The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-04-06
college Story
An Interesting Tale Of Stubs
Noiscless Banjo
s[TOU see," said the Princeton man,

"NOU see," said the Princeton man,
"Stub Gillis was such On all
around white man and It didn't seem
square to leave him out of anything
that was going on. 1t wasn't just that
hewns the best halfback In all the col
leges that gave him such hold. but he
was just the squarest kind Of q chap,
and there wasn't more popular man
in college. Well, we rang him in on
the winter thsatricals. though he didn't
have enough dramatic gumption TO
shift scenes, and he waddled through
ais part like duck across o hot stove.
But that was all right; everybody want
ed to see Stub Gillis, the famous half
back, and he was q drawing card. Then
came the proposition to run him in on
.he Glee and Banjo club winter trip.
was assistant manager and pushed 1t
along all I knew, for Stubs and were
great old pals. Just the same1 knew
he was q dead u on the tune racket
"Well, the manager went up against
aim and asked him II he could sing.
Stub didn't have any false ambitions
bout him.
"'Sing whatT he says
"'sing tunes61aaid the manager.
"T can SIM s~the class song says
Stub, but I'm the only one that can tell
what 1t is I'm singing. AS a triller
ont strike q very lofty average
"'Well, you can stand up and make
our mouth go without letting any
noise out of it?' says the manager.
"'I'd hate to trust myself Stub said.
THAT put him out of the Glee club
business, but there was still the banjo
club. All sorts of instruments gotinto
that, but the only thing the candidate
had ever even tried to play was jews
'arp. and he couldn't back himself for
any record-breaking oratorios on that
It looked pretty dark, and Stub felt
wuzzy. for he was roofing deep to &c
along. l put in some thinks about II
and dug up an idea.
~Look here said to the manager
IN rig up banjo for Stubs with fake
strings and We'll put him in the second
row, where he won't be a mark for al
the spy glasses in the house, and teacl
him to 90 through the motions, and
don't see where he comes in to be any
thing but gigantic success.'
"'Go ahead with your banjo said the
manager, only look out that th'
strings don't stiffen up and turn out
spiel when it isn't wanted
ut didn't take me long TO get tina
instrument rugged; looked like the rea
thing, too, but you couldn't get an.
more racket out of the strings thai
out of lump Of putty. They were
sort Of hemp arrangement, stiffened VI
to look like gut, and to make sure o
its being on the quiet the bridge ant
tail piece were plugged with felt. a
first Stub was kind Of sore; said he'
rather be tailor's dummy and max
an honest living. But after I'd taugh
him the motions he took to IT all righ
and used to come to rehearsals regular
ly, so he'd know when to leave off Ill
picking and when to begin on 1t AGAR
When we got started on the trip, W
made him usher every night and he
had so much about him in the newspf
pers that every place we struck tn
girls would wait in line for him to TAX
them up the aisle. 1t was a case OF ger
for the other ushers. At the reception
after the show, too, Stub was a he
tomale, but it didn't get him stuck O
himself for he wasn't that kind. Il
was an easy kingpin till we struck Ne
Orleans, and there he made the brea
OF his life.
"It was Sunday evening when W
landed.in that resort Of Mardi Gras an
other large and healthy joys, and "
so1t Of scattered around to geta bird
sye view Of the town. When It came