The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-03-28
'.'.-'.!''i-'!''.-E''.
A REAL BIT
OF ACTING
So
A STORY OF AMATEUR
THEATRiCALS.


ling?"
The time was 4 p. m. Through
the window we could see the rain
sweeping over the lawn, as it had
never ceased to do for the last 4S
hours. and my guests lounged about
the big, uncomfortable hall in vari-
Gus stages of ennui.
They had been discussing the Vi
tai question Of how the evening was
to be got through. Music, suggest
ed by our Wagner enthusiast, and
dancing, by the waltzing girl, had
been gloomily rejected, and then
suddenly, as though smitten by an
inspiration, the little blond widow
had turned on me and burst OUT
"Won't you give us some of your
acting tonight, Mrs. Sterling?"
You see, the truth was, in the
days Of her maidenhood, the wife of
the Hon. Felix Sterling had toured
three years as leading lady Of well
known provincial comedy company,
and now, having resigned the plau-
dts of the tickle multitude for the
love and admiration of one, she still
occasionally amused her friends
with such smatterings Of the his
tronic art as she possessed.
On this occasion the request
that l should employ my poor tai
ents to divert my guests was receiv-
ed with acclamation.
"Oh, yes; please act for u.s."
came in a chorus from all parts of
the hall, and young Charlie Fleet
wood excitedly sprang up and offer
ed to improvise temporary stage
if would consent TO perform on it.
would not make any rash prom
ises, being doubtful, indeed, wheth-
er my somewhat limited repertory
included anything that would serve
as a monologue, and the subject
was still under discussion when tea
was brought in and with its fragrant
presence carried our thoughts away
from things theatrical to the more
important matter of satisfying the
cravings of physical nature.
Over the sodden lawn, battling
with the wind and rain, half Il dozen
eager looking men advanced and
steered straight for the entrance
porch.
We watched their progress in
mild surprise, and then suddenly
my curiosity was whetted by rccog-
nizing the foremost Of the six as
one of the keepers at the big luna
tic asylum which stands grim and
silent about a league from Winston
Lodge.
This man, a burly, hard faced
Yorkshireman, walked straight into
the hall after knocking and asked
to see Mr.. Sterling. Ny husband
lazily rose and went with him to the
door.
The keeper Immediately COM
menced to talk to him in a loud,
excited voice, so loud, in fact, that
we could not avoid overhearing part
of what he said, and that had the
effect Of throwing my guests into
something like panic, for the keep
er spoke of a lunatic who had es-
capped from the asylum that morn
ing after nearly numbering an at
tendant. The lunatic was still at
large and had been seen not half an
hour ago lurking in a plantation
near our house.
"Mercy on us! He may come here
at any moment" exclaimed my
Aunt Margery, in a state of high
terror
"Hadn't we hadn't we better
have all the doors locked and bolt
ed?" the waltzing girl suggested,
with a shudder.
81 shall certainly look under the
bed and in the wardrobe tonight ~
asserted the blond widow, where
upon Charlie Fleetwood expressed
his firm belief that "ladies always
did that" which sally only raised
rather feeble laugh.
"What sort of a chap is hep" we
heard Felix ask the keeper.
"Tall chap, sir; thin, snow white
hair, face deathly pale, eyes like
fire"
"Umphl Well, fromwhat you say
| fancy the sooner you get him un-
der lock and key again the better
it will be for the community. No,
we have not seen or heard anything
of him. If we do, we will let you
know at once"
1t was with rather grave face
that my husband returned to us.
But he spoke some words to allay
our alarm: nothing to be frighten-
cd about; he would soon be caught
They were now securing the coun-
tryside in search of him.
But nevertheless,it was some time
before the more nervous members
of our circle quite recovered their
equanimity, and when the time
came for retiring to dress for din
ner that lunatic was still the lead
A q /