Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-01
HIS LITTLE GAL"

well, sir, seeing as We mintion it, ]
don't mind if | does try or drop O. sumot
'ot. Its very continuing to the innerds,
partickler of a cold night
This was in answer to my proposal to
old Jim Benton, stage doorkeeper Of Asst
Ieys Royal amphitheatre, London. The
manager was particular friend Of mine,
so that had the entree to all parts Of the
theatre, and came and went as | wished
Jim had held his position some thirty odd
years, and could, when he felt inclined Ia
drop O. sumot 'ot helped greatly thereto)
relate many good story of dead and gone
actors and their next of kin, heroes of the
sawduSt. l am an occasional contributor
to the newspapers. and | would like here
to say that / have been indebted to Jim
Benton for many an odd bit of pathos and
humor. Poor old fellowl 1t is already ten
years and more since followed him to 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 yer, sir" said he, as he
raised his glass of gin and water to his
lips, al pities them teetotaieers, | does. |
cum ermost er jining on en- onct, but
Providence wuz agin it. No, sir, yer
can't pass don't know 10 SIGH name"
This last was addressed TO q gentleman in
lavender kids who presented himself and
his card at the door, asking to see Miss
Morrelh, the principal danseuse.
All, perhaps you are acquainted with
my aliasf" here added the exquisite.
"Carnt say as l ham, sir. It's not to
gals names Yer see, we takes on er lot
Of T
cant pass yer, sir; borders is horders"
AS the swell withdrew old Jim contin-
ueG with:
''Lor, sir, if l was to pass hall as was
wantin' to git in there wouldn't be no
room behind the scenes fur tie hactors;
but 1t amt notLin now TO what it used
to be when Mr. Ketchum had the man
agement. Yer orter ha' seen the stage
door then That was when the madame
was er playin' of Mazeppa, and a
mighty fine figure of er woman she WIZ,
too. Perhaps we've seen her, sir. Ida
Frances Fay was her name"
On nay replsing that | had never had
that pleasure he continued with:
well, sir, there1 never be another
Ida Fay. There's lots o gals wot's tried
it on. but it don't work. Ter see, there
wuz er so1aethin' or sorter o tabin' about
her wot fotched the swells. Yer couldn't
git standin' room when she wuz er
playin'- Fast, was she. sir?, Well. maybe
she warn't hexactly wot yer'd call bark
Langel, but she vas uncommon good to
my little gal. and that's enuff fer jim
Benton"
why, have you a daughter, Jim?'
exclaimed. rather surprised of his never
having mentioned il before.
Had, sir. had Here the old man
paused moment and stopped down to
pick up wisp of straw from the floor,
and | noticed his hand trembled as he
did so.
Yes, sir, continued he, Eyer wouldn't
think ter look st ne that l could have
SIGH dater. SIGH pretty little thing.
with hair fur all the world like gold and
eyes that made me think o. the wiolets.
Bnd a sparkle in EN- when she laughed
that all the spangles liver Yer see couldn't
beat. Yer see, sir, | was pretty well on
IN years when Mamie was born. She was
rhristened Mary, but we alters called her
Mamie. My little gal warn't MORN year
Did when the Inissus wuz took i'll with a
fever and died, and there | WIZ left with
Il baby on my 'an6s; but lor' bless yer, sir,
] took as Datrel to { as If I'd been mss
hail ny life. Brought her through the
measles and wheoping cough as right as a
trivet. Many's the hour she's sot on that
ere stool there er watchin me. Some
times she'd be as still is a mouse, and
then agin she'd chatter like little mag
pie. She had kurus fancies. had Mamie, (
when she warn't no higher than that ere
table.
DADDY ses she, one day. does ham
gels alters ave wings?"
Yes, deary, ses l. 4 alters heer tell
they had
Then. ses she, when | die, daddy !
Of course it won't be for big long while; /
lstle gals don't die very much, does \
ihey?-lll tell God l wanter sec my
daddy, and I'll fly right down here and |
peek in the winder and s'prise yer
Yes, sir, that's the way she'd talk !
sometimes, and somehow it made me feel /
rs if some one WIZ er pressing weight /
on my chist and | couldn't breathe. Do
you know, sir, perhaps it's foolish, but | I
bieve she do come 80 that winder and /,
look in at her old daddy sometimes-ony- !
ways, it's bit continuing to think SO.
How came l to lose her? That's wot !
Tn comm to, sir. Yer see Mamie was |
born, as l may say, in the perfeshun, in
fhis VERY theayter. Why. what do you
her q Noah's bark, and wot mammal /
would yer 'heve she picked out fust? A |
'orSe, sir. An, sir-it was born in her.
] had alters leanin' arter hacting, but
Yer couldn't keep Mamie away from the
losses. Was | afeard of her getting hurt2
Wei, no, sir, carn't say as | WIZ. Yer
See the grooms and hall the boys WIZ
uncommon fond of Mamie and took q heap
of care o her.
F'Well. sir, when my little gal was
about years old, Dan Maxwell wanted
TO break her IN TO ride with him. At
first l wouldn't hear tot, but Mamie wuz
30 wistful fort, and Dan wuz SIGH
great, strong Teller. and | knowed he'd
be that keerful of her as if she wuz made
IF gold, SO | let Mamie have her way
There warn't to be no whip used. l
ha' stood that, but lor'. sir,
there warn't no need OF. The child took
to riding like duck 10 water When /
see her name on the posters in big letters,
/ couldn't 'elp feeling 4 bit proud. and
livery night when she was on, used TO
get some one to mind the door. while |
Slipped round il front. Sich er picter as
she looked in her bit o. white dress sll
covered with spanglesi And Row they
applauded her, sir She got most baske.
of oranges livery night. too"
Here the old man paused q moment and
drew his hand somewhat shamefacedly
across his eyes.
We'll, one night couldn't git round
In front until list as they WIZ doing the
finish; for that Mamie used TO stand On
Dan's shoulder. with one little foot ont.