San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-04-18


them that they were nearing Baltimore.
Hurry up, good people!" cried Sophia
I'VE mustn't lose this lunchr'
''Oh, take your time, ladies'" said Jim,
blandly. 'You can stay in the car as
long as you like. We are switched off
here on to siding"
''Oh, to be sure, replied Sophia, laugh
ing. Il forgot we were not common
folk"
And now the conductor entered. not to
collect tickets-perish such a plebeian
thought!-but to pay his respects to the
ladies and explain to Stevens the return
| schedule. In another moment the train
came to standstill in the station, when
the party found occupation in looking
| out and down on the anxious, hurrying
people, till pert little bantam locomo-
| tive came Tuning up behind and drew
the car away from the train and to and
fro across the switches till it was snugly
deposited on siding. Here, beyond the
noise and rush of trade, lunch was fin
ished, and an hour of waiting "killed"
| by an exhibition of card tricks by Mr..
Quire, most of them ancient enough to
| have been invented by Noah to relieve
| the tedium of those forty rainy evenings
| in the ark, but still fresh and bewilder-
| ing to each new and unsophisticated
| generation.
| ut is very surprising" said Miss So
phia; and then she turned to Florence
and whispered: But after all like Mr..
Stevens magic bestw
| Floy laughed and admitted that she
did too. Its like the Arabian Nights"
she cried aloud. II believe the old Man
is really what-d'- you-call-' em-a genie,
and that Mr.. Stevens has a ring or q
| pitcher somewhere that he rubs slyly.
Then the genie comes running up and
says: What do you want this time, MIR.
StevensY and he says: Well, bring me
| picnic to Baltimore for six'-and there
it isl
The group laughed at this fanciful pict-
ure, and henceforth the "Old Man" be-
came genie, while Floy dubbed Mr..
Stevens Aladdin. Evidently, he had
ceased to be, in her eyes, simply like
everybody else.
Rub your lamp, Mr.. Aladdin she
exclaimed. Its time the genie was
making the opera house and the singers
and players"
JIM" said hlad7i,, ~rayely, "are the
carriages res ~
| waiting >iv!' VI. the re&p onse.
| "Why, | d, see him rub it," ex-
claimed Sophia.
The lieutenant put up his pack of cards
with shrug Of comic despair. Il con-
fess l can't compete" he said.
| The party now drew on their wraps
and coats and, leaving Jim on guard IN
the car, crossed the tracks to the hack
stand where, sure enough, two fine car
riage were waiting their pleasure; and,
entering them, the visitors were soon
put down before the theatre, and joined
the throng who were pressing in
Look at those poor common people
crowding and pushing around the box
Office" said Miss Sophia, with tip tilted
nose. 81 think you are real generous,
Aladdin, to let these people in at any
price"
''Oh, brilliant audience is part of .
good play, explained Stevens. Those
are all toy people. ordered 5000 from
lie genie.
''Oh, forgot" observed the abashed
Sophia.
THAT is such perfect imitation of .
doorkeeper on ahead" remarked Mr..
| Quire dryly, that just to keep up tho
| illusion I'd hand him some tickets" .
"Oh, certainly; if it would please you"
replied Stevens, and after fantastic in
cantation he produced them. "Hsre they
are" he exclaimed. "Now-open ses-
ame!" And in they all went very mrriiy.
The group were but nicely seated when
the leader of the orchestra tapped and
raised his own magic wand, and at the
summons another and a nobler magic
came, the witchcraft of genius, the magic
| of the soul shining through expressive
art, binding the soft, fresh hearts, sweet
| ly disturbed, in fairy spell
Don't rub for anything more, please"
exclaimed Miss Sophia when it was over.
eve got all can hold; anything more
would only run over and be wasted"
"Well, you might get US home" inter
posed Windward. cts late, and it's .
little far to walk"
GAS you please" said Aladdin. So,
when they got to the street again, they
found the carriages duly IN waiting, and
were driven back in them to the palace
on the siding; and very warm and bright
and snug it was chat bleak, black win
ter's night. Jim was on hand, of course,
| and to complete their happiness mid
night banquet on the sideboard awaited
spoliation.
Yes, all were happy, and yet just one