Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-04-03
A LUCKY SPEC"


in June. 1874. Binding rain poured
pitilesSly down. The whole of the mag
niticcnt sheet of water which forms the
landlocked harbor was a seething mass
Of foam, and as we rounded the inner
heads the roar OF the surf on the Fri
tonga beach, which faces the entrance
To the harbur, was ominOusly distinct.
Under the skillfuI guidance of our skip
per. Jock Macltan. Familiarity known
On the coast as He'll Fire Jock. We felt
our way 10 the pier. | had been spend
ing a long holiday in sightseeing. What
between RUtOmahuna and the Hot lakes,
sydney. Melbourne and Hobart Town.
VII" : landed on the pier at Alexander
IUS>, >scd three portmantcaus and :
killings. However. | chartered Il bug
y and drove with all the confidence in
ne world To the Empire hotel.
Having done Justice to an excellent
thinner, | determined to hunt up an old
press cumrade. Frank Clifford. who,
had heard. was the editor of the Alex
amber Daily Post. The lain was COM
ing down with tropical vengeance. and
from all the numerous hills upon which
the Empire City. "a they call 1t, is sit
I-AlE u immature lbl LNllAS Vi w dltI
poured down and inundated the TIE AFRO
fiat. the business portion of the town.
1t was an uninviting night. but the
stimulus Of an empty pocket overcame
my IcpugnanCe to quit the cheerful
halls of host MOeller. Luckily the Of
fees OF The Post were close handy, 50
was not quite drowned by the time
WAS shaking Clifford by the hand.
( He welcomed my advent in n reassur-
/ ing manner, which eased my mind
/ somewhat as 10 the inevitable mauvaiS
/ quart heurc We had the usual shop
| talk. Fisher OF the Gulgong Adver-
tiSer had died IN Il tit of delirium tire
mems. Clarke IF The Argus had been dis
missed for sending i'll Il glowing Crlti-
| ciSm Of theatrical performance which
had not taken place, Holloway of the
/ Waillato Times was editing the Tauran
\ "a Trumpet, Dillon had RATED and now
| sworc by Boyle. the premier Of the day;
| Jock Dani,r>On had abandoned journal
ism and was keeping Il public house.
and 80 forth. Then Master Frank di-
lated upon his own prospects. He had
but two complaints to uake-hrstly, his
proprietor WAS an old brute; secondly,
his suhtditur WAS Young fool. My cx-
pcrience i that most newspaper pro-
pTictyrS are cd hrutes. and that most
suh-,iiturS arC-nut so wise as they
woUld lie thought. "SubcditOr!' said
Frank. Hes excellent at the devour-
iu- clement. admirable at casting a
gloom over the entire community and
altoG, Their unapproachable when he has
u record the fact that our esteemed
and tnterVri>inS fellow tUwnsmen.
Stains u klrcaldIe, have added to their
emporium Il new shop front, which is
credit 10 the town and quite an orna-
mvnt II Tc Arc street. but. as to subed-
lJiU.. h, knows as much about it as
VI, mt Cock does of "A policeman.
Sympathizing deeply with my friend,
for l. too. had had bitter experience of
paste and scissors men, | suggested that
perhaps un the whole ii wouldn't be
amiS> il Mr.. Nusciy were sent about his
business and | were installed in his
char. Frank jumped at the idea, but
explained that the old brute" had an
absurd quixotic belief in Moscly because
that tnlin, IT paste pOttist. though not
4 eeniuS. WIS always sober.
y deepriot was then concocted where
by the old brute was 10 be got round
and MJ>eIy Circumvented As part of
this plan II was arranged that l should
attend a performance TO be given that
evening at the Odd Fellows hall by
Prof ssur Bvda. who described himself
a. the premier equllibrist tight rope
walker II the world and champion
prc>tldi=itator Of the universe. l was
L return 10 the office and write as ex-
cellent an account as I could. You'll
have. i'll fact. said Frank, Ito fake
it. And l did
The rain was still peltinG down as l
struggled to the hall. The roads we've
in places two feet deep in water. What
with the wind. the rain and the dark
ness of the streetS-there was no gas IN
Alexander in those d@yS-I had consid-
cradle difficulty IL getting to the place
al all, but at last | reached it, present
ed my ticket to an attendant who glared
at III" rs savagely as a baked box
keep and entered the room. The place
WIS we'll lighted. warm and comforta-
Tie. and WIS II pleasing contrast TO the
horrors IF the night outside. \ defect
I'd looking pianist was playing a lively
tune, and all things were ready for the
feast. All things but one-the audi
enCr. TIL, Re wasn't a soul in the
place hut myself. and was a deadhead
Seeing that 1t WAS now half past 5, and
that the performance should have COM
mcrcci 1t :, this did not look promis-
ing. However, my business was to re-
port the show, So down sat and read
the programme through half dozen
times, dimly conscious the while that
the piano was informing mo that
there was "A good time coming. boys.
nrly wait little longer. What with
the music and the lulling effect of the
raindrups pattering with monotonous
regularity on the shingltd roof. | fell
asleep and avukc To find the detected
pianist numbering out: There is nae
luck about the house; there is nae luck
at all.
l looked at my watch. Five min
utes to 8. and l was still the oldest in
habitant. There was to be nae luck
that night; that was certain. The plan
ist disappeared behind the curtain. l
sat stolidly on. | was there TO report
that show, and report it | was deter
mined to, whatever happened. Every
thing happens to him who waits.
This happened to me. Professor Beda,
in Il shabby suit of evening clothes, look
Ing as though they were suffering from
4 long course of being let out on hire.
came before the curtain. and addressing
the audience said, Sir" The novelty
OF the exUrdium aroused my attention,
and looking at the professor closely l
ID, $Ia
premier tight rope dancer of the world
and champion prestidigitator of the
universe. was no other than Harry Beck
er, who had been a private in my com
pany of Forest rangers during the war.
Sir, - said he, Il am sorry to see so
small an attendance here this evening.
However, it is my boast that l never
disIppoint the public. and though I am