The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-22

knew not how long. certainly lor I'M .o0u
long years had been ready and even yearnlhS
Rut fortune has passed him by, touching with |
capricous hand Others whom JonadaD thouSht
had not waited so long, and whom he was sure
had not hoped SO passionatelY. tie knew nleu
who had been supers in country theaters' VINO
were now stars and even managers OF pros
porous theaters For him alas came no sun
shine and had it not been for the constant
twenty-five shillings week when MS post
brought him in. he would have given up tne
long stern chase. But yearly mere came an
additional reason why he could not aHord 10
dispense with twenty-five shillings week. SO
he waited on, learned his parts, and struggled
with murderous thoughts as he saw HanNet
come tripping down the dark staircase to MS
dressing room, and thought how changed
might be the world supposing he were some
time to leave by chance bucket midway on
the stairs, over which Hamlet tripping might
sprain his ankle, and the anxious manager
would rush about the recesses of the stage call
ing on the name of Dibbins.
One night in January Jonadab crossed
Waterloo bridge at an unusually rapid pace.
His head was erect, his shoulders were
squared, and he whistled cheerfully as the
wind, lodging round the Stone recesses,
caught him as he emerged beyond their shell
ter. 1t was nine O'Clock, and he was going
home. AS he reached the lower end of the
road and came among his own people, the
neighbors stopped to look at him-firsty, be-
cause this was an unusual time for him to be
seen in the neighborhood of home; and, Sec
ondly, because he was a changed man.
"Dibbs has had a fortin' left him." said
Mrs. Perks to Mrs. Perkins, as Jonadab passed
the little shop where all kinds of edibles were
sold, from salt behring's to very large pota-
toes.
Mrs. Perkins was glad of this, as the Dibbins
debt was deep. Not that they did not pay
ready huf somehow other. the
count was always slipping backward, and
what they paid last Saturday was really on
account of provisions obtained nine weeks
earlier.
"Hes more like had drop to drink" said
Mrs. Perkins, not deeming it wise to rest too
strongly. on the cheerful view SO suddenly
adopted by her neighbor.
swell, father, what brings you home so
early, said Mrs. Dibbins, as Jonadab strobe
in the room and eyed her with the searching
look with which Hamlet watched the king and
the queen his mother during the players
scene.
Mrs. Dibbins was always ready to be
alarmed, and when Jonadab instead of reply
ing, continued to gaze at her in an distracted
manner, she concluded that the worst had
happened, and Immediately began to count the
children.
''Mother," said Jonadab, 1--WE have waited
long and are now to be rewarded. Fortune
has coudescended to look at me with half an
eye, and half an eye is better than no urn of
the optic have part, my dear No longer
do | understudy others, though perhaps it
would be too much to say that am to have
my part understudied. Still, Pm cast for an
essential part, go on at the crisis, and what's
more, the part has never been treated artistic
ally l shall develop it,"
it Hamlick!" Mrs. Dibbns asked, begin
ming to cry-an unfailing resource in what
ever mental disturbance befell her. =
N No m 6aar ifs Shol;aSpaaro it'a tho
'Corsican Brothers. "
care you the brothers!" said Jonadab jun
ior, called Johnny by his mother and Sprouts
by the youth of the neighborhood, who were
aware of his business engagement at green
grocer's at the Butts.
"No, it's not the brothers; I'm not sorry
for it, as the part is hackneyed. | am cast for
the doctor, and mean to make something of
it. You know, mother, it Of en- happens that
what are called minor parts, when properly
played, turn out the chief thing in the piece.
There was Lord Dundreary That was mere
accessory that no manager would have had
understudied. When the piece first came out,
if Sothern hadn't turned up to time it would
have been cut out and the play would have been
just as good. But Sothern worked it up until
it became the piece itself, and that's what
mean to do with the doctor. The piece will
run for hundred nights; if | can't do some
thing in hundred nights l will retire from
the profession. My dear, This is an occasion
| that should have it's libation. We will carouse.
| John, fetch hi her from the neighboring es-
tabishment three pigs feet and also a pot of
'alf-and-'alf, which is fourpence in your own
| jugs"
Jonadab was light of heart and inclined to
| be merry; Mrs. Dibbin's Joy was tempered by
| the certainty that something would go wrong
ut the last moment. To the children the gaiety
of the evening was eclpsed only by the ex-
| ceedngly moderate satisfac ion to be got out
| of the ninth of a Djufe foot hiyiIaI wi n
| whatever strict impartiality by Johnny. On the
other hand. it had come to them quite unex-
pectedly. They were just going to bed and
were lingering over a crust Of dry bread, with
intent to put off the evil hour as far as posi-
| BILE, when home comes father in highest spirits,
gives reckless orders for refreshment, and has
not yet made the discovery that they are all
up. That will come by and by, and they will
have to troop miserably o bed. In the mean
time, they sucked their bones, they had rich
| remainders from their parents plates, and
| before they retired to rest had the satisfaction
Of hearing their father sing MY Johnny was
shoe may-ker," which Mrs. Dibbins thought
he did much better than Toole But he said
efficiently, from the depths of the now nearly
empty pot of half-and-half, mo, he thought
| not"
The fact was, Toole was not in his line. II
he had been no one could say what might have
happened in the way of rivalry. But Jonadat
thought his style little low. There was
style now, which, if pressed, Jonadab nigh,
have admitted he could tri1e with But he
never mentioned it, and it was only these com
| ing upon him Unexpectedly when he was
learning part who heard him bring his voice
from somewhere near the top of his head, biting
] his words in two and swallowing one half
with gulp-only those who heard this or saw
his awkward walk, dragging his left leg af Ell
him as If he were partially paralyzed-
these could guess who his model and rival was
| ILL.,
Sprouts, the first-born of the illimitable Dib
bins family, was unquestionably The mos
notable of the brood. None of the rest rose
above mediocrity except it were the baby, who
had developed an astonishing talent for swal
lowing small articles of hardware without ap-
parent Inconvenience.
Everything goes to its mouth" the mother
said, lovingly, and not without certain meas
ure of pride, seeing that there was strong
reason to believe that the child had swallowed
a threepenny-bit, incautiously left within it,
reach on the table, Threepennv-bits were no
hus lightly disposed of in the Dibbins house
hold and it was only after looking high and
low that this conclusion was arrived at.
If Sprouts had been at home, it would no
have happened. Nothing did happen wrong
within his ken. At the moment of the sus-
pected catastrophe Sprouts was "cleanin' hi
boots" They were not really his own, being
the possession of a middle-aged gentleman
who lodged in Remington lane But Sprout
always called them "my boots" having ii
them that measure OF possession involved Il