The Breckenridge news., 1904-01-06

upon the railing or which was an array
OF boots and behind them a number Of
disconsolate looking tesmsters.
you want to register, do your said
the landlord in answer to Barnes in
quiry, as the latter entered the office.
1--WE don't keep no register. but |
guess we can accommodate you. al
though the house Is rather full with
the fellers from the ark, or" he add
ed, by way Of explanation in answer
to the managers look OF surprise,
philadelphia freight wagons, | sup
pose you would call them. But we
speak OF them as arks. because they
take in all creation. Them's the occu-
pants making a Mount Ararat of the
porch. They're downhearted because
they used to liquor up here and now
they can't, for the towns temperance"
81 trust, nevertheless, you are pre-
pared for season OF legitimate
drama" suggested Barnes.
The other shook his head obviously.
'"The towns for lectures clear
through" he answered. They've been
making a big fuss about show folks"
The managers countenance did not
| fall, however, upon hearing this an
nouncement; on the contrary, it shed
| forth inscrutable satisfaction.
| No sooner were they settled in far
from commodous quarters than prep
| arations for the future were seriously
| begun, and now the drama proceeded
apace, with Barnes the moving spirit.
/ Despite his assertion that he was no
| scholar. the managers mind was the
storehouse OF a hundred plays. and in
that depository were many bags of
gold and many bags of chaff. From
| this accumulation he drew freely,
frankly, in the light fingered fashion
of master playwrights and lesser the.
atrical thimble riggers.
Before the manager was n table-the
stagc-upon which were scattered mis-
| cellaneous articles, symbols of life and
character A stately saltcellar repre-
sented the leading lady, pepper box
the irascible father, a rotund mustard
pot the old woman, q long. slim cruot
+ the ingenue, and a pewter spoon the
lover.
| Barnes gravely demonstrated the ac-
| ton of the scene to Saint-Prosper. and
| the soldier became collaboration, "aban-
| doning, as it were," wrote the manager
in his photographed date book and
diary, "the sword for the pen and the
| glow of the Champ de Mars for the
| glimmer Of kerosene lamp" And yet
not with the inclination of Burgoyne
or other military gentlemen who have
! courted the buskin and sock! On the
contrary. so foreign was the occupa-
ton to his leaning that often a whim-
sical light in his eye betrayed his dis
! inclination and modest disbelief in his
own fitness for the task. "He said the
way | laid out an act reminded him OF
! planning a campaign, with the outrid
ers and skirmishers before, the cavalry
arrayed for swift service and the in
fantry marching steadily on. carrying
with them the main plot or strength OF
the movement"
No sooner were the saltcellar and
pepper box reunited. and the pewter
spoon clasped in the arms of the loving
cruet, with the curtain descending
than Barnes. who. like the immortal
Alcibiades Triplet. could turn his hand
to almost anything, became furiously
engaged in painting scenery. a mar
ket place. with a huge wagon contain
ing porkers and poultry, was dashed
off with a celerlty that would have
!
with envy. The Tiddly Wink inn was
so faithfully reproduced that the paint
ed bottles were real temptation, while
on the pastoral green Of rural land
scape grazed sheep so lifelike that as
Hawkes. observed. it actually seemed
they would eat the scenery all up
But finally sets and play were alike
finished. and results demonstrated that
the manager was correct in his esti
mate of such drama. which became q
forerunner OF other pieces of this kind
"The Bottle" Fruits of the Wine
Cup" aunt Dinahs Pledge" and "Ter
Nights In 8arroom."
In due time the drama was given ir
the town hal. after the rehearsals had
been witnessed by a committee from
the temperance league, who reported
that the play "could not but exercise 6
good influence and was entertaining
withal. We recommend the license t.
be issued a7d commend the drama tC
all Good Templars" Therefore tb'
production vas not only well attended
but play aDd players were warmly re
ceived. The town hall boasted fairly
commodious platform, which now serv
cd the purpose of stage, and-note
worthy circumstance!-there were gai
jets for footlights, the illumlnatin!
fluid having at that early date beer
introduced in several of the more pro
gressive villages. Between the act
these yellow lights were turned low
and, running with the current of popu
lar desire, the orchestra, enlarged +
four, played by special request 9Th
Old Oaken Bucket"