The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-11-20

Tor a fortnight, having been out o1
 town, and as piloted Nat up the stairs
 noticed the decorations were quite re-
 cent. The house, too, was, i appeared, crowded, and we eX perienced some difficulty in get
 tlnS a box circumstance l deter
 mined on mentioning to the manager
 but when we settled down to watch the performance, my temporary annoyance
 was swallowed up in sensation oi blank, overwhelming, hopeless astonish-
 ment, for l saw that in my absence the
 most astounding liberties had been talk
 en, not only with the costumes and
 business, but also with the text of "A
 Moral Dilemma":t :the very cast was un-
 familiar to me. Worse still, a few min
 utes' observation sufficed to show that
 the drama itself had deteriorated wo-
 fully, and instead of the noble play | representing my latest message to the
 world, l witnessed what was little bet
 ter than screaming absurdity.
 Those exasperating alterations obliged
 me to explain matters to Nat every now and again: these explanations becom- ing more frequent on each fresh development of buffoonery, I thought l heard a litter, and, looking up, I caught some ladies in an opposite box training their lorgnettes upon me. I felt as if I had received a cold douche, terrible conjecture shaping itself instantly in my mind. What if, after all, Ravens worth knew more than he admitted? It was not within the bounds of possi-
 bility that he had succeeded, on the
 strength of malicious representations.
 in getting the Moral Dilemma thus
 unmercifully mangled until it's own au-
 thor almost failed to recognize it! What
 if this were the reason he refused to
 eat or drink with me, but was quite
 ready to come here, where he knew he
 should enjoy the spectacle of my angu- ish and the stultification of my master piece?
 But even while the suspicion matured into certainty according to the nature
 of suspicious, I hit upon a fresh eX- pedient which would turn the tables completely upon my willy foe, and res cue myself from the charges of plagia- rism, as well as from the disgrace of fathering any longer so alaring an imbe- cility I glanced at Ravensworth, and thought I could detect a cynical smile lowering about the corners of his mouth. I controlled my impulse to knock him down. So he wass there eloating over my discomfiture very well, we should soon see how the fools cap would fit his own head!
 The calm way the people in front took the medley astonished me, until reflected that probably half the house was paper and the other half composed of persons who came to enjoy this bur lesque upon serious drama, the enjoy ment being no doubt heightened by many an ill-natured rumor at my ex- pense. Possibly, too, some hint of my there had reached the audi ence, and this would account for the interest of the box occupants over the way. An, it was prettily planned!
 Ravensworth, who sat rather in the shadow,was apparently completely ab- sorbed in the performance; but still could detect the incipient grin on his ugly face. Little did he dream how near he was to being hoist by his own petardl
 Mastering my indignation, I bided my time until a propitious moment ar- irving. I arose, and, lounging to the DoX front, suddenly drew aside the cur ain, lifting my hand for silence, the l having at that especial in- 'tant most unacaountably commenced 1 playing.
 Ladies and gentlemen" said, in lear, ringing voice, 'allow me to make | ! short statement. I am, as you all are doubtless well aware, MT. Pennyfeather -Cuthbert Pennyfeather--the reputed luthor of the piece now being perform ] d before you; and it might perhaps interest you also to learn that the plot | f A Moral Dilemma is not altogether is, in point of fact, the prop lerty of a friend of mine, who, having abandoned literature, had 10 further use for it, though I trust hat on viewing this large. cultured and influential audience assembled here to- light, he will reconsider his decision. efer to my esteemed friend, Nathaniel savensworth, just returned from Aus ralia-the diggins, you know."
 A roar of applause greeted my perora- ion, the house writhing in a long aroxysm of laughter, which springing pward from the misty vastness of the IL, So"l gu diolt lo tit very TUUl, ana | -as hurled down again. storming cross the footlights to the stage, where luch to my surprise, a curving line shmmering damsels was graceful / curvetting forward. I was myself aintly amused-f1attered, if you will.
 rejoiced in the quick intelligence of " countrymen, for evidently the house ad grasped the situation; every neck 1 as craned toward me, every available oera glass focused upon me, and I ave no doubt that every pickpocket , ithin the building was blessing me :, rvently. I could, however see nothing , cry plainly beyond the front row of { le stalls, where fat woman, who had , cen deprived of subordinate part in !, y play, was laughing indecently, a 'ntleman beside her capping his hands : ith wild abandon. I recognized him .s o. It was Larripur, my pet aversion. : my gaze sternly on the :, an, and leaning forward so that I E fight pitch my voice distinctly, I wait
 for the applause to subside, wonder g meanwhile where I had left my !, nce-nez.
 T must, however" continued. dead ignorance to the bewidering q anges made in the performance dur