Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-06-20
THE DRUMMER'S WIFE.
He Won Her Incidentally While
Gaining Experience.


Gaining Experience.
81 am young man in years, but
I've had good deal of experience
from my youth up. and if keep on I'll
be kind of a Methuselah at seventy"
he said, thoughtfully.
We were sitting at the theater watt
ing for the first act, and my compan-
ion was commercial traveller whom
] had met at the hotel. He was
genial. jolly fellow, good talker 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?" asked, hoping to hear
something novel,
well. yes, a good many" he re-
turned. reflectively; ''but my first
business venture was as romantic as
any thing that ever happened to me. I
got my wife on account of it!'
Il should like to hear about it, if you
care to disclose such a personal affair.""
remarked
Eyes, 1 would just as lief tell
It as not while we are wait
ing. l always call it our Shake
spearean Marriage it's queer story,
tool" He paused for moment as if to
select convenient way to commence,
then continued:
when my class graduated from the
High school-let's see-that was in
T4-we all wanted to do something
out of the ordinary and decided that
we would give a play of some sort at
commencement.
I'VE appointed a committee to look
up the matter, and they reported in
favor of a comedy, with a recommen-
dalton that AS You Like It. be Sc
lected; SO AS You Like It. it was
you've 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 girl in the class
named Lilley Heynum-Jove! but she
was as pretty as picture!-and they
chose her for Rosalind; the other
parts were distributed at random.
1--WE rehearsed a good deal and
when finally graduation day came we
were in good form and played we'll for
amateurs, and the whole town turned
out to see us.
''Now, the beginning of the end is
this: Lilley Heynum fell 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 had known she loved
me. but had no idea of such thing
When fellow is in love with one girl
he don't feel like flirting with any one
that comes along-did you ever notice
that?"
presumed it was so.
when l got my diploma l was al
most too important to live; if you ever
graduated you know how that is, and
when my father offered me a clerkship
in his store wouldn't take it. told
him that had gotten some education
and wanted to use it and what was
more. l wanted to see the world. Give
seen enough of it sinceD So when ]
saw an advertisement for insurance So
licitors to do work down in Connect.
cut Il lived in Massachusetts, u
jumped at the chance and applied for
place.
1.-The fellow who called himself
general agent for some big life in.
surance company was slick scoundrel,
but l was guileless and thought he
was as honest as the angels. He told
me that they paid twenty dollars 3
week salary and expenses. and tina,
there was nothing much to do but can
vass a town. report applicants for pol
icies to him Che did the underwriting)
and draw my pay.
THAT looked like q wonderful
chance to get something for nothing,
and / told him to give me town and
I'd start the next day. When told
5 my father, he objected and said
shouldn't 60. so !, like fool boy. rar
away; but forgo. to say that before
] left Pittsville-that was my home-l
called on Alice Cassel and clinchei
matters there, got engaged in regular
sBla By Jove! and when l got ricl