Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1889-10-11
LIMA FENT0N'S LOVER.


1t was Christmas time in St Giles
workhouse. aud there was quite large
party of It's engaged in waiting on the
old people and in administering to their
creature comforts. We gave them a sort
of entertainment afterward-songs, reci-
tations. some amateur con juring and in
strumental music After the dinner
came the entertainment. and just before
the entertainment an ounce of tobacco
or snuff, whichever they pleased, was
presented TO each inmate. AS handed
the tray containing the little packet he
stretched out II shaking hand and thank
ed me in a voice which seemed familiar.
IL think we must have met before. my
friend" | said.
"Lor' bless you Mr.. Nibbs!" said he.
II used to see you most every night be-
fore my misfortune; my misfortune has
brought me here" he added YEARLY.
Il don't remember your face" an
swered. and yet seemed to have seen it
before.
"My face is about all that is left of
me" he replied, and then he did very
extraordinary thing-he blew out his
cheeks, he screwed up his mouth, his
eyes seemed nearly to start from his
head. and his scalp, which was Covered
with scanty locks of gray hair, began to
work up and down with a sort of me-
chanical movement. and then he uttered
the extraordinary words. Here we are
again.
Good graciousr' said l; "why. it's
Molino."
THAT'S me, sir" he said. "or what's
left of me"
Igot rid of my tray of tobacco and
snuff and then | came back to the old
man. He wasn't an old man in years,
but he looked 20 at the least. We had
been rivals once, Moline and |. When
l first began writing for the stage, and
began at 90, did good many things
for the bird of Prey" was glad to
write a comic song for a guinea.
knew what poverty was, but was per-
fectly happy, for l was in love with an
angel. And so was Moline. was no
a
somebody, for he was 1.-THE great little
Moline" the celebrated clown. and of us
two she certainly preferred Moline. There
was no doubt about her preference, for
she was engaged to be married to him.
and then, knowing how the case stood.
], as an honest man, gave up my suit.
And then lost sight of her for some
years, and Moline dropped out of my
memory altogether. She was certainly
the most graceful dancer | have ever
seen. The school of dancing at the
BIRD of Prey" used to be quite an insti-
tuition, and it was a tradition there that
the best dancer always played Columbus
at Christmas. Talk about the poetry of
motion-talk about aerial grace and
rhythmic movement. Never before nor
since have seen such dancing as Lina's,
and don't believe | ever shall if live to
be a hundred. Other people thought so,
too, and they didn't keep Lima Fenton
long at the Bird of Prey" She came
to the West End. She played at the
Peristyle, she got a speaking part, she
rose to be the stock chambermaid of the
establishments; then she made a hit in
melodrama: then she married million
aire; then her millionaire smashed up,
and Lima Fenton now plays aristocratic
old woman and honestly earns her $500
a year.
But at the time | am speaking of
Lima Fenton was not an old woman; she
was, repeat, an angel. thought so,
Moline thought so, and so did the British
public.
"You heard how | came to grief, sir, |
SUPPOSE" he said. ut was along of
beer"
"Why, you was a most sober man." |
remarked.
"Aye." he replied. Barley water
was my drink in those days, sir. A
clown don't do much good unless he is
sober man; but ii wasn't the beer
drank. sir, that settled me; it was the
beer | had TO give to other people.
Glowing was very different thing in
those days, sir, wasn't it? Why, there
wasn't house in London as didn't run
ITS pantomime; and it was the comic
business they went to see. sir, then, and
not the ballets and the professions and
the gentlemen and ladies from the music
halls They used to go to hear me sing
Hot Codlins' and 'Tippety Witchet;'
aye, and got a treble encore for 'em
every night, too, as you know, sir.
Where are the clowns gone to nowadays,
sir? can tell you" he said, in solemn
whisper: ito the workus, sir; that's
where they're gone Why, there's three
on us here It's the music halls that did
it. If the public sees Glowing all the
year round there. and uncommonly bad
too. they don't want to see it
at Christmas. and that's the secret. /
don't suppose there was happier man
in the whole profession" he continued
sadly than was when was playing
in Harlequin Fe-fo-fum had saved
money had furnished little house
in Huston. and we were TO be married
in ). Elk, Lima and |. The pantomime
had ouly three more nights to run, and
LUKE the Laborer, and The Murder
at tin. Red Barn were billed for the fol-
lowin. Monday. | had a big jump
thro,,,,t, a cInck fapa In tho caponl sepuc