The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-12-03

iItS IlICIuy WUu tUC uuIllEIllOu OIL tu8
four quarters of the globe. Inside Of
this booth, ladies', is about to COM
mence the representation of n most re-
markable drama, acted for tho first
time in Picking and translated by our
most celebrated authors. Gentlemen,
you can take your seats. The lamps
are lighted, and the actors are chang
ing their dress" .
Here he stopped speaking and imt-
tated to perfection the feats which
mountebanks play upon horns and ket.
tlcdrums.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen" he re-
sumed, "you wish to know what 1 am
doing outside IL the piece Is to be per-
formed under the tent. The fact is,
gentlemen, that 1 wish to give you n
forctaste of tho entertainment which
you may enjoy by paying the small
sun of 10 cents. You see this superb
picture2 Very well. 1t represents
eight of the most thrilling scenes in
the drama. All, I SEQ you begin to
shudder. And yet this splendid pic
ture gives you no more idea Of the
acting than n drop Of water gives an
idea of the sea or a ray Of light OF the
sun"
"Do you know this clownY' asked an
enormous Turk Of n melancholy Punch.
"No, but he can initiate a trumpet
splcndidly."
ooh, very we'll indeedl But what Is
he driving att"
The clown was ~endeavoring to at
tract the attention Of Nine. Tauvel,
who since Raoul and Madeleine had
left her had abandoned herself to a
mournful reverie.. He succeeded. The
showman's shrill voice brought the
bankers wife back to n sense OF real
ity. She started and looked quickly
about her, as If suddenly awakened
from a troubled dream. Then she no.
ticed the clown.
"Now, ladies, we are in China. The
first picture on my canvas, here to the
left'-he pointed to the top daub-"rep.
resents the celebrated Mandarin Ii 70
in the bosom Of his family. This pref.
ty woman leaning over him is his wife,
and these children playing on the IA
pet are the fruits Of n happy marriage.
Do you not inhale the odor Of happi.
ness %cmanating from this speaking
picture, gcntlemen2 Nine. Ii Fo is the
most v%irtuous of women, adoring her
husband and idolizing her children.
Being %virtuous. she Ia happy, for the
wise Confucius says, Virtue is better
than vice."
Nine. Fauvel became Interested. She
left her seat and approached nearer ia
the clown.
"Do you see anything on the banner
like what he is describing?" asked the
melancholy Punch of his n%eighbor.
"No. Do your"
The fact is that the daubs Of paint
on the canvas represented one thing as
well as another, and the clown could
call them whatever he pleased.
"Picture No. 81" he cried after a roll.
ing Of drums. "This old lady seated
before & mirror tearing out her hair.
especially the gray ones-do you rec.
ognize her? No, you do not. She is
the fair mandarine Of tho first picture,
I see tears in your eyes, ladies and
gentlemen. All, you have cause to
weep, for she is no longer virtuous,
and her happiness has departed with
her virtue. Alas, 1t is n sad story
oIc lttbl IA ohC llCt VII tllc StIcctb VI
Picking a young rufian, fendish, but
beautiful as an angel, and she loved
him-the unfortunate woman loved
him!"
During this TRADE he had turned
about till he faced the bankers wife,
whose c~ountenance he closely watched
while he was speaking.
you are surprised, gentlemen" he
continued. 81 am not. The heart new
err grows old, and the most vigorous
walltlowers flourish on old ruins. This
unhappy woman is nearly fifty years
old-and in love with q youth! Hence
this heartrending scene, which should
serve as n warning to us ALL"
"Really," grumbled q cook dressed
in white satin, who had passed the
evening in carrying around menus
which no n read, II thought he was
going to amuse u.s."
But" continued the clown, "you
must 60 inside of the booth to witness
the effects Of the mandarine's folly.
AT times q ray OF reason penetrates
her diseased brain, and then the sight
of her anguish would soften the most
IMPLYING. Enter, and for the small
sum of 10 cents you shall hear sobs
such as the Odeon never echoed In Its
halcyon days. The unhappy woman
realizes the absurdity md inanity OF
her blind passion. She confesses tC
herself that she is madly pursuing a
phantom. She knows but too well that
he in the vigor and beauty of youth
cannot love n faded old woman like her
self, who vainly makes pltiable efforts
to retain. the last remains Of her once
enchanting beauty. She feels that tho
sweet words he once whispered in heI
charmed ear were false. She knows
that the day is near when she Will be
left alone, with nothing save his man
tie in her hand"
AS the clown addressed this volubIe
description to the crowd before him
he narrowly watched tho c%ountcnance
of the bankers wife. But nothing he
had said seemed to affect her. She
leaned back in her armchair perfectly
calm and occasionally smiled.
"Can 1 be OH the wrong track?" NUT
tered the clown %uneasily.
M. de Clameran Joined the circle.
The third picture" the clown con
tinued, depicts the old mandarinc aft
err she has dismissed that most annoy
J ing of guests-remorse-from her bvs
ON. She promises herself that inter
est shall supply the place OF love In
holding thn apI,tcfiya ,outb II q.