Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-09-06
CONVICT OR ACTOR?

performances of melOdrama OF the
pronounced transporting order. | was
cast for the leading part and appeared
in the first act as a young gentleman of
good family, beloved by every one for
my amiability and other virtues, and,
of course, engaged to a charming young
lady possessed of an immense fortune.
My rival, however, villain of the
orthodox melodramatic type, managed
to get me arrested on false charge Of
forgery, and in the prison whittier was
sent for the offense I saved the life of a
warder by fattening with shovel
Bill Sykes looking character who at
tempted to murder the official
Being pardoned and liberated for this,
service, made good use of my freedom
by unmasking the rascally author Of
my misfortunes, who, as he was about
to be apprehended for perjury, rid So
ciety of knave by blowing his brains
out.
The piece ended with my marrying
the lady of my choice, who had all
along been convinced of my innocence,
and who, during my enforced absence
in durance vile, had of course been the
incarnation of constancy.
One night we were playing to
crowded house in a large town in the
midland counties. Amid loud and SYM
pathetic applause the curtain fell as I
was arrested through the Vaccinations
of my rival and dragged handcuffed off
the stage by the myrmidons of the law.
/ then retired to my dressing room and
donned my particolored convict's gar
ments, which were faithfully copied
from the real article
As there was long scene prior to the
prison interior, in which [ did not ap-
pear, I thought I would have time to
walk to the postoffice in order to post
one or two important letters in time for
the midnight London mail. 1t is strict
~ against the rules of a theater for an
actor to leave the building until his
part is finished, but thought should
not be observed and decided to run the
risk
Throwing an Inverness cape over my
convict's garh, I left by the stage door,
tipping the hall1eeper as [ passed, and
walked hurriedly in the direction of the
quarter of mile distant.
In the operation of looking for coin I
unbuttoned my cape, displaying as [
did so the prison dress, and my peculiar
costume at once caught the wary eye of
a letter carrier who was hanging about.
While l was explaining matters to
the rather sour looking damsel who
offciated as clerk the pcstman stepped
outside and beckoned t. :. burly police
man who was standing on the opposite
side of the street.
The letter carrier whispered some
thing in the ear of the man in blue,
and the twain rushed into the Office and
seized me.
''A1l right, my chicken said the
policeman. "We've nabbed you. sup
pose by this time they've missed you at
a''-(a large penal establishment in
the midlands)
1t then flashed across my mind, to my
most intense amusement, that the men
had mistaken me for an escaped con-
vict, SO I informed the guardian of the
peace that I was q member OF dramat-
ic company then performing in the
town, and that wore the semblance of
a prison dress by reason of the necessi-
ties Of the play.
''That yarn WON'T do. my man." he
said. whatever you are, you've got to
come with me to the station.
Perceiving that it was of little use to
demonstrate with the obtuse man in
blue, I decided to endeavor to escape
from his clutches; SO, dexterously dis
engaging myself from my cape, leaving
it in my astorished captor's hands,
bolted into the street and ran like a
deer in the direction of the theater.
To my dismay, I found that I had
unfortunately taken wrong passage,
which turned out to be a cul-de-sac. In
order to escape from my pursuers,
scrambled into huge empty dog ken
mel which happened to espy.
The policeman, followed by at least
so men, came rushing down the lane,
flashing a bullseye on either side, but
of course / wasn't to be seen.
My place Of concealment was soon
discovered; So after brief parley with
the policeman, in which he assured me
if I surrendered quietly I would not be
i'll treated, / crawled ANONYMOUSLY out
of the kennel, amid yells of execration
from the crowd and was hurriedly
marched to the police station, which
fortunately was close at hand.
When l saw the inspector on duty,
was lucky enough to speedily convince
him that I was the innocent victim Of
an excusable though erroneous impress
sion on the part of my captors.
Taking off my jacket, I showed to
him its silk lining, together with the
name of the maker, a we'll known Lon
don costumer. I gained the theaters
perspiring and excited, just before the
curtain was rung up.-London News.
The Accused Bridge.