Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-06-24
JIM'S LITTLE MAMIE.

ANf dOl y uAttid IL hOCo "a - NAoP
o. sumot 'ot. It's very continuing
to the innerds, partikler of cold
night"
This was in answer to my propo-
sal to old Jim Benton, stage door
keeper Of Astley's Royal Amphi-
theater, London. The manager was
particular friend of mine, SO that
l had the entree of all parts of the
theatre, and came aud went as [
pleased. jim had held his position
some 80 years and could when he
felt inclined, tell many good story
of dead and gone actors and their
next kin, heroes of the sawdust. /
am an occasional contributor to the
newspapers, and | would here say
that | have been indebted to jim
Benton for many an odd bit of pa
thos and humor Poor old fellow !
1t is already ten years and more
since | followed him tie his last
resting place, and the stage door of
Astley's Royal Amphitheatre knows
me no more. This night Jim was
unusually talkative.
''Lor' bless you, sir" said he, as
he raised his glass of gin and water
to his lips, 81 pities them teetotal-
GERS, | does. l cum ermost er jining
'em onct, but Providence wuz agin
it. No, sir, you can't pass. | don't
know no such name" This was ad-
dressed to a gentleman in lavender
kids who presented himself and his
card at the door, asking to see Miss
Morrelli, the principal danseuse.
"Ah, perhaps you are acquainted
with my alias ?" here added the ex-
quisit.
"Can't say as | ham, sir. | can't
pass you, sir; horders is borders"
AS the swell withdrew old Jim
continued:
"Lor, sir, if | was to pass hall as
was wantin' to get in. ther wouldn't
be no room behind the scenes fur
the hactors; but it amt nOthin now
to what it useter be when Mr.. Ket-
chum had the management. Yer
orter ha' seen the stage door then.
That was when the Madame was er
playin' of MaZeppa, and mighty
fine figure of er woman she wuZ, too.
Perhaps yer seen her, sir ? Ida
Francis Fay was her name"
On my replying that ! had never
had that pleasure, he continued:
"Well, sir, there'll never be an
other Ida Fay. There's lots o. gals
volts tried it on, but it don't work.
Yer see there wuz er somethln er
sort o. takin' about her wOt fetched
the swells. Yer couldn't get stand
ing room when she wuZ er playing.
Fast, was she Well-maybe she
warn't hexactly wot yer'd call
bark hangel, but she was uncommon
good to my little gal and that's enuff
fer Jim Benton.
"Why, have you a daughter,
jim ?" exclaimed, rather surpris
ed at his never having mentioned 1t
before.
"IIad sir, had" Here the old
man paused a moment and stopped
down to pick up wiSp of straw on
the floor, and | noticed his hand was
trembling as he did so.
eyes, sir" continued he, eyer
wouldn't think to look at me that !
could have SIGH darter. Such
pretty little thing with hair fur all
the world like gold, and eyes which
made me think o. the Wi0lets, and
sparkle in 'em when she laughed
that all the spangles liver yer did see
couldn't beat. Yer see, sir, was
pretty well on in years when Mamie
was born. My little gal warn't
MORN IA year old when the mlssus
WIZ took i'll with a fever and died,
and there | Wuz left with a babby
on my lands: but, Lon bless yer, sir,
] took AS ndtrel to t as if I'd been
nuss all my life. Brought her out
of the measels and whooping cough
as right as a trivit Many hours she
sot on that stool there er watching
me. Some times she be as still as "A
iluuot. anu Ailtll ~ oiiN u CIttNNNi
like a magpie. She'd kurus fancies,
had Mamie, when she warn't no
higher than that ere table.
daddy" ses she one day, "Does
hangels alters have wings ?"
Eyes, deary," SEES L. 81 alters
heer tell they had"
"Then,n SEES She, "When / die,
Daddy-Of course it won't be for a
big, long while; little gals don't die
very much, does they Pm ten
God / want to see my daddy and III
Z fly right down here and peck in the
winder and s'prise YOU"
NYes, sir, that's the way she'd
! talk sometimes, and somehow it
made me feel as if some one was er
pressing a weight upon my chest
i and | couldn'C breathe. Do you
know sir, perhap' its foolish, but |
= bqlieve she do come to that winder
! and look in at her old daddy some