Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-09-14
A HAUNTED HAMLET
The Extraordinary Experience of
Strolling Player.

az =,
transforming through the provinces
for some months, and the season was
drawing to a close. So, too, was the
time for a certain note had drawn when
the season began. Not having monev
enough to nurcbsso NV s+o,o drossos 7
bod ,onnou.o, 60, - ST..
+a,,na hiu' 49, o 1onuon 'ns 'oen'
'@'''s' nm ina. "s ieauihs man my sur
ary was pflhceiy. My Dill was already
overdue, when, by some unlucky chance,
my sharp creditor heard of the smalness
of my salary. He wrote fiercely to de-
mand the amount of the bill had given
him or Threatened Immediate nrooood.
mos mt him oef os vol os 7 oonId
.p.
nop,ns ~, Sonie'iins 10 urn up 'n"'
might ehaDie me TO satisfy MS demands
Ihree nights before we closed my bene-
tit was to come OIL. had put up Ham
let' and "The Road to Ruin" My an
nouncing the former of these much an
noyed the manager, who had not sufli-
cient confidence in my experience to
trust me with the Danish prince, but he
at last gave way. Perhaps his compli.
ance was the more easily obtained
through the influence of his daughter
We'll, every billboard bore the an
Hamlet, prince of Denmark, by Mr.
Arthur Stanley; Ophelia. by Miss Amy
st. John: for rest of characters see small
bills" Things went well. Every seat
in the boxes was let and the tickets for
pit and gallery had gone off so well that
less than the average amount taken AT
the doors would overflow the house.
The old church clock tolling the impor-
tant hour of 6 warned me to hurry from
my lodgings to that temple of fame in
which | fondly hoped | had secured a
niche for myself AS | walked along |
began to taste the pleasure of celebrity
Shopmen nudged each other as | passed
A couple of young ladies, whose profes
sion appeared to be millinery" looked
at me from under their bonnets and then
repeated my name in whisper loud
enough for me to hear half a dozen yards
from them.
"This is indeed renown," muttered
"What matters it that my salary is small
when my fame is becoming so great?"
AS | said the words / felt n hand upon
my shoulder and turned, with the glow
of eNultation still sufTusing my cheek.
said the accoster.
THAT is my name" replied, trying to
hurry on.
"Excuse me, sir, then" returned the
man, "but you must come with me. Al
the suit of Moses Cohen for % pun II
and costs"
He handed me small slip of paper
dare say you can guess its contents-and
htrt t1.Np
This is most unfortunate" | said
"IIad it been but one night later l should
not have minded"
Case of hook it, suppose" said the
man.
"On the contrary, | should have beer
able to have discharged the amount
suppose you couldn't put off the arrest
till after business this EVENING""
"Not on any account" replied my cap
tor. and | saw that he quite meant what
he said.
This, then, was the end of my ambi
tious aspirations. Instead of the glare
of the footlights and the plaudits of an
audience | was to have the darkness and
stiffness of a Jail! | folded my arms in
despair and defied my fate.
Let us GO" | said, 'for tonight was
appointed for my benefit. But no matter
'Denmarks 'prison-a goodly one, in
which there are many confines, wards and
dungeonsn Lead on" As | turned tC
accompany the bailiif's man, messenger
from the theater accosted me.
"Oh. Mr.. Stanley" the man said. 81
am sent to tell you that we've no ghost
Higgins has just come in awfupy drunk
l was about to answer him, when my
captor interrupted me, asking me if hat
put up Hamlet" Upon my replying il
the affirmative, he said he thought he
could help me. He had been a member OF
an amateur theatrical club and the ghos
of Hame's father had been one of hi.
most successful attempts. If | liked ht
would sustain the part on this occasion
and, thus keering his eye upon me, would
postpone my arrest until after the per