The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-08-04


OF paper in his possession and, as it was
root hog or die in Arkadelphia with his
attraction, he determined to put it all
up BY the issuing of two more comps
he secured one side of the leading drug
store-thc side being built Of clap
boards, very old and warped. No bill
poster was TO be had and the agent,
after much explanation, made a bar
gain with the one restaurant man of the
town to make -four paste at the rate Of
two bits per pail payable in tickets at
Their full value. No suitable brush was
to be found and an old broom was
finally pressed into service. Next two
small boys were hired on promise Of
a ticket apiece and, mounting a step
ladder, the fndefatigable agent bespat-
tered himself from head to foot in put
ting up the paper. 1t was hard work,
and, before night, his back was nearly
=broken.-He had the doubtful honor,
however, of being followed about by
nearly the entire colored population of
the town, who gaped in admiring won
der at the gaudily-colored paper and
the agents ingenuity in utilizing the
Old broom. ~
The paper up, the reserved scat sale
was arranged and the town s.dodgered"
with small bills This brought on
another night The next morning was
passed by the agent in bed, as he was
almost paralyzed with WEAKNESS Aris-
ing at noon he, proceeded to talk shop
the only method now left him to
further excite the populace. He talked
all afternoon, rapidly and necessarily,
to anyone and everyone who would
listen to him, until, at night. he
ran across the leader of the town
band, with whom he made decker to
have the band play in front Of the ope-
ra house in consideration of their be-
ing admitted free and one extra ticket
apiece. The following day at noon the
company was due, and at eleven o'clock
the agent reached the depot, mile out OF
town, and, seated in the midst of will
derness of cotton bales, waited. By the
time the train'was due his thoughtswere
suicidal, as, after mentally summing
up the company's expenses in the town
and comparing the sum with the prob
able business, he could see nothing but.
overwhelming disaster for the doomed
players. On the other hand rose the
uncertainty of their coming, as he had
left them playing to very small houses
and the chances were that they could
not raise money enough to leave Little
Rock. However, to his unspeakable
relief, the train finally pulled in with
two members of the organization sa-
luting him through the windows. His
doleful misgivings were partly realized
when but eight members of the com
pany stepped off the train. They ex-
planned that "Our Boys" could be done
with eight people and, as a clincher,
they added that no more of the compa-
ny could have come anyway, as getting
the eight there had been a pinch. Pro-
ceeding up to and striking the main
Street the company were greeted by the
extensive and gaudy billing-the most
novel their eyes ever rested upon. Man
tell, Davenport, Barrett, Rose Coghlan,
Mccullough. calvin Joslin," Julia Mar
lowe, Sothern, Annie Ward Tiffany,
Seaman, Mary Anderson, O'Neill.
Keene, Robson, Rhea, Sully, and host
of others equally we'll known. stared
them in the face from every point of
vantage-all to appear in "Our Boys"
that evening. The sale at seven o'clock
amounted to six dollars and half with
prices at fifty cents and one dollar.
Proceeding, after an early supper, to
the temple Of last resort, the company
arranged the stage and assisted the
Pooh Bah of the theater to light up.
This was a simple affair, as foot-lights,
side-lights and all other lights consisted
of tallow candles The manager and
agent took their stand at the head Of
the ancient stairway, and awaited the
publics pleasure. Two rickety chairs
and an old dry-goods box comprised the
box office. The discordant footing OF
the band without distracted any sad or
apprehensive thoughts they might have
entertained as to the immediate future,
and at SIS p. m. forty-four dollars had
accumulated - just about enough to
square all debts of the agents contract,
ingS3n the town outside of board bills
and return trip to Little Rock. AS they
were obliged to go ahead the manager
disappeared back upon the stage and
preceded the entertainment by appear
ing in front of the curtain and diplo-
matically explaining how it happened
that twenty artists were billed and but
eight would appear. After thoroughly
mystifying and muodling the audience
he retired, made up and ''Our Boys"
was presented.
Arriving at the hotel after the per-
Torrance council of war was held
Their total cash consisted of not quite
seven dollars-this total being made up
from their slight pocket change and the
few dollars remaining of the door re-
ceipts of the night. They had, after
breakfast next morning, when they
hoped to leave for Little Rock, an eight
dollar board bill to meet. Then came
the difficulty of railroad fares. Not
much, to be sure, but they had it not.
At this gloomy hour the agent, sudden
ly recovering from Q brown study,
darted from the roomsand shortly re-
turned bringing with him the marshal,
to whom, in the presence of the entire
company, he appealed in long and af-
fccting speech relating to their pecu-
mary standing.
The marshal never weakened until
the agent pathetically referred to the
ladies of the company, three in number;
when he produced one-half of the rent
money-ten dollars-and gave 1t to the
agent on behalf of the company, good
naturally undertaking to see the matter
explained to the owner. Next morning
at about 1890 o'clock the company,
after paying all Indebtedness, departed
for Little Roclx,@where their tale of woe
was soon told to the remainder of the
now stranded players. A week passed
and the town knew them no more.
Inside pockets" were delved into, and
this took away the ladies and about one
third of the men the first day-some
going home and others to the various
dramatic agencies in, New York and
Chicauo A half dozen more ket1f the