The Russellville Democrat., 1892-02-25
The RUSSELLWLLE DEMOCRAT
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY
Democrat Printing Co.
RUssELLyILLE. ARK.
SIZE YELLED "RATsr
A wild Feminine Cry of Alarm Ihat ITO
duced a Panic in Theatre.

wild Feminine Cry OF Alarm h"At
dueed a panic in a Theatre.
A big brewery rat, lean, hungry,
aud with business in his eye, came
nnannounced into the Grand Opera
House the other night during the
6rst act of the Gladiator !" For
the space of about ten minutes the
men in the large audience had more
fun than some people have hay, and |
the women struggled between hys-
teries and a desire to climb to a hlgh |
elevation. The episode bore a re-
semblance to the play itself, mas
much as there was vigorous begin
ming. a short reign of excitement,
and bloody tragedy at the end.
The rat. which was evidently OF
the brewery species, because it bad
whiskers curled into shapes resem-
hing handles to beer mugs, up to
that time had been boarding IN the
malt bins attached to nearby
brewery. 1t hasn't been a very
good winter for malt, however, and
tbe rat started to skirmish for food
ON the outside. With this end in
view he wandered into the theatre
lust as the cruel empress had or
dered Nero TO kill lovely Neodamia,
the heroine in the tragedy.
In the front seat, close to the big
fiddle. were seated Joseph Bailey, a
well known young man about town,
and Con Cooney, a pressman, VINO
intended to go tc his work after the ~,
theatre, and as result had well
filed dinner basket between his feet.
There was mince pie in the basket,
and like all epicures, Mr.. Cooney
had cheese there as well. That
chunk of cheese drew the rat to his
death. He came closer to the
basket. shifted couple of times,
and in shifting moved Cooney's hat
SO that it fell off the basket. $500,
inst at that moment apretty little
blonde seated in the box looked dowI
and saw the thieving rodent Will
a silvery yell of traits" she threw
decorum to the winds and jumped
upon her chair, at the same TIM
giving an impromptu skirt dance
The crg of alarm and the actions 0
the startled blonde were greete
with bewildering establishment b
the men, but was understood at one
nv the women. In twinkling tn
air was filed with smothered scream
and the swishing and rustllng
silken skirts. The women Jumpe
on the seats, and one excited woma
started to climb up into the DO
nearest to her. :,
The rat. realizing that he ma
made the mistake of his lif'
scampered up the main aisle as II a
army of cats were on his trail.
Car as the rat was concerned,
might lust as we'll have been
army Of cats, for Mr.. Cooney an
Mr. Bailey had organized themselv'
into a band of avengers and we
laundering up the aisle in clo'
nrrsu;t Around the orchestl
circle the rat led by short lap, al
Joe and Con redoubled their effor
amid the yells from the gaiiety'
plause from the men in the PIT al
signs of gratitude from the wome
Down the side aisle sped the tn
and up the center again jus:
the entrance Of the orchestra cire
Mr.. Bailey made tremendous ki
at the flying rat, and the toe OF
hoo4 como n contact with the fun
bone of Mr.. Cooney's shin. ;.
didn't hurt the boot bit, .
Cooney gave up the chase at on'
The rat darted down toY ;arid
stage, and one excited ,ssing
who happened to get /
glimpse yelled; tage." /
"0h, it's going mp on kept 7
All this time the act nounce-
on with the play, but5sly to be
ment that the stage i, I'd too !
visited by a npite the
much for Neodamss = .er from !
fact that her lif" a. .sss, she :
the jeal' the !
the