The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-10-18

further questioned me as to whether did
not feel an aversion to him owing to the
villainous characters he was called upon to
portray. Ihesitated before replying, when
he went on to say:
"Confess it, my young sir, confess it, you
will not In the least offend me; l am used to
it; and, besides, your antipathy is in q
measure complimentary, as it is entirely due
to too faithful discharge of my profession
al duties" q.
Twas about to assure him that such was not
the case, but he interrupted me by saying:
''In my private life I am the mildest,
kindest disposltioned man IN the world !
turn pale at the sight of the smallest drop of
blood, and the killing Of even a poor little
fly racks my whole frame with torture. The
line of parts 1 am called upon to play" he
continued, "has been the cause Of much
annoyance to me. l am looked upon with
suspicion by all the neighbors, and am dis
trusted by every body; couldn't borrow a
tive-cent piece if my family were starving,
and though receive abundance of credit
from the newspapers for my acting, 1 get
no credit from my butcher for my meat.
s'That reminds me that once, in an IN
guarded moment, gave that animal-anat-
omist ticket to witness one of my per-
formances; our strained relations date
from that evening. As it was his initial
visit to a theater the play made a lasting
impression ON him. In the drama in ques-
ton 1 enacted thoroughly out and ont
scoundrel who had defrauded his cousin out
Of his rightful Inheritance thereby causing
the poor young man to endure life Of alb
ject poverty ending in suicide. was rev.
cling in luxury of stolen wealth compared
to which the tabled mines Of GoIconda paled
into insignificance. But, as is the custom
in all well constructed plays, the last act
put an end to my nefarious deeds; my ILL
gotten millions were taken from me, and
the long-suffering wife Of my suicidal
cousin elevated to position which was
rightly hers, while was elevated to the top
tier Of an adjacent Jail.
ION my sending my eldest daughter to
the store next morning for the matutinal
liver and bacon, the butcher requested her
to tell her papa that, if it was just as con-
venient, he would like to have the cash. l
have lost that mans confidence forever.
''When feel like indulging in little
mental relaxation, and visit book store in
search of some light reading, the proprietor
invariably suggests such literature as
why Paul Ferrol Killed His Wife, 'Mur-
der Will Out and How to Kill Time
''There is but one person, outside Of my
own family, who understands and appre-
ciates my position; he is the organist for
the little brick church in the next block.
met him the other night returning from the
theater, aud in testing way he asked me
what new villainy / had been perpetrating,
referring, Of course, to my stage duties;
laughingly, that had just killed
my wife, poisoned my three children, and
my aged grandparent over slow
fire, when was bounced upon by police
man who had overheard me, and was taken
by him to the station-house, where charge
Of wholesale murder was laid against me.
had to send for the manager Of the theater
to explain matters before the official would
release me-"
Such was the pitiful experience related
to me by this most unfortunate man, whose
name, by the way, was Lamb, q cognomen
totally at variance with his supposed blood
thirsty proclivities. I told him that he had
my deepest sympathy; he grasped my hand
and, as . tiny tear welled over his
syelids, SAID:
Thanks, my young sir. thanksl Don't
think badly Of me; somebody has got to |
play the villain, SO fate-and . deep voice
has marked me for that man"
babe him good-day, and the last I saw Of |
him he was lying on the broad of his back |
On the sitting-room floor juggling the in |
fautile Lamb in the air, much in the same |
manner that an equilibrist juggles glass |
balls, knives and lighted firebrands in the |
circus. That night he played pirate.