Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-12-28
DOLLY.
An Old Actors story.
,sy WIN. II. S. ATKINSON.

ssy WIN. II. S. ATKINSON.
IweaSy years ago carries us back to
She tinse when every theater kept it's
awn st Eek company, and when a large
aunbes of them kept their own 'Sstars. :"
Wei, twenty years ago Twas juvenile
sragediaa at the Academy of Music,
On unilsswn, a large and thriving
manufacturing city in Western Pennsyl-
*ania- The citizens of Chunktown were
extremely critical and difficult to please
"a tht, matter of plays, though when
1r. ss.,,iisins. the manager of the
-AcadenF, was 50 Fortunate as to secure
sonaetlAas. which suited the rather en-
Iatic tes,tn of Chlmktown theater-goers,
sald tlss'aier-goers we're most liberal in
eheir patronage, and generous in their
appliance For some months Snodkins,
who was really most energetic sort Of
a man and thorough good fellow.
had s.ean unable to please his
constituency, the result being that for
THAT l.,:tsEh of time the expenditure had
far e5 -.e!nd the receipts. OF course
such a tst'e of affairs could lead to but
one e7sjj.lg: if a turning point were not
COON a-''ad'ed our poor friend Snodllins
must bust up" and the Academy of
Music @,nld then go under" But It's
ever tlsri,est just before the dawn, and
SIT the st'ne when Manager Snodkins,
zeart was exceedingly heavy and his
purse exceedingly light, Chunktown
news:.>s;A srnan submitted a brilliant play
of l'.:ai character, with local scenery
and in. flocal hits. The play was, GER
sain,'- s1,s'y clever in every particular,
and Ms iinodkins was iubilant. "Why
it's l,srFect marvel" he exclaimed JOY
FULLY !, me, after reading the manu-
sacril>r- It will make q reputation for
Quil@',isssser and will make my fortune,
viii g. Far You, Felton-you will make
both r,ne. and fcrtune This is glori-
ops $sy'',y my boy, the play is too rich
Cor Ci;.!sown, and shall ask two or
'ahree .'iart men in the profession from
New S.'s,i; Tor the opening night
Thu, preparations for the great play
progressed rapidly, and its first per-
sormans, was announced :or Christmas
NIGH Everyone was pleased and
worked yith vim such as had not been
knowa III The Clunktown Academy for
mar u "nt},s. Mine was the principal
part ..s.,s studied hard to make it all
that il should be. Upon myself and
the leas<tng lady depended the success
of tle niece; so, not feeling entirely sat-
ssfied with the lady who usually took
the feaamg parts at the Academy,
Snodtlis,a engaged Miss De Forest
from, Nav York
1t was the day before Christmas. A
full-asens rehearsal had been called for
she eveaing, at which many members
of t'as profession, as we'll as all the local
newspa:.r critics and reporters, were
expected to be present. About noon I
strol}.i up into Snodkins' Office to
smcizt, cigar and have final talk over
the prospects of the new play. I was
,surpsised enough to find Snodkins in an
unnl-tai1.ble fit of the ''blues."
~V.fha:'s up?" was my inquiring greet
ing.
"It.s I'll up! Here. at the eleventh
aouY, that confounded Miss De
Fort Aas come to the conclusion
that Size aust fall SICK and can't play
JUS snv tuck, Felton,. This play would
haye h.cn my salvation I shall have
80 fall lack o.. .s,ne: Old wngn-n'ts pi.re
sor a,aunyrp" night, And 5heu think
failusst to k-@pn:y word, lose my la>t
ch:@4co ,i regao;ng the confidence Of
the Ct,"nttown people. Yes, yes, ]
know { know they Should make al
Iowaccea, bnt the public never does.
least ,f all the Ohunktown public.
'sst.t can't you" I limited, persuade
Nil &c it'..rest to 10 her best to help
us o,i? l.. she so very sick?"
NaI," he replied. you know some
tI,ia, OF The lady's stubbornness; be-
sis:.s. tue trouble is neuralgia, and /
+s1iSs!,.ae we cannot blame her for OBJ
.ject,,g 70 play the part Of a pretty
htzntnc IN q romantic drama when one
of t,<,r ,:t,otl.3 is swel|ad to ridiculous
p,ol.':,sians. No. it's all up, for no one
c'suli.'o expected to study She part in
ore Jay It's hard IucL for al! of us,
Festou, but it's dna hard luck for
ana'~