Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-19
O|HALO' IN OPEN AIR
A Tragic and Unique Dramat-
ic Performance.
BY J. F. THORNE
An Episode of Theatrical Life In
the Wild West-Why the Lead.
ina Woman of the Cumberland
Opera Company Treasures "A
Souvenir of an Exciting Ad.
venture.

Souvenir of an Exciting Ad.
venture.
Contrary to all the precepts OF the
stage the heroine was in love with the
villain. Before the curtain had peen
up ten minutes Bill Dutton was ID
love with the heroine.
Bill, of course, knew no more or the
heroines love for that striding, black
mustached, cigarette smoking disciple
of Machiavelli than the heroine knew
of the feeling she had inspired IN the
breast of the SLOUGH hated blue shirt
ed, booted and armed gold digger VINO
sat on the second row of benches IN
the Rocky City Opera House.
Bill would have denied the soft I'M
parchment Indignantly, as is the mas
culine custom, had he been accused.
With men of his nature, the stronger
the love. the more strenuous the de-
malls and the more biting the sneers OF
anything sentimental. Nevertheless,
from the soles of his heavy boots 10
the crown of his SLOUGH hat, Bill was
IN love. He loved as he fought
quick and hard.
He did not either shoot or lasso the
william, as such men do in stories. Ihls
may have been owing to his ignorance
Of the heroine's attachment, or to the
fact that before he became known as
Bill Dutton he had answered to the
name of-but this is story about Bill
Dutton, and since he saw fit to forget
his former life and name, We should
do likewise. They buried man whose
inquisitiveness led him to make in
Quires in that direction.
AS the driver of the stage coach
gathered up the lines preparatory 10
starting Bill suddenly remembered
that he had urgent business in Bull
Gap. This may or may not have had
something to do with the Cumberland
Opera Company, which was to make
its next stand there, and the members
of which were then in the coach. Bill
climbed up alongside Charlie, the driv-
er. remarking, as he did so, Going
over to see that new strike;;' offered his
plug to Charlie and, looking ruefully
at the small half that was returned
to him, relapsed into meditation. 1t is
possible that his thoughts were OF the
new strike in Bull Gap, but if so, that
strike had long golden hair, blue eyes
and a most bewitching smile.
The whip curled out over the lead
ers' heads, snapped viciously, and in
another moment the stage was hidden
in a cloud of dust. The road ran in
and out, avoiding hill here, turning
to escape gully there, and then be-
gan the long, steep ascent over the
mountain. Bill said little, and Charlie
pursued his theory that "a man can't
talk and drive half broke devils at the
same time"
Inside the coach the members OF the
Cumberland Opera Company were ex-
pressing the hope that the frost"
from which they had been. suffering
had begun to thaw, and wondering
how Bull Gap would receive "OthellO,'
as produced by four people. Suddenly,
as the coach reached the top Of the
incline and started down the opposite
descent, they were startled by hoarse
shout from without Of Halt the
crack of rifle, and almost immediate
~ by the quickening of their speed.
Charlie had sworn, with many an in
genious oath-he was an artist in that
line-that never again would he allow
himself to be held up"
They've done it twice now,' he
said, land I'm tired of their'-several
forcible 'foolishness."
SO, when a man with handkerchief
tied over his face below the eyes sud-
denly stepped into the road and gave
his command, Charlie merely took
firmer hold of the lines. shouted to his
leaders, dashed their TANKS with the
biting whip, and braced himself for
what he knew would come. 1t came,
and for Charlie death rode the singing
pellet of lead. Another shot, and one
of the leaders fell. dragging its mate
with it; the wheelers reared, the coach
slid a few more feet and stopped.
With the exasperating contrariness
of inanimate things at critical mo-
ments, Bills revolver, despite his furi-
Gus tuggings, had obstinately refuaed
to leave its holster. Now it came out
with a jerk and spat back at the
masked man, accenting its owners an
gry excIamatiOns. The rifle answered it,
but neither spoke to effect. Then Bill,
partly sheltered by the drivers seat,
and the masked man. crouching behind
a clump of mesquite, exchanged CON-
pliments, both verbal and leaden.
A rifle bullet, aimed a trife low,
crashed through the body of the coach.
IIal.a.;.,a na.aaxaai Ill ia tha ril-