The Forrest City times., 1896-12-25
DOLE.
BY ERNEST c. PRATT.

biatz, as ne appeared at the door of the latter's studio in the G-- opera house, that bright Christmas morning. His personality did not alone consist in his bowed back or a face furTowed with the tell-tale lines of trouble and sorrow Old men are common everywhere, but eccentric old men, who dress in man. ner bordering on the grotesque, and whose faces reflect the complex emo- tions of love and happiness, constrained by deep sorrow. are somewhat out of the ordinary.
 Dole belonged to this latter class. The fantastic nature of his costume was more accentuated than ever as he stood in the doorway leading into the di- rector's room, where all of the furnish ings were as harmonious as the most esthetic mind could plan. The man was attired according to circumstances, which reasoning in the same cycle were not of the best. On his head he wore a beaverskin cap, placed grenadier fash ion, and which stood erect with all of the majesty and pomp of drum majors bonnet. It served to add full foot to the height of the wearer His shirt was as immaculate as soap, water and starch could make it, with two lines of ruffles from collar to waistband. that stood out like parallel rows of hedge fence on moonlight night. A saffron hued waistroat, with yellowish, worn buttons, came next. Over it, green with age, yet showing by it's texture once large cost mark, was a uniform dress coat, something after the pattern of the conventional dress coat of to-day. Instead of being cut square off in front, the two parts, where they joined, rounded in symmetrical curve, giving to the vision a wide area of the underly- ing garment. The tails were much too long, and when Dole stood upright, they came down almost to the bottom of his trousers, which were also remarkable in their way-remarkabe in their ten dency to remain up in the world-for the bottom of each separate leg could not be induced to come nearer than six or eight inches to the ground. At times they even ascended to loftier height.
 Dole had not an unpleasant face. His forehead was retreating, and it was hard to tell where it commenced or where it left off. The lower portion was a continuation of the nasal organ, and the upper part continued into the crown. The eyebrows assisted to de- fine rather vaguely the lower limits, but the ravages of time had created lack of hair. and this in turn caused the di- lemma of finding exact boundaries for crown and forehead His eyes were blue, and at times their color intensified to almost blackness. then again they would be as mild as the sky on June day. Under the chin there was a tuft of wirey. black hair, threaded with but few sprays of silver, sprouting ann bitiously, but not vigorously. The lines of the mouth were softened to thin, wavering line by the absence of teeth.
 Place under his arm an old violin, with the keys broken and the bridge cracked. so that the break can be seen half across the room. and you have a. picture of Dole. as he appeared for an
 
 of the director, the cap came down from its grenadier height, and the form be- came even more bent, as it assumed servile attitude. Advancing half way to the desk of Director Blatz, looking around all the while with an air of min gled fright and hesitancy, Dole blurted out. not in strong Teutonic accents, as holf tn1 ..l., tripping, penetrating tone:
 ''l see. mister director, ther papers hev it yer want CT secunt fiddler. Do yer?" the last words with an appealing air.
 My friend, the director. is blunt in his speech. if occasion demands it. and l expected that he would reply with an emphatic and decided mo" The pleas ures of the day. thoughts of his own home, perhaps, and the happiness that comes after good dinner, had all soft ened his nature, and the director only replied cvasively, though somewhat pointedly:
 "l want good one"
 Well, mister, I'm your man, I'm your ludl, III tunDieu DOle almost unlntel- igibly. 'l were reckoned the best fid- cler agoin' when l were young lwere. And 1 can fiddle secunt, fust rate. Gim- me CT trial, mister. Gimme CT trial"
 Director Blatz did not laugh despite any inclination he may have had. He merely looked at his visitor in that com placent way which men affect when they consider themselves the superior Icing.
 ''Oh, you won't do." was his careless remark as he turned to busy himself at his desk.
 Say. mister; mister, let me try CT once right here fore your eyes, just fore your eyes?" was the plaintive plea of Dole, as he commenced tightening up the strings. He was weak. that was ap- parent, for he almost staggered under such light work as twisting the stubs. Noting this. Director Blatz replied rather hrusauely.
 Well, go ahead. but can tell you.