The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-10

4
music hall, and harlequin in panto~zs
mime. drawing no end of money, ana
| making his father, Tom Brown, and
Jennie as happy as the day was long.
There was to be no more poverty, no
more hunger. no more trudging the
streets. and collecting the revenue from
hard-hearfesi sight-seers; Moggs, Brown.
and himself were to be gentlemen, and
walk abroad in tail-coats and broadcloth
trousers, thick polished boots, and Chin
ney-pot hats, and Jennie was to be la
dy, and wear a real silk gown, gold
brooch. and long gold earrings, and they
we're all TO have pudding every day in
the week, Sunday not omitted, and be
happy and jolly accordingly.
They were wonderful dreams that
ioated through the boys brain, and he
told them all to his faithful sweetheart,
who believed in them as though they
had been gospel truths. And it really
seemed at last as though the good time
was going to begin, for Tom Brown
came home with news which made Pills
heart leap in his bosom, and sent thrill
of excitement through Moggs' frame.
And this was the news. Phil and
Moggs and Jennie were all to go on the
morrow to the theatre where Tom work
tomime, and they went and were taken
on. Jennie to dance in a fairy ballet,
and Moggs and Phil to play their aero
batic tricks in a sham street on the
stage.
They were announced in the bills as
Moggs and his wonderful monkey, and
were forbidden by the manager to play
any more in the streets, but were put on
half salaries at once, and so were able
to rehearse in their attic to their hearts
content.
They got up a good many new tricks,
and Moggs thought they would be quite
a success when they came out; and Phil
was sure his dreams were coming true,
and that they were on the high road to
fortune and fame.
The eventful night came at last, and
after hard days rehearsal the two men
and the two lovers set off for the theatre.
Phil and Jennie walked hand in hand,
Jennie full of fun, but Phil very quiet
and thoughtful.
His head ached a little, he said, but it
would be all right when he began TO act.
They soon reached the place, and,
hurrying in, dressed for their parts:
Jennie in white and pink and gold, with
butterfly wings, Moggs in splendid
spangled suit, and Phil in complete
monkey-skin, which covered all his
beauty, except the bright eyes laughing
through the holes in the mask.
He was nightly applauded when he
came on, and the people shouted with
laughter at his odd tricks, and he began
quite to feel as though he was very
popular actor indeed.
At last came a scene where he had to
be let down in swinging garland of
L IL,
tricks with his father.
Hold hard, PHIL said Tom Brown
as he lowered him steadily and carefully
from the flies. Don't look down."
But Phil did, he couldn't help it. He
saw his father and Jennie looking up at
him, he saw the glitter of the footlights,
and then-he grew sick, and he never
knew how, but he fell, and struck his
head heavily against the corner of the
scene. And when the screaming people
looked again there was blood flowing
from under the monkey mask, and blood
on the spangled dress of the tumbler,
who had picked up the lad, and was cry
ing out that his dear boy was dead, and
blood too on the wings and skirts of
little fairy who held Pills hand, and
wept, as fairies are never supposed to
weep.
wen, Cney 6ook tne poor HG1ic oEoheh
monkey into the green-room, and doc
tor came and examined him, but il was
| all of no use, for Phil just opened his
eyes and kissed his father and Tom
Brown and Jennie, and whispered that
he ''meant to go in for better line, he
| closed them again for ever, and Moggs
was left to tumble on alone, the last of
all his company. And he, poor man, be-
| ing so lonely, and wretched, and very
poor, tumbled into the workhouse, and
very soon after into his grave; where he
was forgotten by everyone but Tom and
his daughter.
And Jennie grew up to be lovely wo-
man, and a great actress, and married a
kind good husband, and had little boy
whom she named Phil, which plainly
showed that she never forgot her first
love, Moggs' Monkey.