Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-25
TROUBLE IN A CHOCOLATE DROP.
Taken at the Theater, the CORRECTION
May Disagree With 81 Person.

May Disagree with "a Person.
AS he gave up his tickets at the door. to
have the coupons torn off them, there was
something about the air of the clean-shaven
gentleman that would have proclaimed him
clergyman. though he had worn clothes of
a harlequin instead of the conventional
suit of black with long coat and round
white collar.
The expression on his pallid countenance
was not that of one who seeks carnal
amusement. One could not help wondering
why he had come to the theater. unless per-
haps it were for the purpose of making OBJ
servations privately and subsequently
preaching on the sins and frivolities of this
world before an audience too much given
on six days of the week to such sports and
pastimes. However, he handed his checks
promptly to the usher and stood aside while
the four ladies of exemplary aspect and de-
pertinent who accompanied him filed into
their seats.
Then he sat down, putting his black hat
beneath his own seat and apparently devot-
ing himself to reflection on matters far
away from his environment of the moment
The -four ladies Whispered together in an
undertone. From the gravity with which
they conversed 1t might have been taken
for granted that their talk was not of bon
nets. nor yet of any other frivolous matters
Their own headgea- was of the plaineSt,
and they seemed to eye with disapproval
two large and tall hats which We're inter
posed between themselves and the stage
1t was observable that each of them wore a
badge of the W. c. T. T., though why these
insignia were displayed in such a place
they alone could have explained.
His Jolly Neighbor.
Ip,,,o a6i 10 fol In Of hn oil
was seated a stout gentleman of jolly ap-
pearance, who, after the curtain rose con-
tinually applauded the actors on the stage.
He was evidently enjoying himself i'm
mensely. and from time to time he took a
large piece of what looked like candy from
his coat pocket and ate it. Perchance he
was a parshioner of the individual first
described. for the latte- took occa sion be-
tween the acts to touch him on the Shout
der and engage him in conversation. After
exchanging few brief remarks on the
weather, which was bad, and on the status
of the Hawaiian question, which was deem
ed worse, the representative of the orthodox
divinity-his costume declared him anti
Briggs as plainly as possible-said:
Give me one of those chocolate drops
see you have a pocket full"
Il didn't know that you INDUCED" replied
the stout man, with wink over his Shout
der.
"Oh. yes; occasionally 1 do" said the
clergyman, receiving, as he spoke, a black
object of considerable size from the fat
fingers of his friend.
Don't bite it, cautioned the other.
Just put it into your mouth all at once"
The person in black did as he was bid
and then proceeded to masticate the SUD-
posed chocolate drop. Suddenly h became
purple in the face and seized with a
most alarming tit of coughing Sputtering
and gaSping in manner so painful that he
seemed actually on the point of choking to
death. The attention of half the audience
was excited, and the -four ladies with W. c.
r. L. badges proffered their handkerchiefs
with sympathetic anxiety written in their
countenanCCs. Three or four unfeeing
neighbors expressed a notion that it was
some kind of a fit.
BY the time that the clergyman had
nearly recovered from his fit" which was
about five minutes. several persons near by
in the audience had begun to sniff and
Il smell brandy" Another concurred in
the observation. The four ladies with the
W. C. T. L. badges looked suspicious and
smelled their handke-chiefs, which they
had recovered. Then they became exceeding
ly grave Though casting now and again a
sidelong glance at their escort in black
they exchanged not a word with him or
with each other during the rest of the per-
Torrance.
As they passed out of the theater the
stout man overlook them. and touching the
clerical gentleman on the shoulder said:
''Old felle-, / thought you knew those
shoc'late drops wash filled wiz brandy"