The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-06

the comic airs or the year before last, and
the play began.
What an audience. what an audience
exclaimed Cartrew, when he came off the
stage. There isn't a laugh in 1t. High
class acting's completely thrown away on
the dismal chaw-bacons. They might as
we'll be under chloroform! Just go round
to the front, Frillers, and see If you can't
wake EN- up a Bit"
Frillers obeyed. and when, a few minutes
later, Miss Vincent appeared on the stage
as the pretty comic housemaid. with a
dolls broom, a solitary outburst Of ap-
plause flashed from the darkest corner of
the sixpenny seats.
TITS that ass, Frillers!" said the Cartrew
Comedy Company.
But in spite of the appreciation and des-
perate laughter of Frillers. the Cockney
hilarity Of Little Johnnie was lost on the
wits of Eastbeacon. The Cartrew Comedy
Company was accustomed to failures, but
not to such complete failures, and when
the play was over and Frillers tried to COM
fort them by the assurance that the au-
dience had enjoyed Little Johnnie as
much as they were capable Of enjoying
anything the company refused to be COM
forted. 1T was" all insisted. 'Cartrew's
COMPOUNDED mismanagement - and how
about salaries Tomorrow"
I'm not the treasury" said the melan-
choly Frillers. Besides. if it's empty
nothing can come out of it,"
But when Miss Vincent took him aside
and protested that she must have the thirty
pieces Of silver which were her due on
the grounds that she was 'stoney broke, -
Frillers said he would see what he could
do.
He found Cartrew sullenly counting silver
in the little kennel dignifed by the name of
the box office, by the light of a naked and
kissing gas jet.
What's the row now?' asked the man.
ager.
II wish you would let me have Miss Vim
cents salary" said Frillers, its 80 shil-
lings; she's 'stoney broke"
'She's no stonier than the rest OF EN-
said Cartrew. I'll pay the company of
tomorrow at IL. The engagement at Shell
ford-on-Sea has fallen through. The pier
heads been washed away-or something"
Then Frillers withdrew to the stage door,
where Miss Vincent was waiting.
Cant get him to do anything" said
Frillers. Says he'll pay the company OF
tomorrow
"Oh. dear, what shall I do?' cried Miss
Vincent, beginning to weep helplessly.
Don't. don'ti' cried Frillers. You shall
have it. I'll get it out of him somehow,
only dont do that
He hurried off desperately to Cartrew,
whose faculty of original abuse he some
what dreaded. This time the box office
was empty, but the kissing gas jet shone
on the cash box and the bunch Of KEYS in
the lock. Cartrew was standing with the
custodian OF the Guild Hall on the steps
in the falling rain. They were discussing
some matter with warmth
F~rillers, unseen, stole into the little box
office. opened the cash box noiselessly and
took a sovereign and a half from a meager
pile of gold. 1T is next thing to prigging.'
he thought. but it's for her, and it /.
hers"
Hurrying back to the stage entrance he
heard Cartrew protesting angrily that il
wasn't in the agreement. and dashed il
he was going to pay fer it,"
The rest of the company were gone. Miss
Vincent was standing dejectedly on thu
threshold watching the rain splashing r.
the puddles OF the street. When FriIlerE
said Here's your money, Miss Vincent =
she exclaimed. "Pon my word. Mr.. FrilIers
you're a dear, good fellow" Her gratitud,
had never been so warm before. What
she asked. did Ferdie say?"
The manager was known as Ferdie in tn,
company.
Nothing" said Frillers.