The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-13

the footlights dazzled him so that he
conceived the idiotic notion that an ac-
tor was the greatest man in the world
and that an actors life was one long
dream of bliss. He went back home
and began to read about actors ana
plays. Then some other idoit in the
neighborhood got the amateur theatre
cal craze and the fool took part, and a
lot of well-meaning, but addle-headed
people told him that he did well and
was cut out for an actor.
We'll, the fool got stage-struck and
decided that the farm and fresh air and
the good living and the good old father
and mother and all the honest friends
he had were not good enough for him
and that he must go to the city and
carve out a career. His mother was
+heartbroken and his father rightously
angry at his decision. But of course
the fool knew better than they. All
fools know better than their mothers
and fathers-espeeially cub-fools. Soshe
went bravely away to the city, and by
the sheer force of the physical vitality
the country air and good living and de-
cent hours had given him, he wormed
himself into the perfesh and for ten
wears has. been living in ill-smelling
hotels and stuffy back rooms and eat
ing everything from free lunch weiner-
wurSt to the sort OF rot TINS udBO COn-
'cocts in his rotten kitchen.
The fools father was strong man
and Just, and when he died a few years
ago he left his property to the fools
brother, who was a wise man and
stayed with a good thing, and knew
enough to come in when 1t rained
This proves that the FOOLS father knew
his business. So now the fool is elect
ed to exc out his miserable existence
in company with other fools of both
sexes in stuffy lodgings and on liver
wurst and beer and other abomina-
lions. while his brother peacefully
smokes his pipe in comfort and happl-
ness and watches his boys and girls
grow to manhood and womaphood in
the green. fields which will be their
heritage--unless they inherit their un-
Gle and become fools"
"And the girl" suggested the poet.
"Or, yes, the girl" replied Benton
That is the most pitiful of all. You
see the girl really loved the fool and
she thought it was all right for him to
go to the city and demonstrate the
depths of his idiocy And the fool
loved the girl. too, In a fool way and
when he left he took her in his arms
and kissed her and swore eternal fide-
lily and promised her future part in
his future triumphs. A few letters
passed and then the fool graduated
from the supe class into a speaking
part. met up against this sort of a
bunch and the paint and the rouge and
the pads and the abandon and the wit
and all the. rest of 1t, as exemplified in
our charming de We're, appeared to the
fool as the real thing and he thought
the little girl i'm the country too plain
and simpIe--and he forgot to write
70 irno he nf
his trance the shoe was on the other
foot and he realized that he was not
worthy to tie her shoe and that his
life was not fit even to suggest to her.
And so the fool is alone and will con-
tinue to paint his mug nightly, when
| the managers are good enough to let
| him, and make faces at the gaping
crowds and to nurse the shylocks until
| some day when you, my dear friends,
will have the proud privilege to chip
in for a cheap coffin and a cheap
preacher and~ a cheap grave some-
/ where"
| Benton sat down and plunged his
face into the beer mug. Archie Neville
| said dam" and the de We're leaped
| again into The chair to try and dispel
| the atmosphere, when a sudden inter-
ruption occurred. The, girl sitting In
the corner had moved quietly. to Ben
toms elbow. She laid her hand on his
| arm.
Russell" she said softly, You said
you would come for me and 1 said
| would wait. 1 have waited all these
years and now you have not come. SO
| have come for you. Father is dead and
the farm is mine-ours. Come home
Oh. 1t has been SO hard to find you"
| Benton rose as one dazed and looked
at the girl Then without glance al
the party he put his arm about her and
| together they walked out of Maffoli's
Wen, wouldn't that make you artic-
ulate!" exclaimed Tony Neiman, in q
low voice to Brooks But the poet was
busy making notes.