Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-02-28
A Victim Of His Clothes
By FREDERICK BURTON.

"This road goes to Trenton. Bob Tyler
my old friend Bob-lives there, and
| he'll let me have q thousand quicker
than wink II I can only reach him"
But how to do 1t? Supported by q
good dinner he would have started along
the ties cheerfully, but ferry was q
different matter. How he regretted the
extravaganza that had left him penni-
less!
Across the street from the ferry was o
little high stoop" house used as an
hotel. Lawrence had come to the con-
clusion that he must look up some char
table institution and ask for q nights
lodging. and with this purpose in mind
he entered the hotel office and asked to
see the directory. While he was consult
ing 1t q man with o concertina in his
hand dropped into a chair near him.
Hello, Billy" said the clerk to the
new arrival, where's your side partner2"
al donno," replied Billy. Guess
he's in the Jug. l haven't seen him
since the three o'clock boat this morn
ing"
"Guess I'll have to. can do tho
dancing all right, but I can't sing.
You'd better come along, Jimmy, and
| try your little song on the public"
Jimmy laughed, and it was evident
| that the offer was intended as q joke;
but 1t set Lawrence thinking. The
man with the concertina took a seat in
remote corner and appeared to be
somewhat downcast. Lawrence ap-
| preached him.
"Did I understand you to say that
you were going to give an entertain
| ment somewhere and desired q singer"
he asked.
Billy looked up with an amused stare
''Can you sing?" he inquired, mo
foolin'. now, 1 took a Teller on his
word some years ago, and when he
opened his mouth aboard the ferry-boat
the passengers came pretty near throw
in us both overheard"
'I didn't know that entertainments
| were allowed on the ferry-boats," said
| Lawrence. There was o sign prohibit
ing such things on the boat came over
in"
Don't worry about the sign" said
| Billy. al stand in with all the night
crews. Now can you sing, honest?
nuts, 1 suppose. Give us a sample. II
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 a
| moment and then gave him q short
vocal exercise somewhat pyrotechnic
| in It's charao' er, and concluding with a
| 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 Drans
had feared they might
"Say," said Billy, slowly, putting his
foroinger on the breast Of Drane's coat,
'that's great stuff. just do that a
couple of times on board the boat while
knock out little accompaniment on
the old conccrtina, and we'll pick up
big money"
Drane was elated. Here was ht7
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 q really
| competent performer He had no end
of faith in good music, and he resolved
to give the ferry boats passengers some
| thing worth hearing. The time dragged
heavily till twelve o'clock, when Billy
said the curtain could rise. Billy was o
queer s~ecimen, 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 q
| great deal more ashamed of the concer-
| tina, and afraid of it, too.
They left the hotel and boarded the
| Cwelve-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
30 thoroughly and outrageously made
up" before.
They took their positions in the well
como obscurity of the passage between
the forward and after cabins on the
ladies' side.
Wen have to wait till she starts"
said Billy. "Thats the rule, and per-
haps it's just as we'll None Of 'em can
escape after you begin to sing"
Drane shivered. I'm 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. Don'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
n A. a. y IL