The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-09
CHAPTER II.
AUNTY DAVIES HAS A CHARGE.


large man, with large smooth face, a
large and seedy silk hat tipped over one
ear, a lightweight overcoat trimmed ire
mendously about the collars and cuffs
with cheap fur, loud checked pants,
frayed at the bottom and badly spotted,
low shoes, and in his hand big cane.
You stay there an they won't bite
you" said the lad ill-humoredly.
"GOOd Joke once, but back date now.
Come over here-want to ask YOU some
thing-so you didn't catch anything, Ell?
Have cigarette ," said the stranger all
in one breath.
No. sir" said the lad, little Modified,
however. by the offer.
"My son, how old are you-and your
came is-?"
Twelve, an my names Ira Davies, but
they call me Stubby."
What's the pop. of this place, Stubby?"
''The what?"
"The size of it. How many inhabit-
ants has this here Mapleville?"
"Oh. bout four hundred"
"And does this metropolis sport a
printer"
"Dick Jones got a printin' press"
you've had shows here-got place for
'em-g hall you know"
- - III thO CA0 = AAALeA ltAAA
church"
"Chawles," said very tall and thin wo-
man coming out of the station, "Chawles,
the babe is worse; better ask the boy to
get DOCTOR
THAT does hang Us up. Maria / told
that internal conductor when he put US off
that we'd be all right when we got TO
Syracuse; but if the babes worse, we'll
go to a hotel But we've got TO make a
a raise tonight. Stay here minute, lad :"
and he followed his wife into the station.
Stubby pressed up against the window,
and. looking in, saw the man and the thin
person bending over young aud pretty
and fiashily dressed little woman, who was
seated on one of the long benches holding
a child In her lap. 1t was a little black
haired thing, with fever.hushs cd cheeks,
and was wrapped up in a long, threadbaTe,
purple-trimmed, red plush cloak. Near
them were boxes and bundles, two old
champagne baskets, with the ends of
clothing sticking out of each, and one
large, plain trunk in the last stages of
usefulness, but wound round and round
with piece of rope. In farther corner,
and evidently not belonging to the group
OF show people, was a young negro. He
had a stick and q bundle, but was clean
and not badly dressed, and although it
looked as ii he was resting from q long
walk, he did not have the appearance OF a
regular tramp.
The Snowman looked at the child min
ute. Yes, Dora" said he, speaking to
the little woman, well have to 90 up to
the hotel and have a doctor" Then he
turned and looked at the negro thought
fully and, walking up to him. said in q low
voice: My colored friend. you seem to
be playing out of luck, too. Can YOU sing.
or play banjo. or anything of that kind?'
Huh 1 travrd with side show las
summah, an Use on my way TO jine 'em
agin. can sing, shuah; an my banjo's
n that var bunnle."
tonight. Say, Stubby," and he turned to
the window and beckoned 10 that youth,
''ShOw us the way to the hotel, will you"
eyes, sir, gran'ma keeps it, an its right
by the old Unitarian church, too"
Stubby didn't say that there were two
hotels, and that the one kept by his
grandmother could hardly be classed
under that name, tor it entertained but
few transient guests and was principally
house where few quiet boarders from
the city came and spent the summer.
Neither would 1t have been businesslike
to have made such an explanation.
"Aunty" Davies, as she was almost uni
versally called by the village people, from
her particular front window, where she
sat sewing caught sight of the queer look
ing procession, headed by her grandson,
as it turned the corner.
who on airth can they be?" she ejacu-
lated. Nancy Speckles, do look at who's
a'comin'l'
The hired girl rushed to the other win
dow. "For the lan's sakes" she ex-
claimed, with her eager face pressed
against the glass, and her eyes big with
curiosity. Il don't know"
BY this time, perhaps, half the little vii.
lage had seen the strangers, and were agi-
tated by the same curiosity. 1t was
sight to create a sensation i'll Mapleville.
A few feet behind the boy, who carried
the child with the long, red robe in his
arms, the large man with the fur-trimmed
coat swelled majestically up the street.
After him came the two ladies, with very
distinctred and white compilations, dressed
in astonishingly variegated and ill-fitting
costumes selected hastily from their stage
wardrobe, and following them staggered
the bright looking darky and his bundle.
Aunty Davies had accommodation for
all. Her eve quickly caught the condi-
ton of the child and checked the ques-
tiOns which curiosity prompted. DIR. Her
ron was summoned. He did not think
the child dangerously sick, but it had
low fever.
Dispatching Stubby after the proper
ties" as the Snowman called his luggage,
lie beckoned bis wife aside. Maria, said
he, "we're in bad way. We must meet
Murray and join his company or we're
up the spout higher'n Gilderoy's kite.
Murray's good man; got money and
good play. We must give these people q
show tonight, and you must Xix it with
Dora. The babes sick, and 'twont do to
move her, but we've got TO join Murray"
"But, Chawles, we cawnt give a play,
we've no company, no -
Leave that to me. There's YOU and
me and Dora and the negro. It's 'leven
o'clock now Unpack our stuff while
see the hail owner and the printer.
BY 3 o'clock that afternoon, through
the efforts OF StubUy and friend. who
received the customary free passes for
their services. the following announce
ment, printed on as large sheet as Dick
Jones' press would permit, had been
thoroughly circulated and posted all over
the village:
PEOPLE OF MAPLEVILLEi
By MOST UNEXPECTED GOOD FORTUNE,
PROF. ALLISON HERSHEY,
Manager Of the Great Royal Musee Company,
(Late OF London and now on the grand tour Of the
American Continent).
Finds Himself and a Part OF His Wonderful Az.
gregation Detained for Day in Your Beau
tiful Village. Yielding 10 the Urgent Re-