The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-02-06
ZEKE AND POLLY AT THE THEATER


How much be you goin' to tax us to go
in?" said Zeke, as he and Polly stepped up
to the box Office at Robinson's the other
night, Just as the window was opened, Tor
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.
Grab cider and mince meat" calculated
Zeke; that's moren they charge at circus
with two clowns. Can't you let US set on
the top benches for quarter apiece? You II
not find us anyways stingy about buyin'
lemonade and peanuts. What d ye sayr Is
it dicker?'
He was informed that the prices were as
Interchangeable as the times, and after con-
siderable parley invested IN couple of bal
cony tickets, which they both read and ex-
amined critically to be sure that no gouge
game was lurking for them in the pasteboard.
A few minutes later found them comfortably
installed in front seats with eyes wide open
drinking In the wonder and magnifcance OF
atheater for the first time.
"Ain't il too purity for anything" said
Polly. Look at all the fine fixin's; an, my
,sakesl what boucin' big picter that is
meaning the drop curtain. II never ex-
pected TO see the like o. that in all my born
days. But where's all the people, 1 wonder
It'll be too bad and kind o lonesome for us
II NOBODY else comes
"a man down at the tavern" remarked
Zeke, was sayIn' that nearly every tneater
the head woman of this show performs in
burns down, and maybe the folks is scared
so about it they won't come on that &C
count. Hold on though, there comes
two or three down stairs there,
and maybe it'll all come right
where they're goin' to have the doin's-the
rings full OF seats
''But did you ever see anything so splen-
did as this is?'' said Polly, with eyes spark
ling in delight. "See what lots O. lamps
they've got. An such whoppin' lookin'
glasses-bIg as a barn door. What sight o
money it must a. COST
"Enormous" chimed in Zeke. "As much
as a thousand dollars, I'll bet. But | won
der what them cubby holes IS there, with all
them fancy fix ups"-meaning the boxes.
81 spect them's for the band, maybep
ventured Polly. Il don't see anywhere else
to put 'em."
Like as not" said Zeke, "but they're ter
rible slow about gittin' started. See how the
folks is beginnin' to pour in, though" 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 look
ing up. II wish we'd a. went in that other
gallery. / b'lieve we could a seen better.up
there. l s'pose, though, that's the dollar
place, and there's no use throwin' money
away. Hello now We'll have the show at
last-here they come'-as the orchestra came
shutting up from under the stage.
at amt near so nice as q brass band or
George Thompson's iddlin at parties said
Polly, with disappointment; but when the
overture wassinally completed and the cur
tain went up on the first act eyes and mouths
delight than did theirs at that delectable
moment
"Potater bugs an prunin' hooks! But
don't that git your was Zekes 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 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 Orphans" AS the plot thickened
and the prosecutions of the poor blind girl
became more and more heartrending Polly
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 bro
ther and hurled him with violence upon the
stage, and then seized the sightless girl with
threat, Zske, 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 Modified him somewhat, until the
play took turn.
In the final scene, where the orphans are
reunited, and the interest becomes intense
rs the villain seeks to tear them asunder,
and the manned Pierre springs to the rescue
with immense knife, the revulsion of
his hand and yelled out:
go it. cripple, That's the medicine for
the low lived whelp''
And then the soldiers came in and cap
tured the outlaws, and the mother found
her long lost child, and the lover recovered
his sweetheart, and everything else eulmi-
mated just as they wanted, but 1.-the ex-
pected; the young couple never felt Happier
or more buOyaDt in their lives. IL 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 TO 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 shadows Of what
they had seen during their first visit to the
theater.