The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-02-28
OVER THE BORDER.
CHAPTER III.
HOW RALPH SOUGHT FORTUNE

HOW hAisfh SOOGHf FORTUNE
young mans walk from Warkwor,l
ali the way TO London cannot fail to lr
full Of interest and adventure
There were wagoners TO talk with
friendly hawkers ~hom the people cal
muggers and flaws OF thinkers who al,
too often robbers and pilferers also ia
mers their wives and daughters calf!
&.Overs carriers honest sailors wi
would scorn to rob upon the highway T.
their way to join ship and pleasant lit,
country towns every eight OF ten mile
where one could rest and talk and drln
tankard of cool small beer Then as
was early summer when there are fan
going on in many places the roads j.
some parts were full of the cara vans al,
the show people whom Ralph found M
only "a curious and int esting folk b
also friendly and inclined to convers;
ton with a stranger who was not riva
who was ready to offer q tankard VII
admired without stint or envy the PR
clous things they had TO show and VIII
watched with delight unbounded and be-
lief profound the curious tricks arts
articles and accomplishments by whicl
they secured a precarious livelihood
Ralph walked with them along the road
and heard then stories He also Learned
some of the strange language in whicL
they talk to each other when minded MOI
10 be understood 10y the bystanders
When they came 70 thelI destination
ahG sci up their canvas booths he stayec
too and enjoyed the fun of the fan
There were lotteries also you could pa,
III and draw everywhere all day long
there were prizes OF srxpence and prlze.
of SO he put in sometimes he wol.
tut oftener he lost which is generally til,
way With sportsnen and those who wal
upon the Goddess OF Chance At Thu
Capua or Paradise of Pleasures whlcl
was then. and Is still called Grantham
Ralph had well nigh taken step whici
would have made his story much less IL.
teresilng TO us though perhaps fuller %
incident For he made acquaintance
being youth Of innocent heart and apt I,
believe in the honesty and virtue of every
body with the company of PLAYERS Nov
it happened first that the troop WEI
sadly III want of young actor if only /,
play up To the manager daughter ana
secondly that this young lady who wa
as beautiful as the day and a. vlvacIol!,
Us Mrs Bracegirdle (she afterward ocean.
u most famous London actress and MA.
ried HI aged early cast eyes of favor oi
the handsome lad longed very much TO,
nlo Rn,,a,
Othello to her DeSdemOna or any othe,
part in which the beauty of handsonl.
woman is SET of bv the beauty OF a hand
some fellow a thing which very few act
resses can understand they think which
is IA great mistake that il is better fol
them TO be the only well favored creature
Oh the stage Wherefore the manager
took Ralph aside privately and offered
him retreshment either ale OF rlmbo OF
Barba,!oes water with tobacco If he chose
and had serious conversation with him
providing al his victuals and those as
abundant as the treasury would allow
AND d salary say five shlillIgs a week to
begin IN d few months as soou as he had
learned 10 act and 10 teach HIM The rudl
principal parts and ms own daughter 10
play up TO and possible prospect of ap
pearing al prury Lane
Ii was tempting offer the stage-even
the stage IN d Uarn seemed splendid TO
the I'd the voice and manner OF the man
agei were seductive more seductive still
WAS the voice Of his daugi,e, When she
Inf ind t.,, ~. ha
tle,i and could not say heI nay When
she laid heI pretty hand upon his and
begged him To stay with them and be her
Romeo what cuvld he reply, Yet he re
U!eutereO III time that he was or his way
10 seek his fortune that the troupe were
obviously out al elbows ali horribly poor
and apparently badly fed that TO fall in
hove With all actress was not the begin
ning he had conleI. plated and that Drusy
for her part would certainly not conslde,
Ii stro!Ing actor lite a. the most honora
tile III the world He took a resolution
be Would think nc more upon those linpId
eyes he hardened his heart he would ty
lie Oh dy tut moi before the young
actress who was already beyond his own
age and oHgh, 10 have known better had
laid nef arms around his neck and kissed
farewell with many tears 10 hei first love
who would not love her in return But
her father was not dIspleared and SAID
speaking more from business point oil
View than ont OF paierlla! tenderness that
She would act The better Ton the lit,ie dis
aploint ment and that II does item good
when they are young to ieel something Of
what they are always pretending Said it
put back bone INTO their attit udes and
real tears IN their eyes Nothing on the