Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-08-09


First one and then another male
visitor was tried in my part, and found
wanting.
On the fourth morning after break
fast, Ada Dart expressed a wish to
learn how to play ut billiards. O'Brcn
was not in the room, and | seized the
opportunity of offering my services
which were accepted.
II am SO sorry, Mr.. Checvers,' said
she, that you cannot take the part OF
ForteScue. You must change with
Mr. O'Bran; that is the only way in
which we can manage it, and even
that will spoil the play"
us it quite necessary that Fortescue
should he whiSkerless? | asked
family.
why Judge for yourself; how
would powdered wig look with
them? The worst of it is" she added,
that when undertook the-the part
of Maria it was with the supposition
that vou would be Fortescue," and she.
blushed slightly.
Those who are unaCquainted with
The Belle of Penzance" must be told
| that ForteScue is the lover of Maria,
and several half-romping, half-loying
scenes are enacted between them.
"Hit your ow-own b-b-b-ball in the
exact center, and rather high, | STAN
mered, land you-you would not like
O'Bri--that is, any other fellow to
to to take that part, in fact"
II declare | won't answer your she
cried. "Of course, | know you. and
never saw most of the others before,
and such things make all the difference,
you know. To be kissed, even in
make-believe, by a man one has seen
for the first time a week before. makes
one feel nervous. But there At
this point | went down on one knee. J
Get up; there's some one coming|
1t was Miss Winton and Captain
Seymour, who came just in time to
prevent formal offer | went off to
my bedroom, locked the door, opened
my dreSsing-caSe, took out scissors ard
razor, and finished the dreadful task.
On my way down stairs, | met Sir
Thomas, who stopped, stared, and asked
my name. He did not recognize me.
! Young WintOn, who was always late
was breallfasting when | entered the
mOrning-roOm. He dropped cup of
hot coffee over his knees, and nearly
choked Leaving him in his misery, |
encountered a young lady visitor, who
crammed her pocket-handkerchief in
! her mouth and fled. But it would be
tedious to recount the effect l pro
duced upon each individual member
of the household. All, even the faith
less Ada, laughed at my appearance,
except O'Brian, who looked upon my
transformation from a purely dra-
matte point of view. Others were di-
vided as to whether / most resembled
a plucked fowl or a recently shorn
sheep, but the veritable amateur said:
"Sure, he will make an elegant For
! tescue," and stuck to that view of
the question. The company soon got
used to the alteration, and the dra-
matte business now went as smoothly
as hand passed over my cheeks. |
had the intoxicating privilege, the tan
talizing element in which was tenn
pered by hope, of making secondhand
love to Ada in daily rehearsals, till at
last the day of positive performance
arrived.
We all knew our parts, but whether
we acted them well or not it is difficult
to Judge; our audience was bound in
common politeness to be pleased, and
the nattering applause and profuse
congratulations we received cannot be
counted for much. At any rate, every
body seemed delighted, and the whole
affair was voted a success.
On the morning following the per-
formance, l awoke early with firm
determination to turn mimic court
ship into earnest, and force a plain
yes or no from her that very day. To
lie in bed with such a prickle in the
pillow was quite impossible, so ! got
up, dressed and went for walk. On
passing through the garden on my
way back to breakfast, l became aware
that some one else was also in high
spirits, for a well-known voice behind
the shrubberry was singing 1.-The Pigs
in the Morning" and on turning the
corner of path which brought me
into little open dell, | came upon
O'Brian, with his hat stuck on the
back of his head, executing a pas seul
to vocal accompaniment.
"Ah p he cried, on seeing me, "sure
you have caught me making fool of
myself. But it is a good thing my
| mothers ONLY son has done for me this