The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-06-19
iEIDS OF ADVENTURE.
RLLINC INCIDENTS AND DARING
I DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA-,

4 DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA-,
a Stage Carpenters Presence of Mind
IA Ayerts Probable Tragedy-Two Mems
II Fierce Fight With Couple of Sharks
IA in Florida Waters-saved by a Dog.
M"In time Of an emergency" re-
a.rked an elderly man in a group OF
III kers, II would rather have presence
mind than q. gun"
lf"I fancy the gun might 90 more
u rm than good if there were no pres
lice of mind with it," admitted an
Saaer.
n"Which reminds me Of story cor
saborating the wisdom Of the first
s3.tement," said third, who on an ap-
II al from the others continued.
Something like ten Or dozen years
" o." he said, 81 was in Western
Ewn of ten thousand people or SO, and
II happened that a show was billed for
| at night. Having nothing to do, and
HIT knowing anybody in town, took
1T the show. It was transforming
1 oupe of Thespians doing repertoire
blood and thunders, and the conse-
renee was they had nearly a full
,use. Everything went along very
HI cely except the peculiar actions Of the
\ aiding man, who seemed to be drunk,
hi. getting that way very fast.
Gas no effort was made by the man
cement to suppress him, the audience
] liter a while took hand and began tc
Hiss. This brought matters to a elm
X at once, and with an oath the actor
4 sepped to the center Of the stage, and
II hipping out Of his clothes pair Of
sI,volvers, he announced to the audi
III ice and the people on the stage in the
HI FINEST and coolest manner possible
HS lat the time had come when somebod.
Iii ad got to die, but that he was not ye
I'll scided who it should be. Somebod.
Fiji ;arted at this, but he said that tn
sa rst person who rose to go out woul|
ase shot. Everybody in the hous
4 .emed to be paralyzed by the man
II oolness and nobody moved. l kno1
A9 sat we'll down toward the front, an
III 'ould have given up my place willing
H17 to anybody who asked for it, bu
HM hen I looked up at that cold face an
Fla nose two guns pointing down my wa
|A preferred to take chances on remain
VA lg as I was.
|M 'For at least minute the actc
s@ ddressed himself to his trenholm
l# udience, and then deliberately 81
III acting a conspicuously white-haire
Il ian in the very center of the house, /
q commanded him to rise and be sho
otherwise he would shoot promisc1
.usly into the crowd. At this point
n he proceedings, I am willing to sta
Without bias that I never was in tt
lidst Of so much suppressed excit
1ent. For second the house was {
y till as death, and then as the whit
laired began to twist about as if
we're going to obey the actors cor
nand, q woman shrieked, and as a ha
s!ozen followed suit and tainted Il
Y Ictor suddenly disappeared from Il
tage, nobody knew where, but he W
lone and the panic was averted, thoue
Everybody made break to get out
asst as possible.
'The curtain went down quick the
nd the manager, white and scare
y anne out and announced that the act
lad gone crazy over the loss of h
gife, and that thanks to the presen
i mind Of the stage carpenter, tn
gentleman had hurried under the sta,
md pulled the trap on which, fort1
4tely, the crazy man stood. The fl
lad rendered him helpless, and he W
I hen waiting at the stage door to
aiken away by the authorities.
(Which proves what I said in t
irst place." said the elderly man wi
IN air Of pride, and the proof was {
;d ;epted.-Washington Star. v