The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-09-16
A READING IN SlMPKlNSVlLLE

Ruth McEnery Stuart IN the Century.
Vas, I've no doubt It's thess ez you say,
doctor Ii was the highest class show we've
ever had In simpkmsville. that 10, us tue
genuwine thing liter ehure irs'-hand, ez
Sonny says, AM takin' it all round, liked
IL myaeit, tiptop.
Or COZ ne, when heerd thet We was goin IN
have a book read out TO us from the pa--
form by the one thet made it up out OF her
head. why. 1 nachelly looked for everything
to be acted out thesB the way we've seen
others speak pleoos, only more so. ricolre
time jan Bradshaw ne recited that pomb
about the bells. why, ne rung go loud, ons
way an another, tibet Thought likely they
wasn't no person tibet could "a done " bet
ter, lessen 1T was him thet wrote ~ an now,
after las nights performance. ! don't KNOW
ez he'd a put hIsselt out ez much ek JnA
done. Looks to me like actin the thing
out Is what makes Il Il performance. thpts
the way IL Is to my mind ,i9l'ime Jim done
this same lady writer's pik'ce about the chan
ticleer, now. don't you rioollec' how, wnon
the boys WAS pleggin i'm belo hand, he toid
EN- he'd guarantee thet when II come 70 the
tnhantioleer part. they ooula hear him chant
clear over TO the cot house. An they did.
llo certnly did deserve ,sredlt,
sl% *xA
They = some fun Iii Bom TO a show like
thet, an OF co'se. when | heerd tibet this here
lady authorees WAC comm 10 give readin'
with tickets to bo paid for most eNtravaganl,
why, l put out my money thess 90 mach 10
see her step out on the stage an crow %
anything else An, tell the truth, | was
nervous, for fully expected TO see her make
"a failure OF II. / thess didn't b'lieve she
could do it--not efieetual. Somehow roosters
an women they seem 10 me 20 be the direc'
uppositeS to one another. But ! neo'n't to 'yr
worried myeelt for coon see tibet she was Tor
takin' tho whole thing cam e2 cucuuioee,
uhnntieleer An all. she thtss read along al
through the excitement theas " composed en-
would N done Tor the home folks, ca mer,
for tibet matter, for the very words an the
recollection O. Jinls performance would "a
tempted mo TO some sort o. effort Not thct
li'd "a perchod on The char back an stepped
Ike i shanghai the way he done; but ia a
lorowed some or died 1 reckon she did read
the crow part loetla energetic but that
was the full extent OF II.
No. her policy was the direc' opposite Ia
what l looked for, frs to last. Std o. multln
gestures an calm attention 20 the stage
/ instance. heem like she tried 70 th'ow US
| off the track, constant. Why, sir, when Hhg
sort O. dropped her voice an carried II along
even, the way she done In that bean-arboi
part. seemed TO forgit all about her u
standin' there. an could see the arbor an
the seat under Il. either close or a looce III
for two. accofdin' 10 how they set in IT,
~
| say I could see II allan tho white
patches o moonlight with black shaddors
between en- all moro or less the shape o
hean-ieayes the way I've so often noticed 'en
l-thesB tho way she had IL printed In IN,
least II was to me, because they was
ibean-arbor an bench under II ia oui
moonlight nights when her an me laid GU
our lives together, an for n while, whilR
tho lfGy was readin' along even an nacbel
II thess shet my eyes an seemed 10 see Il
Ing'in II was mighty searchin'. Tell th'
truth, Of Bhe a. a brought Ia any clocg
tin right along there It would a. sp'ilt to-
whole thing for me. Come to think Of Il
They amt much oratln goin' on In cyeryda'
life day In an day out, nohow, Lessen j.
case Of fire or fights But when she LOt M
mind started las night, an her voice ksp
on in that easy way, soft II wouldn't a
walked bird ef they'd been one 10 thu
arbor. tell you, doctor, ez said thess now
to my mind a. oil lowered muslin -de-lan
dress she used 10 wear them days, Will
lchiny asters on II an blue rubin bow-knots
lId "a paid my entrance fee gladly, ef 10
nothin else. thess to cit back that dress pat
fern.
OF co'se. ez l say, II was mighty bne :
set up an git yo' Imagination to workin'
an all that, but for a pay performance,
cant say % | think It's exactly far-not I
the rest o. tho audience tibet likely ddnj
Git started on no other track. 1T don't seen
thess the square thing TO let folks rig out
stage. an light IL up. an then to go roun
10 the front door an pay their money {
come In an set down before II. an thcn he
to study up every way possible to lead thei
! minds away from H. When person buy
a book, why, he gives II fun sway 10 do II
worst with him, an'& he more II makes hlt
season is e. he's doctor. why, the bette
he lil;es IL. You nee'nt to chunke, doctor
I'm 'bliged TO touch you under the rib
J once't In a while.