The times., 1898-10-16

don't you come with me. you gentle ga
loot?''
WELL" quoth Mr. Ankermiller biandly,
"the trip to New York. with hotel bills
foots well up to the twenty mark, and
wouldn't give that much to see Julius
Caesar elected alderman of the Fourth
ward"
rs that ALL" answered the political
agent with the air of a man who sudden
ly sees insurmounlable obstacles remov-
ed You surprise me. If the financial
end of the matter is your only worry I'll
take care of that. Just for the sake of
seeing an extra slip go to our party I'll
pay your expenses to the metropolis.
This generous offer was accepted in the
right spirit and the following morning
saw both men on Broadway getting
ready to visit the polls. In some manner.
they became separated in the crowd but
met shortly after and. going to the sta
ton, took the train for Washington. Mr..
Chapman paid for several glasses of
liquid refreshment on the way and fin
ally accepted his friends suggestion that
they dine together. Once comfortably
seated over the nuts and wine. the origi-
nal Mckinley man lit a cigar, put his
fingers in his vest arm holes and then
looking contendedly ahead, remarked,
We'll. this trip has cost me an even
seventy, but If your vote helps elect Nc
Kinley I feel repaid" 34
'McKinley?" said Mr.. Ankermiller.
Mckinney, repeated Mr.. Chapman.
The guest of the occasion leaned back
In astonishment and put down the salt
cellar with which he had been playing.
why" he exclaimed. you scholarly
brother of gentie:nanly sttidenti voted
for Bryant" tssi -tr
Bryan" said Mr.. ChapmEna
Bryan" repeated Mr.. Ankermlller
And have paid nearly a hundred dol
ars and lost a days time only to secure
brilliantly intelligent wise-acrei to can
Gel my ballot?' ai s1om
1T certainly looks that way" -H
The train rolled on through the night,
leaving trail of fire and smoke behind
Overhead the telegraph wires were car
rying record of the days voting to cit
les along its route. Back in the sleeping
car some one snored dix
He'll" said Mr. Chapman
Manager Butler. who Is at present in
control of the Grand Opera House. has
had long experience in theatrical matters
There are few branches of the business
in which he has not had some part, his
road work ending in that which he is
now doing for Davis & Keogh while his
landings as director include a local
house over which he once had charge.
One of the most laughable incidents that
ever occurred to Mr.. Butler concerns
this particular place of amusement
which was old and In bad condition when
the lease was made out. Upon taking
possession. the new proprietor found
that everything was where 1t should not
be and nothing where II should. that dirt
lay ankle deep all over the dressing
rooms and that the entire theater was in
Srrf.n ha hae
more useful to an old iron man than any
one else. He made the best of a bad
bargain, however, and struggled along
with a fair degree of success until cold
weather came with a blizzard early in
November. When the steam was turned
on il, the house the pipes all broke and
| flooded the stores below, so that Mr..
! Butler was forced to use oil stoves while
the other apparatus was being repaired.
| This was finally accomplished and the
! heat valves opened early one Saturday
morning. In due time people began arriv-
, ing for the matinee and the doors were
/ thrown wide. There was short pause. a
! rumpus upstairs. and crowd of ushers
! and patrons rushed into the office, all
! either amused or angry. ''The chairs are
| gone" they complained Surprised and
bewildered, Mr.. Butler followed them to
| the auditorium only to learn that he had
been told the truth The ground floor OF
| the house locked like the cast-away room
| in a lumber yard. Broken boards and bits
| of iron lay about everywhere. For mo-
| ment no one knew how to account for the
| wreck and then the truth flashed across
| Mr. Buffers brain. The seats had been
! glued together with a cement that had
grown brittle and porous with years
| There was little metal in any Of them and
no supports excepting the material men
| toned This had outlived its usefulness
| aud-when the heat was turned on the
| chairs had fallen to piecesi
That incident occurred many years ago
hut Mr.. Butler SAYS that he will never
forget 1t II he lives to be a million.