The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-22
It was this that brought home to sDror,,

The urgent Necessity Vi HdNlIlS -DaCk ~
sIf you don't get back in" Sprouts err
planned to his marveling mother and the a.
sembled family, "they can't find you, and then |
they have to carry the sacks all round the other
carts"
Sprouts never went to bed Friday night
without this grave necessity weighing upon
his mind. If they were last at market, the
other carts would get back in, and Smithson
would be at disadvan' age. A start at fonr
would secure the desired position, and often
Snrouts. waking at three and dressing BY the
light of the little lamp he had placed by his
bed over night, went of to rouse his master
and help to get the horse in.
1t will be we'll understood that with these
engagements Sprouts was youth of sub
stance. His income, indeed, was stupendous
He had shilling a week for lighting the fire.
eighteen pence week was his Zee for cleaning
the boots of the middle-aged gentleman.
brushing his cloths and going occasional err.
rands while his Saturdays work brought him
in eightpence. This last does not seem much
But then, as Sprouts remarks with glistening
ewes, he has four meals in the day and endeay.
ors to do his duty in respect of them, as ia
deed he does in all else that comes in his way
Sprouts was eleven years of age and small
for his years. He had singularly bright pair
OF eyes, and one of the most knowing smiles
ever carried by human being. Sometimes if
you CHANGED to walk on Saturday in The
neighborhood of Newington Butts, you might
have your attention attracted by large basket
coming down the street. Then you would be-
come conscious of q smile, following which
cue you would come upon mouth, and after
ward would quite clearly make out behind the
basket a very small boy, hitched on one side
for the more convenient carrying on his hip of
the loaded basket. This would be Sprouts
going out ''on an errand,n life glowing to him
with the recollection OF successful "back M
achieved in the morning. xs>-u
Sprouts got home late on Saturday night,
and if much pressed would admit to being q
little tired. But he was up and of at seven in
the morning to do his fires and clean his boots,
which he was accustomed to accomplish in
time to come home, dress himself all in his
best, and either take charge of the household
or go to church, as it might happen to be his
turn with his mother
On particular Sunday morning, carly IN
this current year, Sprouts could hardF clean
the middle-aged gentleman's boots by rsason Of
the strong excitement that swayed hin. The
next day was Monday, and on tina monentous
night the wrongs OF long years were to be
atoned. His ia her was to appear on the
stage, not by the chance Of evil having be-
fallen some one else, but in his own proper
character properly assigned to him. On going
to market the previous morning, SPROUTS had
beheld, with swelling breast, bill attached to
the door of the Thea er Royal, wellington
Street. In the long list of names appeared
this line:
SURGEON. ......................S ienor Dibini
Sprouts smile on this occasion was really
dangerous to look at.
you'll split up some day, Sprouts, my lad, "
old Smithson said, himself not dBpleased to
be, however remotely, connected With gen
tleman whose professional name appeared in
type so big that even he could reat it.
On this same day Sprouts had done what
had never happened to him before. Being
60 bnlc Is h t,xrrt
potatoes, and having in the same basket three
caulifowers for Mrs. Nelson, he left the eau
lihowers at the Chelsea's and thepotatoes a.
the Nelson's. Also, Sunday he had put black
ing on the kid tops Of the middle aged gentle
mans boots, though well knowing that such
an irregularity, il detected, would drive the
middle-aged gentleman mad.
".
He wanted to get done early now 80 that he
might go home and form one of a jury of taste
to decide knotty point. 1t was net without
some feeling Of disappointment that Mrs
Dibbins and Sprout had ascertained the pre-
else character that father was to i'll in tn
"Corsican Brothers," The artist himself ha
been reticent on the subject. But, knowing
that they would sooner or lateI behold
him in the act Of performing, he felt tn
| necessity OF making clean breast of it. Tn
| fact is, as everyone who has seen the "Cor
| SlCau DFOLucTS' Will KNOW, luc uOCCOF, LnOuB
| q highly important parsonage, comes on on
in one scene, and utters but single sentence
| This happens after the duel, when, kneelnl
down by the side Of the wounded man, he pull
out his watch, looks at it, and raising his eye
| to Heaven, observes:
| He has but five minutes to live"
This was not much, but, as Jonadab said
these minor parts, as projected by the author
are frequently transformed by the genius o.
| the performer into the part of the piece. VIVA
| Jonadab had long discussed was the proper
place on which emphasis should fall in tn
enunciation of this declaration. 1t was no US
further deferring decision on this importan
matter The rehearsals had taken place, th
piece was to open on the following night, an(
it had been agreed that this Sunday morning
should be devoted to hearing Jonadab submit
the various readings possible, and taking
decision thereupon.
Sprouts was at home at eleven O'Clock AM
helped his mother to prepare the room for thu
| private rehearsal 1t was Sprouts notion tina
it WAS eminently desirable to reproduce tn
real theater as nearly as possible. So, settin
together all the chairs in the house, supple
mented by boxes and the bucket turned upsid
down, he banked his brothers and sisters i
the remoter end Of the room. This, he ar
nounced, was the gallery, the vraisensblan'
| being considerably promoted bya strong pei
| fume OF oranges. This arose from jorum q
peel water, drink which has not yet bee
largely advertised but which was highly poI
ular in the Dibbins household, and, indeed
generally throughout the neghborhood.
was produced by the process of boiling orang
peel in water, adding little treacle or brow
sugar, and there you were. The street prov
ded never ending supply Of orange peel; tn
only difficulty was to obtain sugar. On a da
like this it was forthcoming ,untifully, an
though the general notion Of what was goin
to happen was but vaguely shaped in the min
OF the young Dibbinses they were quite Gel
tain OF the peel-water, and, moreover, enjoye
this excitement OF being set forth in rows as
they were personages of impor ance.
Sprouts had brought in with him bottle
ginger beer, which he 'proposed to open pre-
emily when the curtain was rung up, KNOWN
that its pop would sound pleasant and familii
in his fathers ears. Sprouts himself was I'll
pit. Mrs. Dibbins and the baby, seated lit
to the right, were the boxes. As it was EN-
nently desirable that profound peace shou
reign during the rehearsal, the baby was pre-
vided with the kitchen poker, the smoo h knC
| OF which it made violent attempts to swallow
| 1t was an indomitable child, not o be repuls,
Oy early defeat, and 1t is a well-known aXio
of the household management that s'if YOU q
baby the poker it would be quiet for the ho
together" .H'
When all was ready, Jonadab entered.
was full dress rehearsal, and by the skillf
application OF burnt cork Jonadab assumed
most professional appearance, which was add,
to by the skirt of Mrs. Dibbins' black dres
loosely thrown across his throat and over h
shoulder, after the manner so familiar to do
tors in everyday life. As have mentione
the difficulty with Jonadab was as to choice