The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-08
THE DRUMMER'S WIFE.
He Won Her Incidentally While
Gaining Experience.

81 am q young man in years, but
I've had a good deal of experience
from my youth up, and if keep on I'll
be kind of a Msthuselah at seventy"
he said, thoughtfully.
! We We're sitting at the theater wait
ing for the first act, and my compan-
ion was commercial traveller whom
/ had met at the hotel. He was a
genial. jolly fellow, a good taller and
well read; we had come to enjoy
each others company, and were at
the theater together very naturally,
indeed.
Have you had any romantic expe-
riences?" I asked, hoping TO hear
something novel.
We'll, yes, good many" he re-
turned, refectively; "but my first
business venture was as romantic as
any thing that ever happened to me. l
got my wife on account of itr'
81 should like to hear about it, if you
care to disclose such personal affair"
j remarked.
YES, l would just as lief tell
it as not while we are wait
ing. l always call it our Shake
spearean Marriage it's a queer story,
tool" He paused Tor moment us if to
select convenient way to commence,
then continues:
when my class graduated from the
Icrh sol, ~,
74-we all wanted to do something
out of the ordinary and decided that
we.would give d play of some sort at
commencement.
1--WE appointed a committee to look
up the matter, and they reported in
favor of a comedy, with a recommen-
dation that AS You Like 1T be Sc
lected; SO AS You Like It it was
you We read it, of course?"
assured him that it was my ia
vorite comedy.
"Well," he resumed, ''some OF us
fellows drew lots for roles and
Orlando came TO me; that suited me
first rate, for liked sentiment, and
love scenes, and wrestling and so
forth. There was q girl in the class
named Lilley Heynum--Jove! but she
was as pretty as picturc!-and they
chose her for Rosalind; the other
parts were distributed at random.
! 1--WE rchcarscd d good deal and
when finally graduation day came we
were in good form and played well for
amateurs, and the whole town turned
out to see Us.
"Now, the beginning of the end is
this: Lilley Hcynum icll in love with
me. and she did all her tender parts
with Orlando in good, solid earnest so
that any one could notice it, but l
didn't. was in love with Alice Cas-
sci. and shouldn't have paid any atten-
ton to Lilley if l had known she loved
me, but had no idea Of such 81 thing.
When Il fellow is in love with enc girl
he don't feel like flirting with any one
that comes along you ever notice
thatp"
l presumed it was So
''W hen | got my diploma | was al
most too important to live; if you ever
graduated you know how that is, and
when my father offered me clerkship
in his store wouldn't take it. / told
him that had gotten some education
and wanted to use it. and what was
more, [ wanted to see the world. GIVE
seen enough of it sinceD So when l
saw an advertisement for insurance So
licitors to do work down in Connecti-
cut i lived in Massachusetts i
jumped at the chance and applied for
aplace.
1.-The fellow who called himself
general agent for some big life in
surance company was slick scouudrel,
but l was guileless and thought he
was as honest as the angels. He told
me that they paid twenty dollars a
week salary and expenses, and thst
there was nothing much to do but can
vass town. report applicants for pol
icies to him Che did the underwriting),
and draw my pay.
.sThat looked like a wonderful
chance to get something for nothing,
and ! told him to give mo town and
I'd start the next day. When told
my father, he objected and said
shouldn't go, so l, like a fool boy. ran
away; but forgot to say that before
] left Pittsville-that was my home-I
called on Alice Cassel and clinched
matters there, got engaged in regular
style. BY Jove! and when got rich