The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-12-14

let me die with that dignity which be
longs to my craft. ! would have liket
we'll to die like this; to have seen til,
next morning in the papers-I mean fol
you 10 have read. with tears-how An
thony Taggett, who once played Ham.
let before the mayor Of BRISTOL
"Only by accident, Anthony-only b,
accident; he had been dining, and
wandered into the wrong show-sait
he thought you were q circus
mo matter; he had to hear It. Yet
to what am I reduced? We have com,
to the end Of our resources. Our man
ager-perfidious varlet!-has boltet
with such moneys as were In ourescof,
fers; we have tramped q great part Of
the wa from Bristol; and are notsye1
near to London. Yet, cheer up, Medo.
ra: others whose names are blazonei
on the pages of history have orm into
London in such fashion. At the pres.
emf moment, however"-his voice as.
sumed a less-hopeful tone-"we are re.
markedly hungry, and we are practic.
ally penniless. Night is upon us, an6
the silvery moon" !.
"oh, never minc the silvery moon
Anthony" broke in Mrs. Taggett, i'm.
patiently; what we want to see is 8
silvery coin or two. We can't sleep IL
tire road, Mi. Taggett. What are We
to do about this Mr. Gilbert Rickerby?'
my dear, you surely remember that
some five or six years ago a Mr. Gilbert
Rickerby Joined the company in which
I then played heavy parts. Young fel.
low, with a bright, clear eye; quite 9
gentleman"
Bless the boy; I remember him." re.
piled Mrs. Taggett. Told you he had
run awoy from home, didn't he?"
Gwen so. I learned from him tina,
he was-or should have been-a youth
of fortune; that he had quafreled with
his sire and had been thrown upon the
world. I remember, when he parted
from us to go abroad, he said to me:
II ever you should be down on your
luck, old Taggett'-a familiar way he
had with me, my love-'inquire for me
at Rickerby's Folly, St. Johns Wood,
London. Anyone will show you the
place. And so I thought, .Medora. tthat
I would journey thither and see II ]
could find him. II he is rich, he might
even be disposed to produce the money
and put me in a theater. Why not?'
"But he's seen you act, hasn't he::'
asked Mrs. Taggett. silly.
my love, you have an unfortunate
habit of saying the wrong thing at the
wrong moment-of saying It, too, In an
enigmatical fashion. which annoys me.
He has seen me act, as you know:
what has that to do with the Inatter?'
ooh, nothing replied Mrs. Taggett,
innccently. The only thing is. II We are
to get to st. Johns Wood tonight,
someone will.have to carry us; for my
part, I can't walk another STEP"
It It this moment, when blank
despair was beginning to fall upon the
elastic spirits Of Mrs. Taggett. that a
diversion was caused by the arrival OF
a third wayfarer, who limped along
painfully toyards them, and whose face
was Get in the same direction as that
towards which their own thoughts and
hopes were turned-London. The new
comer-a woman-looked at them a
moment as she passed, and half-stop-
ped, as though about to speak; but
thought better Of it, and went on her
way. They watched her as h slowly
dragged along; she looked as weary
and helpless as themselves.
After going some twenty or thirty
yards down the road, the stranger
stopped and glanced back. hesitated q
moment or two and h slowly re-
traced her steps. MI. Taggett glanced
critically at the woman, who wa
young and Enthusiastically handsome;
Mrs. Taggett drew herself up and ad-
iusted her cloak with an air Of gentili-
ty.
ga woman-young-and u~nprotect-
ed" murmured Mr.. Taggett, with Q
glance at the approaching stranger.
you've already got. one woman
Young and unprotected-to look after,
Mr.. Taggett!" retorted his wife, sharp
..True. my love-true: I do not forget
my responsibilities" replied Mr.. Tag
gett. sBut it is evident that this lady
would have speech with us"
"well-if you're going to have speech
with every female tramp we meet on
the road, Anthony, I think things have
com to a pretty pass" said Mrs. Tag
eett. well, madam-what do you
want?"
The last remark was addressed to the
woman, who had stopped hesitattngly
before them. Her clothes were worn
and shabby, as were their own; yet
she carried herself with a certain pride,
as though she beat down whatever
shame she felt in her position fercely
and resolutely. She was tall and fair,
with q singularly strong, defiant Q
about her. "a.
you needn't think I've come back to
beg of you,'' she said, harshly. II
wouldn't beg of anyone. Only some
dread, unaccountable fear has come
upon me, and I don't care to face thnt
dark road alone. I swore, when ! Bel
out, that I'd walk the whole way, and
that nothing should turn me back;
now'-she,t threw out her hands quickly
and laughed-"my resolution has brok-
en- down in amcment. Are you bound
for London?"
"IIark-hark-the dogs do bark; the
Nbeggars have come to town." chanted
Anthony Taggett, waving his hand sin
time tc the words. There is q curious
lit about those lines which has always
appealed to me; Inever thought they
would be SO appropriate as on b pres
ent occasion. Madam''-he turned. to
the stranger-'we are in sorry case;
but IL an arm. which has, ere nov,
welded q b~roadsword in mimic c1fnpat,
is Of service to you,i It ts here. There Y
a strange Bohemian strainsin me. which
teaches me to be ready for.sall3Gh3nce
and changes OF fickle FortuAS..asAX0a are
one Of the chances and ychd esss#SRr44v