Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1901-08-31

can get up n lovely program! | have
two .new songs | would be willing to
sing, and could recite something.
And perhaps we could get up little
play"
"Oh. don't go to have any play-act.
ing, or lots of us church people won't
patronize the benefit" said old Mrs.
Briggs. who had very decided convic-
tons regarding such matters, and who
was opposed to anything savoring Of
the theatrical.
perhaps it would be best not to at
tempt play" said Miss Jane "for
we shall want to have the entertain
ment free from anything the most con-
scientious wouldn't feel free to patron
lie. But we simply must carry out
Thomas Jefferson's lovely idea. !
E..ow that 1t will take everywhere"
In fact, the suggestion OF benefit
for the Dilleys in the town hall of Mel
vile met with general hearty approval.
Thomas jefferson himself was not
i'm the least avcrse to taking part In
the proposed benefit. Indeed, his will
ingness and even eagerncss to appear
in public gave his grandmother no lit
tie concern, for she thought that she
saw in 1t tendency toward "play-act-
ing" and she frequently declared that
she would rather have him become a
garbage gathercr than to have him the
biggest play actor on earth" Thomas
did pot share these views, but he said
little about them to his grandmother.
He was, however, wllful boy. ana
not easily moved when he had made
up his mind to do thing.
He had visited some cousins in the
large town Of Kingston n short time
before he proposed the benefit for the
Dillcys. While in Kingston he had at
tended an amateur minstrel show, and
had come home eager to initiate some
of the performances he had seen
From the moment the Dillcy benefit
was planned Thomas was determined
to dazc the little town of Melville. lie
was fond of dramatic effect, and he
w"s determined to keep every one in
ignorance of the exact nature of his
contribution to the program.
"l'll tell you what you do" he said
to Miss Jane Crane, when she asked
him il he would not speak Il piece like
THE Polish Boy" or ''Bingcn on the
Rhine II tell you what you do. You
Just put on the program, Surprise
Number and don't say who It's going
to be by or what it is going to be, and
thatll give them something to wonder
about"
"Oh. how nice" said Miss Jane.
"And | know that we can depend on
:. on to give us something perfectly
lovely. You are a dear, anyhow
Thomas jefferson WINGED, but was
too polite to give expression to his
pent-up feeling.
The patronage given the Dillcy ben
eft was all that could be desired, since
| every seat in the house was sold and
every foot of standingroOm taken.
| sympathy for the Di!lcys, combined
with a desire to break in on the mo-
notony of life in Melville. sent nearly
every resident to the town hall on the
evening or the Dpncnt.
The Dilleys were there in a row of
seats reserved for them, and Grand
mother Briggs having been assured
that there would not be any "theatri-
cal goings-on" in the program, was an
interested spectator.
1t was her conviction that Thomas
Jefferson had learned Il new and ac-
ceptable piece entitled, "Advice to a
Boy" that she had long wished him to
recite at school-a prose composition
a. great length, written by some one
who had evidently quite forgotten his
own boyhood.
Eager interest was manifest in the
faces and actions Of the audience when
the Surprise Number" was reached
on the program. No one knew what
it was to be, nor by whom 1t was to
given.
The curtains We're parted. and there
suddenly glided upon the stage dane
ing, whirling figure in somewhat short
and tilmy pink and white tArlatan
skirts ana black bodice laced with
pink. with bare arms akimbO. The
dancing figure piroutted around and
around the stage, the curls Of the very
palpable yellow wig bobbing up and
uown and her tinsel ornaments tnk-
ling as she whirled around.
IF that amt scandalous! ejacu-
lated Grandmother Briggs to the lady
sitting beside her. "Wh0 in the land
can the brazcn creature be? She ought
to be put right OUT
"Why. don't you really know who 1t
Isl" asked the lady.
"Of course don't! I don't associate
with such characters"
"Why. Grandma Briggs, that is your
Thomas jefferson"
Hey? WhatY
at Isl See the two Drewe girls.
How they are laughing! They made
his clothes for him and helped get him
up that way. They think 1t Is great
fun. And you really didn't know that
It was your Thomas jefferson? How
funny"
Grandmother Briggs readjusted her
glasses and leaned forward. her dim
old eyes flashing and her wrinklcd
hand pressed to her hcaving chest. A
moment later n tall old lady stepped
firmly down n side aisle, her head
erect her lips tightly compressed, her
fingers clcnched in the palms of her
hands. and n look of fierce wrath and
determination on her somewhat wrn.
killed. face.
a door led from the end of the aisle
to the platform. and Grandmother
Briggs disappeared within this door
way. The next moment she was seen
coming from between the gaudily
painted wings Of the stage Thomas
jefferson was unaware of her pres
enc, on the stage until she had grasped
him firmly by the wrist with one hand
while she snatched Off his poorly con.
structcd wig with the other and flung
1t across the row of lamps that served