The Wahpeton times., 1890-10-23
g ONLY ] AN |, ACTOR.
From che Yankee Blade. Z
"Here comes the stage"

CSnle out VI Iue S1ien House, Cinnibar.
in q body.
The ladies, of which there were two
took their places first and the gentle.
men OF the party followed.
''Now Elsie" said Miss Jemima
Warde, to her pretty niece, "I shall
be exceedingly displeased with YOU if
you continue to converse with that
actor"
"Dear me, aunt" replied her niece.
vivacious brunette of eighteen, II
think it is downright cruel of YOU to
forbid that; for long journey in a
stage.eoach would be in tolerable if
one did not have such agreeable COM
pany. And am sure Mr.. blackstone
keeps us all amused and is very civil
and respectful to you. 1 like him
ever so much"
Swell, we'll. if that don't beat all
He is a low, common actor, and I do
not wish you to become familiar with
him."
"Oh aunty: IS it familiarity to ex.
change q few pleasant words with
him? He has rendered all good serv-
ice from his knowledge and experience
OF travelling since we left Nlissoula,"
"For my part" observed Mr.. Tom
Warde, a spruce young gentleman Of
seventeen, dressed up to kill and hold
ing and ivoryhca'lcd cane in a foppish
manner peculiar to the dude of our
day, II think he's q deuced iolly .fel
low, sis; but then you know he is only
an actor and may be gambler.
Keep these chaps at q distance, YOU
know, tbs the safest way"
l think Tom," said his sister with q
slight curl of her ripe lips, II think
you might take some lessons in polite
ness from him.
"All mall in" shouted the driver.
"Why where's that there jolly actor
chap;
All the company looked about them,
but the actor had disappeared.
eve can't 90 without him." said q
pleasant faced old minor present, and
the entire party murmured
their assent.
at that moment an old man ap.
peared at the door of the inn. lie
seemed to be in the last stage of de.
crepitude, and his snowy white hair
streamed down about his shoulders.
He hobbled slowly and painfully to-
ward the coach, crying IN snrill, pip.
ing tone.
''Hold on! hold on there driver, I've
paid my fare and l shall not allow
myself to be cheated out of it. Oh,
dear, dear! hold on there, driver.
Stop the coach! Hold ON there,
say"
either coach aint movin' old fel-
ler." said the driver with r. broad
grin, which was reflected in the faces of
the passengers, adding: "Tm blest if
you 60 in this coach, though. Why
how did you get hyar, eh? You
didn't come along in this wehicle!"
''Yes l did; yes 1 did," piped the
man. 81 have my ticket, i came in
this coach and l have my ticket" he
repeated.
The passengers looked teach other,
while the old man, who had now hob
bled to the side OF the coach. stood
dancing from one foot to the other,
and .making feeble attempts TO put
his foot on the coachstep. balking
himself each time. He certainly had
not come on that coach. but he held
ticket in his quivering hand and
corfi,,,nl - ff,p ,,,l>;
"Oh, it's going, going. lean Is get in,
and 1t will go without me. can't get
in. 1t will run over me. Oh, dear!
oh, dear! oh, dear! Here's my ticket.
l came in the COACH"
"Poor old man." murmured Elsie
Warde, compassionately. "Can'tyou
let him in, driver?"
"He don't seem ter be able ter git
in himsel:, miss. Thar won't be no
room tor him if that actor chap gifts
back. can't help laughing; the old
creetur would make u cat laugh. Ha-
ha-ha"
Indeed he was a ridiculous object,
and in spite OF the pity due to his
extreme age and decrepitude. the pas.
sengers smiled, and Master Tom brok
out into n lOud lau9n.
"For shame, Toni" cried his sister
but Tom said, stoutly:
"This poor old .beccar will be q pool
exchange for that Jolly fellow Hack
stone. Hadn't somebody better 80
and hunt for the actor?"
His suggestion was acted upon by
two of the inmates OF the coach, but
the actor could not be found. So.
with great deal of trouble, the old
man was hoisted into the coach,
where he sat shaking and blinking ut
the rest of them ond giving sharp
1Tf' Tom qasSted IL @ his liss regret 0t for the ex-
change of passengers, for the old man
was as much d source of entertain
ment as the actor WIS. After much
fumb!ing he produced q pair OF spec
tacles and began trying to read his
ticket.
The spectacles fell off his nose
Master Tom picked them up and
handed them to him, but the trem-
bling hand OF the new passenger jerked
them away again to the other end OF
the coach. Then one of the glasses
fell out, and on recovering it he care.
fully placed it in his vest pocket and
continued to look through the empty
ring with as much satisfaction as be.
fore. Then be began eissling and
laughing to himself in the most alb.
surd manner. setting all the passen.
gers in perfect roar.
After awhile, to the extreme aston.
isllment of the company, and the III
finite disgust OF Miss Jemlma, he was
discovered ogling and winking at that
io, ~, n Il o,n