin' hooks.
But don't that git your" was Zeke's
comment.
Polly didn't say anything for some
time, but sat almost breathless with
attention, and never once took her eyes
from the stage till the curtain went
down at the close of the act. To both
Of them the play was a living reality.
Their own identity was lost sight of,
and their feelings drawn to the highest
tension in sympathy for the misfortunes
of the "Two Orphsns." As the plot
thickened and the persecution of the
poor blind girl became more and more
heartrending Polly cried outright, and
great struggling tears welled up from
honest Zeke's noble heart and coursed
down his rugged cheek, and when the
brutal Jacques sprang with curse upon
his crippled brother and hurried him
with violence upon the stage, and then
seized the sightless girl with rough
hand and Missed out his villainous
threat, Zeke, with clenched fist, bated
breath and fiery eyes sprang to his feet,
and declared that flesh and blood
couldn't stand that any longer; but
Polly pulled him back into the seat, and
mollified him somewhat, until the play
took a turn.
In the final scene, where the orphans
are reunited, and the interest becomes
intense as the villain seeks to tear them
asunder, and the MANNED Pierre springs
10 the rescue with an immense knife,
the revulsion of feeling was so complete
that Zeke threw up his hand and yelled
out:
"Go it, cripple. That's the medicine
for the low lived whelp.
And when the soldiers came in and !
captured the outlaws, and the mother |
found her long lost child. and the lover |
recovered his sweetheart, and every |
thing else eliminated just as theywanted |
but little expected; the young couple |
never felt happier or more buoyant in |
their lives. 1t had all been so real to them |
that for a minute they could scarcely |
make out where they were, but with |
much reluctance they finally came down 1
tn earth again, and departed from the /
place of enchantment. On the walk to /
their hotel they talked of nothing else. |
All the incidents were reviewed and |
each Individual character discussed, and /
through their dreams that night fitted |