Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1890-03-08
A TRIUMPH.
BY WATSON GRAY.


had one, the nearest approach to any.
thing of the kind being our old black
nurse. Dinah; and, as far as she was
concerned, I can't fatter myself that
my boyish escapades were considered
as even approaching the heroic. But
despite the disadvantages which ire
pressibly prosaic childhood labOrs un-
der in attaining the character of an idol
of romance, by a fortuitous circum-
stance I managed to surmount them all,
and for the few years which followed
(ere l emerged from the grub state OF
jackets into the chrysalis one of tails" }
I deemed my right to he thought such
Unassailable.
NV grandfather was a stern old man
even at this distance of time, seem to
hear, with undefinable awe. his deep
toned summons for the cane, on those
occasions when he fancied present
physical suffering the best means of Sc
curing my future moral happiness.
And though the hand that dealt those
kindly cruel blows has long since
pslsied in the grave, it needs no strong
effort of fancy to recall the Damoclean
feelings with which gazed on that up
lifted rod. had just come home from
my weeks holiday at Christmas from a
bosrding-school. The tedious, leaden-
footed days, which had preceded that
period had been spent by my friend,
Ote Irving (son of neighboring friend
of grandfather's) and myself in prepar-
ing a grand dramatic performance, to
take place on the time-hallowed boards
of our parlor.
In conjunction with some other
young aspirants for dramatic fame re-
siding in the vicinity, we had pitched on
> melOdrama of the conventional blood
thirsty type as the most eligible way of
displaying our conventional histrionic
talent. Long and anxious consulta-
tions had taken place in the dead of
night in our dormitory regarding the
interesting details of our momentous
enterprise. Stormy and fierce were the
debates as to the greater desirability of
ten cents expenditure in green fire for
the thrilling climax, or as to the advan-
tage of that sum being invested in horse
hair, for the "crime-stained villains"
beard. Indeed, on one occasion, a re-
sort to blows seemed imminent, when
Ote and were each firmly persuaded of
the others incGpacity to play the chival-
Tic-minded false heir, who after having
been killed in the terrible combat (real
swords y of the third act, appears as a
beneicient apparition in the final scene,
and blesses everybody to the plaintive
strains of an accordion! Rehearsals in
Vulnerable were constantly taking place,
and to such height did the dramatic
furore reach, that from our extraor-
binary manner of performing the most
common acts of everyday life, our mas
ter grew seriously alarmed and dubious
IS to our sanity.
At length came the long looked for
day, bringing a short respite from
scholastic horrors. To us (who, proud
IN the consciousness of having a real
drama in perspective, were inclined to
treat anything not strictly theatrical
with contempt the speeches, songs, and
general milk-andwatery nature of the
usual entertainments at such times
seemed stale, fiat, and Improbable.
1t was with heart beating high in
hope and pride that, the morning after
my arrival home, walked toward my
grandfathers sanctum, to reveal our
darling-cherished project, and to obtain
his sanction and countenance for the
forthcoming arrangements. Hitherto
he had been inclined to treat my favor
lite pastimes as being vulgar, and now I
felt almost dignified at the thought of
the joyous surprise he would manifest
on learning the ennobling turn my mind
had taken. In few moments my plans
we're divulged; and was hastily plung-
ing into a chaotic mass of details. about
the alteration of the parlor to suit so
magnificent an occasion, when the gruff
voice of my relation speedily put to
fight my rose-colored visions:
What! play-acting and all that rub
hish-turning the house upside down
taking the carpet up in the parlor-only
eleven of you. Well, upon my soul ]
Give me my camel
It is needless to say did not hasten
my fate. But alas! too few moments
elapsed before my aching shoulders and
aversion to recumbent posture warned
me against dreams of melo-drama In my
boyhoodIs home.
Moodily, with red eyes, and general
feeling of blueness, I went out to ac-
quaint friend Ote of the abrupt extin-
guisher our hopes had received. By
him was met with every demonstration
OF pity, on recounting my martyrdom
N the Thespian cause. Bitterly
did we revile with school-boy vehe-
mence the puritanical obtuseness with
which grandfather refused to see the
enlightening effects of the domestic
drama At length, however, we con-
eluded wisely that vituperation was of
no hep to our plans; so with much
cogltation We resolved ourselves into a
committee of two, two discuss ways and
means Ultimately, it was decided that
good nstured farmer Whose son was
IN our school and one of the players)
should be asked to further our views in
the matter OF stage Comforted some
Shat Dy having fixed course resolved