The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-03-10

2, FisFcncees Entertaining Gsmpanisns
q Once, during tour In the Westera
States, writes Mr.. Florence. the actor,
an incident occurred in which rather
think / played the victim, We were
en- route from Cleveland to Cincinnati,
an eight or ten hours journey. After
seeing my wife comfortably seated, 4
walked forward to the smoking car,
and, taking the only unoccupied place,
pulled out my cigar case and offered Z
cigar to my next neighbor. He was
about sixty yearsr of age, gentlemanly
in appearance, and of somewhat re-
served and bashful .mien.e-~Hs grace
fully accepted the cigar, and in few
minutes we were engaged in converse
ton.
Are you going far West7' l in
quired. ~ p.
"Merely SO far as Columbus" &C.,
lumbus, l may explain, is the capital of
Ohio,); !" And you, STRIP he added, in
terrogatively. - = - - y -
IL am journeying towards Cincin-
natl. am theatrical man, and play
there tomorrow" l was q young man
then, and fond of avowing my profess
sion. 4
"Oh, indeed! Your face seemed ia
miliar to me as you entered the car. l
am confident we have met before.'
have acted in almost every State
in the Union," said I, half patronizing-
ly. "Mrs. Florence and I are pretty
generally known throughout the North
west" -
"Bless mel" said the stranger in sur
prise, 81 have seen even you act many
times, sir, and the recollection of Mrs.
Florence's Yankee Girl with her
quaint songs, is still fresh in my men,
ory." 8"
do you propose remaining long in
Columbus?''
Yes. for seven years." replied my
companion. -, .t......'=
Thus we chatted for an hour or two.
At length my attention was attracted to
little red-faced man, with small, sharp
eyes, who sat Immediately opposite us,
and amused himself by sucking the knob
of q large walking stick, which he car
ried caressingly in his hand. He had
more than once glanced at me in
knowing manner, and now and then
giving a sly wink and shake of the head
at me. as much as to say, "Oh, old fell
low. know YOU. too.''
These attentions were so marked that
l finally asked my companion if he had
noticed them.
"That man acts like lunatic," said
I, soto voce.
"A poor, half-witted fellow, pos
sibly," replied my fellow-traveler. lin
your travels through the country. Mr..
Florence, you must have often met such
strange characters"
We had now reached Crestline, the
dinner station, and, after thanking the
stranger for the agreeable way in
which he had enabled me to pass the
journey up to this point, asked him if
he would join Mrs. Florence and my
self at dinner. This produced an extra
ordinary series of grimaces,' and winks
from the red-faced party aforesaid. The
invitation to dinner was politely de-
clined. .. '..-
The repast over, orr train sped ON
toward Cincinnati. told my wife that
in the smoking-car l had met most
entertaining gentleman, who was we'll
posted in theatricals. and was on his
way to Columbus. She suggested that
should bring him into our car and
present him to her. returned to the
smokihg-car and proposed that the gen.
tleman should accompany me TO see
Mrs. Florence. The proposal made the
red-faced man undergo a species of
spasmodic commissions, which set the
occupants of the car into roars of
laughter;
IL feel obliged to you for the courtesy,
but 1 prefer the smoking-car. K:,ve
you another cigar?"
EYES," said I, producing another
Partaga. ...s
Iayain sat by his side, and once more
our conversation began and we became
quite fraternal. We talked about thea
tiers and theatricals, and then adver,ei
to political economy, the state of the
country, finance and commerce in turn,
our intimacy evidently affording intense
amusement to the fox-eyed party near
us. ...s
Finally the shrill sound of the whistle
and the entrance of the conductor in
Dictated that we had arrived at Column
bus, and the train soon stopped at the
station. Bra
"Come," said the red-faced individ-
ual, now rising from his seat and tap
ping my companion on the shoulder.
"this is your station, old man."
My friend rose with some difficulty,
dragging his hitherto concealed foot
from under the seat, when for the first
time discovered that he was shackled,
and was prisoner in charge of the
Sheriff, going for seven years to the
State Prison at Columbus. 7.
Graphic. ........-.