The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-06-27
ment somewhere and desired singer?'

| lOOllH ~DOW. bOOh lCllSI Oll hlS
word some years ago, and when he
opened his mouth aboard the ferry-boat
the passengers came pretty near throw
in us both overheard"
81 didn't know that entertainments
were allowed on the ferry-boats," said
Lawrence. ''There was sign prohibit
ing such things on the boat came over
| in"
Don't worry about the sign," said
Billy. 81 stand in with all the night
crews. Now can you sing, honest?
What do you know? All the old chest
nuts, l suppose. Give us sample. If
it's very bad I'll beg the clerks pardon,
and you won't get shot"
Drane was amused. He had a tenor
voice of good power and compass, and
excellently cultivated. He looked Billy
squarely and sternly in the eye for
moment, and then gave him short
vocal exercise somewhat pyrotechnic
in it's character and concluding with
smooth, mellow howl in the neighbor-
hood of high c. Billy and every body
else in the place jumped to their feet,
but they did not run away, as Drane
had feared they might.
"Say," said Billy, slowly, putting his
forefinger on the breast of Dranes coat,
''that's great stuff. Just do that q
couple of times on board the boat while
knock out little accompaniment on
the old concertina, and We'll pick up
BIZ money"
Drane was elated. Here was his
chance to escape from all his difficulties.
! He wondered that he had not thought
earlier of using his voice to make his
living.
He had often been affected by just
such entertainments as he now proposed
to take part in, and he had wondered
what would 'be the success of really
competent performer. He had no end
of faith in good music, and he resolved
to give the ferry-boat's passengers some
thing worth hearing. The time dragged
heavily till twelve o'clock, when Billy
said the curtain could rise. Billy was a
queer specimen, and Drane would
have felt very much ashamed of his
society under ordinary circumstances,
but now he only thanked his stars that
the fellow was no worse. He was a
great deal more ashamed of the eoncer-
tina, ald afraid of it, too.
They left the hotel and boarded the
Gwelve-o'clock boat. Drane was nervous.
He hadn't decided what to sing and he
feared the miscellaneous audience to
the last degree. He had often sung in
public, and occasionally in costumed
light opera parts, but he had never been
so thoroughly and outrageously 'made
up before.
They took their positions in the well
come obscurity of the passage between
the forward and after cabins on the
ladies' side.
''We'll have to wait till she STARTS"
said Billy. ''Thats the rule, and per-
haps it's just as well. None of 'em can
escape after you begin to sing"
Drane shivered. 'srm little nervous
about these new SONGS" Billy acknowl-
edged. ''Do you think I'd better try to
foller along or strike one chord all the
time and take my chances?'
"Billy," replied Drane, pointing to
the concertina while the cold perspi-
ration gathered on his brow, ''if you
let that thing break loose while I'm
singing I'll throw you overheard"
''Oh, I'll handle her careful" said
Billy. "Dor't you worry about me. Go
ahead now. She's started"
Billy pushed Drane out into the cabin
and then extracted few walls from the
concertina by way of prelude. When he
had finished, Drane began the we'll
known air, ''Spirito Gentil," which is
suited to high tenor voice, but not to
an audience of New Jersey people re-
turning to their homes in the dead of
night After the first few melodious notes
had agitated the air, an intoxicated citi-
zen walked up with start and shouted:
Say boss, quit that and sing something
we all know. Sing Annie Laurie"
The inebriate started his favorite
song in voice much the worse for
liquor, and both he and Drane were
having very bad time of it, when
Billy, thinking it his duty to help his
partner in distress, came to the rescue
with a concertina accompaniment,
fortissimo, which passed from one key
to another like gentleman struggling
with series of epileptic fits. Several
persons near the door escaped, and
others were on the point of following
their example. Drane kept his tune
and his temper for about minute; and
then, turning suddenly, he kicked
Billy's concertina clear to the roof of
the cabin and fled in disgust before it
came down.
When he reached the bow of the boat
she was just making landing, and in
another minute the gates were opened
and he walked ashore. He fingered
moment in tho ferry-house with the
idea of apologizing to Billy and plead
ing temporary insanity, but that indi-
vidual did not appear. The crowd
surged off the ferry-boat, and hurried
by Drane. One lady evidently recog-
nized him, for he heard her say to her
escort: "Poor fellow, his voice must
have been wonderful before he ruined
it by drink"
Riddled by this double-barreled in
suit, Drane hung his head and made off
up street, which runs parallel with the
Pennsylvania tracks for few blocks.
At the first crossing he turned to the
light and passed over the confusion of
'ails at the imminent risk of his life.
There is no more dangerous place on the
face of the earth, but Drane was in
condition of mind where collision with
shifting engine would have been re-
lief to his feelings.
A freight train was being made up on
side track, and Drane crawled along
in the shadow of it till he came to car