Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-09-04

iuncturs that Mr.. McKilhgin's prophecy
would be fulfilled, ''atarVing in a garrett /
did not appear far OF.
Meanwhile Mr.. McKiIigin began TO
have some qualms about the fate Of his
daughter. BE was well aware that Mar
gery's defiant spirit would hold out to
the last, and Il she could not weather
the storm sine would die sooner than cry
''peceavi" at his feet. He eontriVed to
inform himself Of the young couples
by surreptitOus means.
Between information gathered from
Messrs Pigg and Pihchard and from
RusselPs prosecuting uphOlsterers he
realized they were in difficulties.
A week after Christmas there came a
iull in the storm Of appeal, and Messrs.
Sweet & SaWder received ESQ son &C
count towards diminishing many hun
dreds. This was a very unexpected
'favor," and also puzzled Mr.. McKilhgin
considerably. Apparently his sOn-in-
law had made a hit somewhere. One
wintery day this gentleman met his
daughter in the Strand. She got into
an omnibus carrying parcel OF books,
and did not perceive him. He had time
to see that Margery was rather thin and
more than a little shabby, but smiling
and pretter than ever.
Something that does duty for a heart
IN a city mans breast gave little thrOb
In Mr.. McKilligin's interior. just such
another girl, twenty years ago, had been
Margery's mother. She, too, had gone
about 10 omnibuses, and had been very
shabby Oftentimes. In earlier years Mr..
McKilligin had not been an authority
on the stock exchange or the director
OF railway companies.
Early In the spring following Mr.
Dawes unexpected payment, sandwich
men perambulated the streets advertising
new play to appear shortly at the Star
Theatre. In due course it was put on
the boards, and most Of the critics com
bined to damn a new author with their
faint praise. But the venom of unbri-
died pens was insufficient TO poison its
popularity. By Easter time London
town was aware that there was a capital
thing running at the little theatre, where
a plucly manager had ventured TO place
the work of an untried writer. "a Flat
Proceeding proved itself to be a spark
ling little play Of two acts, full OF charm
ing dialogue and pretty scenes. Strange
| bits OF pathOs alternated with comic stu
| atoms; but people had not time to cry
before they were laughing again. 1t
w6s the style Of a piece that pays to the
manager, having no elaborate settings;
and also the style Of play always pOpu-
| lar with that large section Of society that
likes to dine at leisure and give a couple
OF hours flip to digestion later on.
/ Crowds iOcked nightly to see the bril-
! liant little comedy, and the Bond street
theatrical agents booked places at the
Star weeks before. The plot was of the
simplest construction and hinged on the
difficulties Of a rash young couple who
had entered on housekeeping on a fiat
without any adequate means. AT the
! lofty altitude of a sixth story, without a
lift, it was impossible to escape duns OF
visitors through any back door. There
was a favor Of reality about the incidents
that occurred which tickled the fancy of
theatre gOers and made it a signal sue
cess. The embarrassments Of Mr.. Simon
| Buttercup and Mrs. Daisy Buttercup
were matters OF absorbing interest and
amusement. The presentment of a stern
and tyrannical parent was also Touched
with the hand Of truth, and the cutting
sarcasms leveled at Paternal ambitions
were hailed with applause. The author
OF the comedy was spoken Oras a coming
| power. Who was he? Hitherto the
! the manager had maintained his iHcOgni-
to. Naturally, when the new thing at
/ the Star was talked Of at every dinner
| table, it soon came to Mr.. McKilligin'a
! ears that 1t was worth seeing. He
booked two stalls three weeks in advance
and in due course Of time appeared at
! the theatre with his meek wife. This
| lady who was tender hearted, wept fur
lively In the love scenes between the
young couple, but Mr.. ALcKiiligin only
writhed uneasily at the just ironiez
aimed at the mereenary moods and incli-
nations Of parents. He recognized a
strange similarity Of circumstances be
/ tween the performance and his own ex-
/ periences. His own sentiments, almost
/ his own words, were faithfully re-echOed
/ from the stage. His cOunsels to his
daughter sounded from other lips a very
materialistic doctrine.
By-and-by, between the acts Mr.. Nc
| Killigin began to look about the theatre.
To his surprise, Margery and her hus-
| band was located IN the stage box. There
was something very uncomfortable about
it all. Margery's saucy eyes were fixed
/ upon him, and she was smiling in her
most radiant mood. He leveleG shis
glass at the next box as though he had
not seen her. Presently the play was
resumed, and came to happy termina-
ton, with a benignant and repentant
father giving advice to his younger chill
dren to follow the dictates Of their OWL
hearts. One by one these actors were
recalled, a storm Of applause following
Finally some one set up a shout fOl
'authOr''-a shout that had on other oc.
casions been in vain. Therewas a rust.
ling in the stage-bOx, and Margery and
her husband disappeared. The manager
came forward, announced that the Joint
authors were in the house, and would be
happy to acknowledge the warm recep.
ton their play had received. In a mo.
ment the curtain was pulled back, and
Mr.. McKilligin perceived his son-in-law
Russell Dave did not appear alone, but
led by the hand the half-reIuctant Mar
gerry, who blushed and smiled in themost
bewitching way. Such a partnership OF
wits was a novelty, and deafening cheers
resounded as Iargery curtseyed repeat
eddy. Mir. McKihgin turned very pale,
and under cover Of the applause com
manded his wife's instant departure. He
could never now enjoy the exquisite sat
isfactiOn of playing the benignant father
and paying his son-in-laW's debts.
Mr.. Russell Dave continues to write
PLAYS conformity with his wife, and de-
rives no small advantage from them.
He Is held In high reputs by managers