Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-22
4 wagnsrian Episode.

The lights in the theater across the street
were still glowing bravely. although the
hour was very near midnight, A piano wa
gon proprietor was homeward poddinG his
weary way, never pausing to admire the
glitter of gas lamps in the pavements which
a recent shower had left in a condition Of
mirroring wetnesS A man with an opera
hat and white gloves stopped him.
rs that your plano wagon" he asked.
at is" answered the musician.
We'll. what have you inside It? I've just
been over to the Waik-cure and
'oh. | haven't anything OF that kind in
my repertory."
We'll. what do you think l want with
anything like it? haven't / just escaped?
Haven't been ever since 40 O'Clock wish
ing that some of those people would either
forget and forgive or else keep stu about
1T? j tell YOU" he went on with the air Of
one who has something on his mind and is
willing to confde in the first person who
Will listen, 1T was something awful 1
wouldn't have been there, only the young
lady who went with me had said Nogner
was all right and 1 couldn't contradict. 1
had seen opera before, but IL didn't do any
thing like this to me. Things looked prom
Using enough when | got in. There was the
inside OF an old log cabin and big man in
PINK undershlrt and a leopard skin telling
MS past life to a girl who looked strong
enough to whip a policeman. | thought ID
was going to be another case Of DaVy
Crockett, with a strong lady 10y way Of
novelty, and | was glad l gave up my good
money. L waited for the wolves to howl,
but in five minutes | knew better. All a
Wolf would do after he came up and looked
through crack in the door would be To
drop his tail between his legs and go away
TO take exercise and strengthen his voice
The big girl spoke her mind and the big
man talked back. Then they would SIT
down on a stump and let the orchestra
aInNF hot h.
thoughts Were something wild. / felt kind
OF sorry for them, but they weren't any
worse on than some of the others who
came on later. 1t was case of swallows
In their chimney tops through the whole
cast or Characters / never saw such a col
lection OF sprung roofs. one girl came out
and, after getting a running start. ran all
the way up the side of the mountain She
could climb rocks like a goat She began
10 rave In minute. 1t made my heart
ache TO discover that that big healthy
looking woman had a twisted steeple like
the rest of them, But when she got start
ed her weather vane buzzed the worst of
the lot. She took the chromatlc scale
bent it double and pulled It out OF
shape I'LL ii didn't stand any more show
than pint of molasses at a candy pulling
All the girls We're hurdle-sprinters for
Keeps. The way that bevy of merry noun
tain maids could get over papier-mache
Gins was something to scare you. 1t was
the subllmeSt game of tag / ever witnessed.
Ihey wouldn't go home till the janitor
started a fire and smoked EN- out. / put
the young lady and her chaperon in the
carriage and started up the street to en-
gage you. Moneys no object. Play some
thing to make me forget what ! have been
through"
Il play for your" said the piano-wagon
man, who had stood AXE a statue through
the harangue.
Yes on the Banks of the Wabash or
Tommy Atkins Anything you have
handy"
Sir, he answered as he took the ma
chine by the handles. preparatory to get
ting under way. L am a musician You
have insulted Richard Wagner. the creates
OF composers. Our art was not intended for
such as you.