The Portland daily press., 1883-05-24
Rockland Courier Gazette )


Rather singular affair occurred at Vinal-
haven one evening last week at the hotel
where the dramatic company playing "0nly a
Farmers Daughter" put up. The accommo-
dations being triHe limited from the crowd
ed state of the hotel, the performers were
obliged 10 sleep two in room, and Miss Lilli-
an Billings, the leading lady, and another
lady were assigned a room whose door was
minus lock. The ladies viewed with alarm
this absence of the lock, not being aware of
the general character OF the people among
whom they soiourned, whose natural honesty
renders bolts and bars dreary superhaity. So
they braced up the door by showing a rocking
chair under the knob, concealed their dia-
mond necklaces and other gaiuahles in safe
places, and crept into bed with good deal OF
trepidation, for they had heard OF actresses
getting robbed in hotels, and the whole thing
looked like put up job. After they were
safely in bed and had trembled for some time,
Miss Billings recollected that in the hustle
and confusion OF going 10 press, she had ne-
elected TO look under the bed. She said after
wards that she hadn't done such a thing for
years as TO forget t. look under the bed, be-
hind the bureau aud into The closet, before
getting into bed, and she cant understand
why she should on this occasion OF all others
neglect IL, but OF course anybody can see II
was on account OF the lock, which had made
her nervous. A woman always looks under
the Oed to see IL there Is q man there, but
man never looks under his bed to see II a
woman is there. He isn't so foolish. Miss
Billings kept getting nervuuser and nervouseT,
till she felt certain she heard q mans sup
pressed breathing, and she asked her COM
panion If she couldn't hear a mutfied watch
ticking. The other woman didn't feel quite
so scared and she sort Of laughed at Miss Bill
lis.sra foe aud az fh haf 10 shn ard anp-
thing it must be the muffled bed ticking.
Then they both went TO sleep. They were
sleeping on a spring bed, one of that kind that
lifts up on one side when you sit down on the
other TO pull off your stockings. Miss Billings
companion was a rather heavy lady. She got
10 dreaming that she was playing the leading
part to a big audience aud somebody had
thrown her bouquet with note in IL. She
turned aud walked down to the footlights TO
pick il mp. AS she turned in her dream so
she turned in the bed. aud her sudden change
OF position sent Miss Billings up into the all.
She awoke aud screamed that there was a
man under the bed sure aud she could feel
him boosting her up with his back. Her
screams awoke her companion just as she was
going TO Lick up the bouquet and somebody
drew IL back with string. She promptly
| dashed out Of bed, grabbed revolver, and
| getting down on her knees poked 1t under the
bed and called to the burglar TO come out or
have his brains blown right through the side
of the house. Miss Billings continued to yell.
and presently the other guests came focking
in In great alarm aud astonishing variety
OF costumes, and found the woman still -four
ishing the revolver and bravely daring the
man TO come forth. When 1t was finally dem
onstrated that the burglar had flown, the
frightened actresses suddenly realized their
| condition, and precipitately pokng their Wis
itors ont of the room they again showed the
chair under the knob and went to sleep. The
lie OF an acress is by no means an easy one.