The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1904-10-19

These questions were very onDarrasS-
ing. and l should have been greatly put
to for an answer, but Martha came to
my assistance.
'.Well gIook here, Mr.. Fitzwalton,"
she saiS with a sign to me; Master
Silas has got son,e very particular bust
ness ON hand just now that obliges him
to be cautions, so | know you'n excuse
him answering your questions for a day
or two
"Oh, / don't want to pry into any
body's secrets retorted Josiah, with
something Of pique in his tone.
There was an awkward silence for
some minutes, during which ] discussed
my breakfast, with the embarrassing
sensation that the Professor" as l af-
forwards heard he liked to be called,
was sharply scrutinizing me.
1t was impossible for Josiah TO keep
silent for any length Of time. or to re-
frain from talking about himself. So,
in spite OF my reticence, he soon put me
in possession of the whole of his his
tory from the time he quilted Mr.. por-
ter's establishment up to the time in
which / found him sitting in Mrs. Jen-
nings' parlor.
do you remember that night son got
out of window, and / took YOU to the
theater? Well, you see, / didn't care
for the printing business much. / had
q soul above scraping rollers and rolling
ink; and, from the first night i went
into the theater | was stage struck
1t seemed such a jolly, easy life; and
such n glorious thing to see ali the
plays, and act in them, aud get rounds
Of applause, and wear fine clothes. so l
determined to be an actor. / had the
impudence to apply to old Tomkins, the
manager of Bury, for an engagement.
His answer was to kick me out of the
theater as a presumptuous young ape.
But, although this hurt my pride, it did
| not damp my ardor. ! heard of a booth
two or three miles off. One evening
l walked over to the village and offer
ed my services there. They happened
to be in want of some one to pull up the
scenes, deliver the bills and go on for
small parts. l was engaged at once.
The printing business saw me no more.
So instead of rolling ink, / rolled up
scenes. l was very happy for a time,
especially when / got a few lines TO
speak. By and by l grew ambitious and
scared in imagination from the first off,
Ger to Macduff, and even to Macbeth. /
got disguised with the mental portion of
my work; and one fine morning, at a
fair, deserted to an opposition show,
next door, where, in a spangled tunic,
n a pair Of russell boots, / scowled
ferociously at my old companions. Then
l managed to get taken on as super at
/ nno nf tho hin fhaofarc onl Lpou-;nr
something about the business, got pro-
NOTED to super-master. There | met my
esteemed friend, the Professor a gem
tleman who can write B. A. after his
name; who has moved in the most dis
tinguished circles, but who, being at
present under a cloud, is compelled to
play General It'll at the Royal Corin-
THAN Theater."
"But what sort of characters do you
take?' | inquired, referring back. in
my mind, to my solitary theatrical ex-
| perience.
"Oh, / veer between the heavy bust
ness and the light comedy" he answered
carelessly.
"Yes; between carrying on the chairs
and tables and the candles" dryly re-
marked his friend. speaking for the first
time.
"Oh, hang it, | say, now!!' expostulat-
ed Josiah. you know the stage man
ager is very much struck with me, and
intends giving me a small part i'll the
new piece. Once let me get my nose in,
and Ell show them what l can do
You may more correctly say that
the stage manag was struck by you,"
ooosr M, n 4 aJ fhn prnfacca. IN fho
same sarcastic vein. II thought you
the other night; in lis best scene, too
just as he was working up. He ex-
pressed his admiration of you in very
strong terms; it is a wonder you did not
get your nose between his fingers"
Josiah was getting very angry. To
avert a quarrel, l asked who General
Util' was.
"A person who's supposed to be able
to do everything, and consequently do
nothing, and who's bullied for every
body else's blunders." spitefully replied
Josiah.
After a little more pickering, the two
friends. as | suppose l must style them,
went out for a walk. i felt quite re-
lieved at being freed from the strange,
scrutinizing glance of Mr.. M~ontgomery's
eyes. that had scarcely ever been taken
off me the whole time he remained in the
room. After this, Martha came, and I
had a little quiet talk.
81 couldn't go to sleep for hours last
night, thinking Of what you'd better do"
she said. "A clerkship Is what you
want; but. yor see, you've got no refer
cnces. and it is so hard to get a situa-
ton without them-and, indeed, with
them, for the matter of that. I think
you ought to try and find out your
friends: you know the name of the law
yers that Mr.. Porter drew the money
from. l think you ought to go to them"
Suppose they We're to hand me oyer
70 fhnf az arain ~ said uhnlInrinn