The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1903-12-23

| THE STROLLERS|
By FREDERIC S. ISHAM, s
Author Of "Under the Rose" j
sss
By FREDERIC S. ISHAM,
Copyright. 1902. by THE BowEN.MERRILL COMPANY
Author Of "Under the Rose

"But once" answered the other in
the same tone; Eat college, a political
satire"
"Was II successful?"
"Qute so. ! was expelled for writing
It,"
We'll" retorted Barnes irrelevantly.
you have at least mildly coquetted
with the muse. Besides, dare say, you
have been behind the scenes a good
deal The greenroom is a fashionable
rendezvous. Where are you going'
And what-if | may asks your bust
ness?"
81 am on my way TO New Orleans"
said the traveller after a moments hes
itation; my business, fortune getting;
in sugar. tobacco or indigo culturev'
New OrleansT exclaimed the man
ager, posing the ladle in midair.
THAT, too. is our destination. We have
an engagement TO play there. Why not
join our band? Write or adapt a play
for us. Make a temperance drama OF
your playr'
you are a whimsical fellow" said
the stranger. smiling. "Why don't you
write the play yourself?'
81? An unread. illlterate dotard!
Why, never had so much as a days
schooling. AS a lad | slept with the
rats, held horses, swept crossings and
lived like a mudlark! Me write a
play | might LET fall a suggestion
here and there, how TO set fat or
where TO drop a fly, TO plan an en-
trance or to arrange an exit! No. no;
let the shoemaker stick TO his lastl II
takes"-with deference-"a scholar TO
write a drama"
Thus you disqualify me-" laughed
the other, drawing out a pipe, which
he filed and lighted with a coal held
in the iron grip of the antique tongs.
terry or stand in a gapr he said grim
ly, replacing the tongs against the old
brick oven at one side of the CRATE.
But TO beset King Bacchus in three
acts! To storm a castle in the first,
scale the walls in the second and blow
up all the kings horses and all the
kings men in the last-that is, indeed.
serious warfarew
True. II will be a roundabout way
to New Orleans" continued the man
ager, disregarding his companions re-
Spouse. but there is no better way Of
seeing the new world-that is. II you
do not dlsdain the company of strolling
players. You gain in knowledge what
you lose in time. If you are a phi
losophcr. yOC can study human nature
through the buffoon and the hummer.
II you are naturalist. here are grand
forests TO contemplate. lf you are not
n recluse. here is free, though humble.
comradeship"
His listener gazed thoughtfully into
the fire. Was the prospect of sharing
this gypsylike life attractive TO him?
An adventurer himself. was he drawn
toward these homeless strollers. for
whom the Illusions OF dramatic art
shone with enticing luster in the com
parative solitude Of the circuit on the
wilderness?
As he sat before the glow. the light
Of the burning shagbark. playing elf
ishly above the dying embers, outlined
the stalwar yet active figure abl Us
lmpenetrable, musing features. But
when, with an upward shower Of
sparks, the backlog fell asunder and
the waning flame cast yet more gloomy
shadows behind them. he leaned back
in his heavy, hewn chair and again
bent an attentive look upon the loqua-
cious speaker.
"Or, if you desire" resumed the man
ager after some hesitation, 1t might
become business venture as well as
Il pleasure jaunt Here is a sinking
ship. Will the salvage warrant help
ing us into port-that is, New Orleans?
There hope tells a fatterlng tale. The
company is well equipped, has a va
ried repertory, while Constance"-ten-
derly-"is a host in herself. If you
knew her as | do had watched her art
grow"-his voice trembled-"and to
think. sometimes do not know where
the next days sustenance may come
from. That She
He broke Off abruptly, gazing at his
companion half apologetically. 1--WE
players. sir" he resumed, present
jovial front. but'-tapping his breast
few know what is going on here!'
Therein" said the younger man,
emptying his pipe. you have stated
universal truth" He pushed a smol-
dering log with his foot toward the
remnants of the embers Suppose
were so minded to venture"-and he
mentioned Il modest sum-'in this haz-
ard and we patched up the play to-
gether?"
"You don't mean it?" cried the man
ager eagerly. Then he regarded the
other suspiciously. "Your proposal is
not inspired through sympathy
why not through the golden pros
poets you have so eloquently depict
edf" replied Saint-Prosper coldly.
"Why not indeedP' exclaimed the re-
assured manager. Success will come;
II must come. You have seen Con-
stance but once. She lives In every
character to her hearts core. How
does she do lit Who can tell? It's In