Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-08-11
TEsEslfNDEIsSTlDIEIs.
4 Lively theatrical Sketch.
II ,nry W. LIcJ, in Belgrayia.l

Jonadab Dibbins lived at the blighted
end OF Waterloo Bridge Road a lean
and careworn man. carrying n prodigious
height Of forehead, with frontal develop
ment like window, generally under
stood in the Dibbins household to por-
tend enormous but restrained ability.
The Dibbins household was numerous,
and select to the extent that the great
majority of its members were of tender
years. Anyone straying into the little
apartment which served as breakfast
room, dining-room and drawing-room
might reasonably have thought that he
had happened upon II creche, and if he
had remained throughout the day must
have wondered when the children We're to
he called for. But nobody ever called
for them Of late, not even Death, who is
more attentive upon households where
there is more to eat and more liberal
distribution Of clothing All told, there
We're nine. Ii all had lived, there would
have been eleven. Two had died, one
consequent upon tecthing, another in the
public streets, sacrificed to the Moloch OF
n brewers dray
This happened when the Dibbinses
lived in Drury Lane, and it had led tc
their moving to the Waterloo Bridge
Road. II was necessary for professional
reasons that Mr. Dibbins should have his
lomicie somewhere near the Strand. A
court hc held to be unhealthy. Mrs
Dibbins, with the fate Of her second-bor
fresh before her eyes, would not live in Q
thoroughiarc so they arrived at tho
compromise oil residing in Waterloo
Bridge Road, one of the main arteries Of
London which has not yet recovered from
the blighting influence of the toll bridge
At first Mrs. Dibbins suffered unnumber-
ed anXieties in consequence Of the Water
loo bus. This public convenience was
in fact, directly responsible for the ap
pearancc of seventh Dibbins at least tel
days before he was due. In the earlier
weeks of the tenancy the neighbors wer,
constantly diverted by seeing pale
anxious little woman, with her sleeves
turned up and an apron on, diving int
the middle of the road and rescuing from
imminent peril from bus not yet il
sight3, whole handfuls of children wh'
seemed so near the same age that it wa
impossible to suppose they were all he
own. But they were and though house
room was circumscribed, there seemed NJ
limit to the possibilities of her affection
for morsels Of humanity that to the col,
eye of the stranger were not attractive.
Jonadab was in his thirty-fifth year
and might have been anything at all owe
that age. He was the sort of man tina
never grows old-looking after the fashiol
of ordinary mortals. He had neithe
whiskers nor moustache to turn gray
and MS for his hair, his forehead was s.
stupendously high and so aggressivel
prominent, that hair was quite II second
AIRY consideration. Now ! turn my min
upon the subject, | remember he ha
some, but what color it was or how worn
have recollection.
Signor Dibini was Jonadab's profes
SIGNAL name. He was member of til
company of the Theatre Royal, yelling
ton street, though You might look in val
through the list of performers for hi
name. Signor Dibini, in fact, occupie
position in the company the existenc
Of which is, perhaps, even unknown
the light-hearted haJitue of the theatr
who takes bis place in the stalls and eA
poets everything to go on right on tn
stage before him. Signor Dibinis pre-
fessional existence was striking proof {
the provision necessary for the carryin
on OF n great theatre. He was an undel
studier that il to say, it was his bus
ness to rnderstudy some of the principe
parts, 80 that if, in case of sudden Hines
or accident, the actor to whom part wa
assigned was not able to put in an appear
ance, Jonadab took his place. Often Ii
had learned two or three parts in til
same piece, learning every work, maxim
himself familiar with cues, and ready I
step on the stage at an hours notice
Every night lie was down at the theatre