The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-01-24

astonished to learn that she had played
before all the crowned heads Of Europe,
had crossed the ocean and startled the
greatest cities of the East with her won
derful acting. Ut must be remembered
that the people in that far away mining
country didn't keep posted in stage
business, and that they had never
heard of this particular star before
But, above all, Laura must have been
more surprised to learn through the
local columns Of the Neto Northeast that
to her money was no object; that, hav-
ing already laid away an abundance for
q rainy day (this must have been news
to the church), she had come to the
mountains merely to recuperate and
get away from the excitements of the
stage. for time, and had only consent
Cd. at the earnest request of a few
who had heard of her fame, to give an
entertainment at Deer Lodge That
evening nearly every man in town, mar
ried and single, took supper at the no.
tel, ostensibly to get square meal, but
in reality only to get square look at
the wonderful Laura Agnes Stevenson
"OPERA MiDi OPERA MAD!,"
OR
"ROMEO AND JULIET"
Greeted the eyes of the Deer Lodgers
at every turn the next day, and some of
the bills found their way into the near
est mining camp, ten miles away. The
theater was all the rage. The price os
admission was fixed at one dollar, which
was next to nothing in those days, and
the large hall was damned with an anx.
ious audience long before the curtain
rose.
1t seemed days to that frctful mass of
people before the time came to get q
sight of what was in waiting behind the
black muslin curtain. At last the bell
tingled ''all ready" The curtain slid
hurriedly to one side. For a quarter of
a minute after the stage was exposed
you could have heard canary feather
drop. Tnen there came one spontaneous
outburst that shook the very ground the
building stood on. There was no body
in sight but Romeo. He was the most
forlOrn looking lover that ever appeared
upon any stage. He stood slantwise to
the audience, q wild vacant stare in his
eyes, like a dead man looking off into
the other world.
Romeo was a cheap man in every
sense. His foundation was q block of
wood in which two sticks were inserted
for legs, on which rested bust of some
kind, and on this a block for a head,
and over this false face and one of
Laura's wigs. A huge mustache set
around on one side of his mouth did not
help his looks. And this was the man
who was to pcrsonate Romeo-a per-
feet blockhead in every respect.
"That'S wooden man too dead to
skin," some one in the crowd ventured
to remark when the outburst lad SUBJ
sided, and brought forth another roar
of applause. After this was over
miner rose up in back seat and shout
ed:
"We've seen Romeo, now bring on
your Julio"
This was followed by cheers, and
cries of "Julio!" "Julio!"
After minute or two the curtains of
a little dressing-room in the farthest
corner of the hall parted, and "Julio "
strobe majestically across the stage,
and made her bow mid the widest up
roar.
When the audience had Gained down
a little she explained that she was sup
posed to be q young lady who
had gone opera mad, and was
practicing with an imitation Romeo
prior to going on the stage. A lady in
town consented to loan piano for the
occasion, and Laura Agnes played in
manner that surprised every body, after
which she made love to Romeo in such
manner that kept the house in contin-
uous roar. But Romeo couldn't be pre-
vailed upon to return her demonstra-
tons of love; and when she would rush
at him with outstretched arms and be-
seech him to speak to her, to embrace
her just once, he could only stare at her
with those frightful eyes of his but it in
brought down the house. Once,
when she rushed at him, threw her
arms about his neck and called upon
him to embrace her, a man on the
front seat became SO out of patience at
Romeo's indifference that he sprang to
his feet and shouted:
"Go for her, or let some one there |
hat can"
But Romeo couldn't be persuaded to |
his dear 'Julio, +" neither would |
,e give way to any one that could.
But Laura Agnes's success did not
md in Deer Lodge. She made tour
II the Territory and everywhere was
.reeted with the best houses. 1t was at
'ioneer, however, where the admira-
ion for Laura's acting swept the whole
own off its feet, and brought downfall
o Romeo.
Pioneer is an extensive mining camp
5 miles westerly from Deer Lodge. At
hat time there were 700 or 500 miners
here, and not a s.ingy one among them.
he mines we're rich, and every body
,ado money, but they only made it to
ave the fun of spending it.
Some of the miners had been to Deer
.odge when Laura played there and
hen she passed through Pioneer on her
ay to the Missoula country commit
70 of miners waited on her, and prom
ed her that if she would play there on
or return every man in the diggings
ould 90 to hear her. The town had a
hall, in which the miners
slighted to hold high carnival once q /
eek.
Laura fulfilled her promise, and was
1 hand at the appointed time. The {
sople went wild. Mining and business
all kinds suspended, and Laura Agnes q
allied what it was to play to an audi c
ICE of gold miners who didn't care for :
,penses, 30 they had fun. The hall q
Is filed, and men climbed on top of O
Oh others shoulders to see Laura
hen she made love to Romeo. Between
It's the house was emptied and the
looms filled. and when the last scene