Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-30

We were at the hotel. After waiting at
the ladies' entrance for the sleepy porter TO
unlock the door, gave up and went with
Mr.. Ned through the Office, to be stared at,
of course, like wild animal.
"Good night" said Mr.. Ned at my door;
ego in and eat your cheese" and he made q
grimace and went up the hall to his room.
closed the door after me and looked at
my place. It was not cheerful Square,
low-ceiled room; worn carpet, oileioth IN
front of the bed and bare boards under, and
one piece OF furniture to do duty as bureau
and washstand; yellow shades, one hanging
Imply, half torn from the rod. and the other
twisted and stuffed in above the lower sash;
a long-legged bed, topped with so thin q
LAYER of mattress that felt was going to
sleep on q cold waffle; one gas jet away in q
corner and high, the fame shooting up .
long blue finger and whistling dismally.
On small uncertain table some odd ends
of bread and bits of scaly cheese and glass
of pale milk. banged my Tam o. Shanter
to the floor, and said aloud, with q gusty
sigh, "Jolly fun being promising young
actress, isn't it?"
A thump at the door behind me nearly
fractured my shoulder. Touchy was there.
He beamed upon me genislly and said:
"Supper in Ned's room. You may come II
you will toast the bread"
"Oh! Touchy, may I?' cried.
''Don't gush-come along" said Touchy.
whimpered that if he knew how lonely
was he would not call it gush, and linking
nv arm in his we cantered down the half
way to the end room. Touchy kicked
against the door and in we fell.
The room was thick with smoke but It
looked beautifully cheerful. A bright,
open fire burned at one end, table stood in
the center, chairs were crowded about in
sociable fashion, the bed was strewn with
knives, forks. brown paper and crackers.
"How lovely" said I.
Mr.. Ned, in smoking jacket, stood fuss
ing ovor an alcohol lamp. Harry Diggers,
our stage manager, stumpy little man
with CHEEKY blue eyes and q dry manner,
was unwinding packages and spreading
string and paper about. Both nodded as
we came in, and Harry passed me slice of
cheese.
"Sit down, Miss Katie, and cut that up.
Remember we want to hear very little of
you till after the cooking. Eth. Touchy?"
"And very little then," Touchy added,
rubbing my bang in my eyes.
st thought was to toast bread" pro-
tested, weak-mindedly taking the cheese.
"Don't find fault" said Touchy; cant
you see Diggers is hunting everywhere for
man." he went on to Diggers.
"Weti" shouted Mr.. Ned.
"Don't do thatp Diggers objected, start
ing violently; IT wouldn't put loaf Of
bread in q basin of water, you know.
Wearing my hair parted in the middle
makes me look more of q fool than am
don't forget that"
Touchy said there was no telling, and
began 10 show me how to cutcheese. There
was nothing about which he didn't know
more than anyone else.
We were to have rsrebit Ned cooked
rarebits to perfection. Being the only girl,
/ should have done all the work; but, be-
tween being 90 pleased at chance to assist
at the upper at all and being shown how to
do everything by Touchy, kept getting
into trouble. At last was stood on Q chair
to see that the pan of water, balanced on
patent affair above the gas, did not boil
over.
The table was "set'' BY this time, and
drawn under the gas. Three plates. Touchy
and I had to share plate. Some salt on
piece OF programme, and, in the centre of
the table, the soap dish filed with jam
bought especially for me, they said, and
which, on pain Of death, / was to eat. Since
1 disliked strawberry jam, it wasn't a cheer
full prospect. In the midst of much excite
ment over tue ulscotefy bnes nau Sus sno
cheese too large, and so retarded the melt
ing, the water BEGAN to sizz. didn't like
to say anything, SO I waited. When Touchy
and Dlggers were quarreling among them
selves, I shouted cautiously: II think its
going to boil"
wasn't heard. The position was an
awful one. They hadn't told ne what to do
beside to tell them, and it certainly was go
ing to boil.
HMr. Nedi oh, please" cried; "it's GO
ing to boil"
"That's what we put II up there for
Touchy answered.
He always heard when one spoke TO any
ne else.