Litchfield enquirer., 1880-01-08

So thickly was it planted with evergreens ant
 flowers (which are rather dear at that time o
 the year, that felt like 'tJack in the Green
 as left 1t for the city that morning l haG
 not been at the office an hour when a tele
 gram arrived from my wife: ''Tom is taken ] ill what are we to do?"
 don't know the exact ejaculation I made 1 use of when read this piece of news. but I
 noticed that my chief clerk, who was with me
 at the time, and who belongs to "a serious fam. | lily" opened his eyes and mouth and threw uu his hands like semaphore; so it is probable l that 1t was something stronger than Good gracious" The next moment was in han
 som cab, leaving the telegram behind me. the contents of which subsequently, got abroad in
 the of1ce, and gave rise among the young gen. tlemen to the ridiculous report that the illness of a favorite tom cat had thus upset me. Ii
 was not cat, alas but catastrophe Tom was ''down" with quinsy sore throat and substitute for him was out of the uues- tion. My wife and daughters were engaged for the next three hours in writing and tele- graphing to put the people off. It was hardly to be expected, with all the care in the world. but that some of the one hundred and fifty would turn up on the next night. and very aD- preliensiye we felt as it drew night There was something ghastly in the notion of half a dozen people coming down to our artificial ar DOT in January to eat cold supper. It was like stage picnic; and, indeed, the stage was there, though there was no representation. As luck would have it, however, nobody came, and all the little impromptu jokes we had manufactured to mitigate their disappoint- ment and set them at their ease were thrown away. wish the supper could have been thrown away, too, for living upon tipsy cake and boned turkeys as we had 10 do for the next fortnight, made frightful havoc with my digestion. However, we got through with it somehow, and Tom recovered of his quinsy.
 The appointed day 0gain drew near and on this occasion 1 had absolutely insisted that every character should have his or her substi- tute, so that my friends should not be made fools of second time. My wife (who like all women, will run any risk) called me ''dear old fidget;" but in this, as fondly flat tered myself, had my way. Tom assured me that he had placed couples of 'The Dep uty" in safe hands, and that if either actor or actress should fail duplicate could be procur- ed at an hours notice. Only this arrange ment, of course, necessitated six more people the number of characters reprcsented) being asked to the entertainment, and increased the probability of the floor giving away. was well pleased to find that my wife and I were to stand in the doorway of the drawing room to receive our guests, for Uaaderne0th that there soas 0 j0ist.
 Now, it would not be credited by persons who are unacquainted with the female charac- ter, but upon the very morning of the day that my play was to be acted, and when she knew that everything depended upon. her keeping all right, that abominable girl Rose Symonds must needs go to the Belgravian Rink and break her leg. If she had broken her neck which, considering her weight and size, was likely enough-she could not have done worse, so far as we were concerned. The news came just as our little company were getting ready for the morning rehearsal, and pretty commotion it caused.
 However," said l, ''thank goodness and my foresight, you have made sure of substi- ute, Tom; so take cab and fetch her.
 My dear James," said my wife, turning very pale, .'the lady we thought of was Miss Kembe, of Exeter
 "Then telegraph for her immediately, and prepay reply" I was it that state of mind when it is dangerous for even mans wife to contradict him; and Tom started off at once.
 In half an hour he brought back the mes- sage:
 ''Will come up in time, and quite prepared. ,"
 l almost burst into tears at the relief, and felt so notified toward the authoress of our ca lamity as to express hope that it would not be necessary to cut her leg off higher than the ankle
 Fortunately, Tom had thought of ascertain ing the new performers height in inches and even round the waist-and Miss Roses stage costume was altered accordingly to suit her. None of us had seen Miss Kate Kemble since she was child, but she had given promise of good looks. so that we all hoped for the best. am bound to say that she proved to be very satisfactory in that respect. She arrived just in time for one dress rehearsal, and was re- ceived with open arms ;indeed, 1 was socharm- ed with her prompt proceedings, and also touched with the remembrance of my old friendship for her father the Canon, that gave her paternal kiss, at which saw Tom snigger confess didn't ask much after her father, but then, there was no time for anything but business-that is, stage business. She was to sleep at her aunt's house in town and return to Exeter the next day. She had really got up her part extremely we'll and looked the character to perfection. She had not 80 grand an appearance as the Symonds, but she had ten times her vivacity. 1 could see that Tom vastly preferred her to the other, and of course he was the best judge; but it struck me that my wife and daughters were little stiff with her, which, considering the great obligation we were under. Thought very bad taste, and therefore I made up for it all could. Curiously enough, whenever made myself agreeable to the poor girl 1 saw Tom snigger. But nothing made much impression npon me at that time, my mind being monop- olized with the drama and the instability of of the drawing room floor.
 Modesty focbids me to say more of the per- formance of ''The Deputy" than that it was complete success. The actors did every jus tice to the play. especially Miss Kemble, who was perfectly self possessed, and, as Tom ob- served, "fairly drew down the house." re- piled that 1 was very glad to say she didn't, though I have reason to believe, from the cracks that afterward appeared in the dining room ceiling, that she was within very little of doing it. Everything went off well, in- cluding the audience; and when put Kate Kemble. who was the last to go, into her cab, could really have found it in my heart to kiss her, only that Tom stood by with that eternal snigger. However, I spoke of her to my wife and the girls as she deserved to be spoken of, and am bound to say that they allowed that she had acted to perfection. Per haps she had put the girls a little into the shade, but they had plenty of praise for their own share and, on the whole, we had all cause to congratulate ourselves. Everybody had said (after the champagne) that if ''The Deputy" was not put upon the stage it would uo IOSS IO tuo HetTOpoilS, tuOuSu II IL was s0it could not possibly be better acted than it had been under our humble roof.
 You may imagine, perhaps, good reader, that there is nothing more to be told; but 1 am sorry to say you are mistaken. The suc- cess of my dramatic trifle gave me tempora- " interest in the theatres, and 1 attended them more than once. On one occasion, when my own people happened to be going out to a concert Ga thing I detest), asked Tom to dine with me at the club, and afterwad to go to the play
 ssWhat play is 1t on which you have set your affections ?" asked Tom, as we were dis cussing our fish,.
 ''Oh," said I, Il have got two stalls for the Variety; there's very pretty piece, they tell me, going on there." to e..a
 ''Oh, don't think you'll like ttat, uncle," observed Tom, turning very pale.
 "What's the matter ?' said I, thinking the salmon was disagreeing with him.
 Well, don't think that play will please l. IL