Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-04-18
THEIR FIRST PLAY.

HELIX FIltOI TLAl,
When jackson jefferson Bingham took
10 play acting Mrs. Bingham car lied ON
most awful. She and the minister they
believed that there warn't no chance Of
play actors goin' to heaven. However.
the rest Of the family sort of felt that,
SEEM there weren't much chance be-
fore for jackson Jefferson. If folks con-
duct has anything to do with It, there
wus 40 need Of Lein' too despairin'. Mrs.
bingham could go ON heyin' prayers put
up for him jest as she always had, and If
ho should send free tickets, onie Of the
FOLKS Thought they'd go and see him.
They hadn't none Of them never been
into a theayter. and they felt they'd like
70 zee what il was hko ef it didn't cost
nothing. The young folks was all on
that side, and GURUS enough, Granper
Whitaker he was with EN-.
1--WE led a pious life" grandper said,
fur nigh about seventy-five year.. ]
guess I'm fixed all right in the other
world. and If ! don't hurry l won't never
have no fun here"
So when jeiF did send the tickets
Erandpcr and Eben and Hammer and Jane
they all started down TO town: and Jane
she took Il bag Of ~crullers. and Eben he
took a HANDKERCHIEF of apples. and Han
ner size took a bottle of lemonade. for
there was nothin' grandper liked so much
us hevin' "A good time. and there's no
telling what you get in those New York
restaurants besides flies. and when Cousin
Phincas had dinner there once lie saw n
waiter rub up the sugar basin with his
pockit ankurchuff.
We'll. we felt real pleased TO sec
Grandper 30 clipper. Did | tell you !
was goin' along tn? I'm Belinder; and
we Jest out up awful! And as we wus
a-goin through the village TO the station
~grandper held up his head like he wus on
parade. and when anybody stopped t.
say. why. how dye do? Where be you
goin. Grandper Whitaker" he ups and
boilers right out. I'm agoin' tn take the
BOYS and gals up tn town II the theayter.
fur tn see my grandson, jackson Jeffer-
SON, perform"
You see. %grandper was q perfesser, and
he'd walked upright all his life, and
kuowed he WIS jest about as good as any
az en-. ef not %considorbul better.
Every now and then granGper would
turn his hcad-gidndpcThad q real talent
fur uuruin' lis head clear round SO il,
lonkod as IF il growed back ward-and
say;
Tell ycu. folks see we air on u spree
and I reckon they wish they could 60
nlong!
So we went ahead, looLin fur the tents.
Graudper said theaytcrs always played
in tents. But we didn't see one nor no
place fur none; but all of II sudden we
came to a great, splendid house with the
name of the theayter we wanted to Gee
up all over il. and great pictures ut the
door. and u policeman standin' 10y tie
lamp posts.
Grandper looks around ag in and seq he.
"Ebcn. | reckon things is got more iixy
sence | wus a hoy and went to the circus
and got whacked for doia' it when l go
home. They ve got their theayter into q
house, ard sure enough, the policeman
said tho tickets wus fur that place, anC
We went in.
a young gentleman, all fixed up like
he wus goin 20 get married, showed u
some seats. Grandper he sot down OF
the outside one
"GoldaFned If it don't look like meet
in'r- seq he. bat there's a band, an,
way and pretty soon i. began TO play
but we didn't sec nOthin', only a little boz
standin' on some steps jest as ef he wa
goin' to come down but felt skeored, unit
all of a sudden Up he went in the aill
wus so started | shruck right out; bu
Jane she said she thought first of it wa
a big shade with a boy painted onto il
And then we could see straight int
somebody's front parlOr, and there wa
the help a talkin' to herself and sayir
all sorts Of things about the family, The
the door bell rang and in came our Jack
son jefferson! ] never wus s. surprises
in my lifei lie wus all fixed up. and Ia
didn't take no more notice of as than e
we waren't there. In a minute | say
why: he'd come to call on a young lady
and wus 50 taken up by her he hadn'
eyes fur nobody else. ! didn't mind, bu
Jane did. They sot on a sofa and talke'
until in come an old gentleman and askel
jackson jefferson what he wus there fur
and told him be didn't want no low dow.
pOor folks comm after his daughter.
Now. there amt nothin' hres grandpe
up so IS anybody loOkin' down o. hi
family. and he riz up from his seat lik
aaash. he IS six feel two 70 grandpeI
and his hair is white ana grows rea
long. lie Kin be seen quite q distoncG
Everybody looked at him so pleased the.
had to laugh.
''Hullo. your says lie. you, ! near
alliug 70 Jackson jefferson Is ei he WI