The National tribune., 1903-07-30

Wilkes in the glory of brand new First
| Licutenant's uniform. The colored regi-
ment to which he had been assigned had
been ordered back to Washington to fit
out for Texas, and he WAS awaiting its
arrival. They all took supper together
and began TO discuss where and how they
would pass the evening. They were all
eager TO see the most of the wonderful
| Capital of the Nation.
Il understand there's going to be spe
cial Good Friday evening services in some
of the churches said the Deacon. We
Baptists don't think much of Good Friday
Too RomiSh. But I'd like to hear this
/ great Methodist preacher. the Rev. John
=. Newman. They say he's going to
preach at Il fine church near here. on
Four-and-a-Half street, which has chimes.
something that ring out tunes. Queer
thing for Il church. seems to me. But.
then. none of the churches are what they
used to be. Running too much TO gew-
gaws and vanities, which do not make for
true holiness. But your mother and me
thought We would like to hear this great
! preacher and are going there. You had
better come along with us.
Il have another scheme" said Lieut.
Wilkes. 'Th res going TO be 4 per-
formance of Il great play. Our American
Cousin" at FOrd's Theater. on Tenth
street, tonight. | have four tickets. to
ldht SDllIe Dul sl lUt ldultS nave
been called to Philadelphia on account of
sickness in the family. and besides.
have some work that | really ought to do.
so I'm going to give You the tickets, if
You'll GO
Go to the theater," gasped Maria in
delight. Wouldn't that be grand. l
never was III thcnter i'll all my life"
'Of course-the theater.' exclaimed An
mabel rapturoGsly. ''of all things in the
world | wpUI HEn 20 tp thn tba1rnr
But would it be right to go on Good Fri
day evening"
why" answered Lieut.. Wilkes. .:it
must be. They say the President and all
the members of the Cabinet and Gen.
Grant are going to be there. They
wouldn't go if it wasn't right. If you go
there you will have chance to see
them"
Il don't care so much about seeing
them" answered Maria. We've all
seen them. but we have never seen the
theater."
Il would like to CO. said Annabel with
a questioning look nj the Deacon. if | only
thought it was right. They say such aw-
full things about the theater. and. then.
this is Good Friday evening when prob
ably we ought to go to church.
''Oh. take the tickets and go. daughter"
said the Deacon indulgently. AS | said
before, Good Friday don't count much
with us. Your young and this is Il chance
for you to see something. You'll have
plenty of chance later in life to so to
church.
So it was arranged. The girls ran up
to their rooms i'll a futter of delight to
prepare for the theater. while Mrs. Klegs
made ready to accompany her husband to
the place of worship.
The theater was not so much of an
event to 81 and Shorty. They had been
to performances in Louisville and Nash
vile. but they approached the little old
Ford's Theater on Tenth street with awe
as if it were II temple of some new faith
in life. Lieut.. Wilkes had gotten good
seats down far to the front. They were
early, and taking their places. watched
with interest the gathering audience and
the preparations for the entertainment.
They followed the whispers of those
around them rs one after another distin-
guished man entered and took his seat,
and, finally, the greatest flutter of all came
with enthusiastic applause when Presi-
dent Lincoln. accompanied by his wife
and some uniformed officers. entered a box
to the left They easily recognized the
tall form of the President, with his rug
ged, sad countenance, but looked in vain
for the Secretary of War and the great
General who had recently received Lees
surrender at AppomattoX.
IL
the curtain rose, and they became viyidly |
interested in the scene upon the stage.
The play was Our American Cousin,
with Laura keene. IL once famous actress. |
in the principal female role. As then
played before Sothern entirely remodeled |
it. "Our American Cousin represented an
aristocratic home in England to which |
had come an American cousin of the fam- |
ly. Asa Trenchard an unpublished Yankee |
with quaint speech, Yankee drawl. IL
world of wit, and shrewd, common sense
that helped everybody out of their diff !
culties and assisted the true love plans OF |
the daughter of the house. who was struS
Cling against opposition to marry the man
of her choice.
1t was intensely real to Annabel and
Maria. who could not make themselves
believe that it was merely IL play. and fol
lowed the development of the love story
through its difficulties with brcathlcsS in
terest. To their husbands it was much !