The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-07-21

,,s on the KID tops of the mi Idle aged gentle
MINIS boots, though well knowing that such
an lrree clarity, il detected, would drive the
niddIe-aged gentleman mad
~
He wanted to ge done early now. so that he
mi o-ht 90 n me aud form one ola jury of taste
TO decide a knotty point. Ii was not without
some feeling of disappointment that Mrs
Dibbins and Sprout had ascertained the pre-
else character that father was TO fill in the
,sCorsican Brothers, The artist himself had
been reticent on the subject But knowing
that they would sooner or later behold
HIM in the act of performing, he felt the
necessity of making a clean breast of it. The
fact is, as everyone who has seen the Cor
sican Brothers, will know, The doctor, though
a highly impor tant parsonage, comes on only
in one scene, and utters buta single sentence.
This happens after the duel when, kneeling
down by the side of the wounded IN sn he pulls
out hls watch looks at IL, and raising his eyes
to Heaven, observes:
- He has but five minutes to live.n
This was not much, but, as Jonadab said,
these minor p IT 5, rs projected blythe author,
are freluently transformed bg , he genius of
the perfOrmcrinto the part OF the piece. What
Jouadab hId long discussed was the proper
place on which emphasis should fall in the
enunciation of this declaration 1t WAS no use
further deferring decision on this important
matter. The rehearsals had taken place, the
piece was to open on the following night, and
it had been agreed that this sunday morning
should be devoted to hearing Jonadab submit
the various readings possible, aud taking a
decision thereupOn-
Sprouts was at home at eleven O'Clock and
hepe.l his m 'ther 20 prepare the room for the
private rehearsal II WAS Sprouts notion that
it was eIninently desirable to reproduce the
real theater nearly as possible. SO, setting
together all the chairs in the house, supple
meAted us boxes and the buckle turned upside
down lie banked his brothers aud sisters in
the Fcnater end OF the room. This he an
no lncet, vas the gallery, the vralsenabta5sce
being considerably promoted bya strong per
fume of oranges. This arose from jorum OF
peel wafer a drink which has not yet been
largely advertised, but which was highly pop
ular in the Dihbins household, and. indeed,
] generally thrAughou' the neighborhood II
! was produced by the pro cess of DO ling orange
i peel in water AIDING little treacle or brown
sugar, and there you were. The street prOTi-
/ ded a never ending supply of orange peel; the
only difficulty was 70 obtain sugar. On day
! ike this 1t was forthcoming b,untifully, and
though the general notion of wlat was going
I to happen was hit vaeBelv shapcdi in the mind
Z OF the Young ID bbirisss, theT were quite Ger
/ tain OF tie peel-water, and, moreover, enjoyed
Z this excitement OF bcins set forth in rows As Il
/ thee were persona ges OF impOr anee.
Sprouts had brought IN with him bottle OF
4 ginger beer which he proposed to open pres
4 emily when the cirtain was rang up, knowing
I that lis pop would sound pleasant and familiaI
( in his fathers ears. sprouts himself was the
pit. Mrs DIbbRIs and the baby, seated a little
I 10 the right we're the boxes As it WAS emit
nenty desirable that profound peace should
reign during the rehearsal the balg was pro
Z vided with the kitchen poker, the smoO knot
I OF whic'r n made violent attempts TO swallow
IL was an indomitable child, not o be rePulseC
nv early defeat. aad it is a we'll known axiom
OF She household management that IF you ge'
baby tile poker IL would be quiet for the hou
together"
When all was ready, Jonadab entered. /
was a fuli dress rehearsal aud by the skillfu
most professional aipear nee, which was adde
70 by the skirt Of Mrs Dibbns' black dress
loosely thrown across his throat and over hi
shoulder, after the manner so familiar to doc
tors in every dd life. As have mentioned
the difficulty with ,jOna1ab was As TO choice o
the precise word on which the emphasis shoul
fail As there. were not many, he meant L
I try them all. catering now and coming to
halt right In front OF the stage, JOnadab, puT
porting to take watch out OF his pocket
which he held in his right hand, fixed his eye
gloomily uPon the occupants of the gallery
aud SAID IN solemn tones;
az has but i've minutes to live"
This was admirably done, though perfec
success vas MARIE by uutoward accident
: 1t was eddy, the youngest boy but three
upon whom Jonadab's eve gloOmily fel
Teddy. net primarily at ease in view OF n
r / characterization OF his father, and fascinate
: by his regard, took he remark personally, All
since it apaeared he had only i've minutes I
live. he decided that he would occupy them i
bowling 10 was Immediately Joined by hi
+ Younger sisters, then by a brother Ii Il
I higher IN, i'll finally the whole gallery wa
2 bowling. TN chorus being complete when ia
D baby, after b lief struggle with its mature
? preference empovariiy abandoned its attemF
TO swallow he poker, and lent its tuneful vote
TO tile uproar
r 'sr Ike then children out said Jonadat
r throwing OH his cloak. "a have no peace wit
? them night orlay. Out with you, every on
] [ Of yOI,'' Ana they went forth shrielline
5 grateful for their own Escape hut fearful tina
= IN 4thcr or the baby.
After THIS the pilearsal went on quietly an
probably. 1t Wss objected TO the first readiu
I that it singled CIT the dying man with unne
: cessary disti ict4ess, and seeined to imply tha
O hers Of the hfstaniers miga have seven, o
; eight, or moremnuses to I've, whereas he ha
only five. 4 kh lred objection was raised whe
JOuadab proposed to read i ''He has bu
fire minutes lve' To lay he emphasis o
either 'has 'i''buf. +" OF to- was but TO waste
point Mrs,Dibbius rather liked The reading
'sHe has but.iye MINUTES 20 live ButSprout
(frOm WHOM all these criticisms have come
though. of curse, not stated in precisely tn
} words set own here,) ruled that out Of tn
2 question.
1t was fimlly arranged that ,Ionadab was I
begin In a bW. solemn voice. to slightly hest
tate when le came TO Give minutes as If h
were precisely calculating the time, and TO la
what emphasis might be left on the wOr
'-liye" fhis settled, the burnt cork wa
washed CiI, the children were readmitted an
Sprouts finally, though not without difficulty
II convinced Teddy tina . father was only play
ing," and had no designs on his young life.
V.