The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-04-28


suggested. The boy should know the
facts. He'll know them some day.
Let's 20 and see him now together"
Its too late said Crawford Hes
gone to the theater. I'm to meet him
aftrrward. Suppose We have a look
ct the play"
| asSented, and after we had smoked
together for Il little while we strolled
over to the theater
The play WAS a sort of sentimental
comedy by an English dramatist. a
very good piece of work. it seemed to
me. | had heard of it. but had never
seen it performed and was ignorant
of the story which it presented. Its
leading idea was that a very good fell
low upon his dcathbed had put his
mothcrleSS boy into the care of his
best friend, who had accepted the trust
with the highest resolve to execute il
faithfully. Three other men who had
known and loved the father were col
leagues in this great and difficult task
of bringing the orphan through all per
lis which might hcsct him up to no
bic and honorable manhood.
Al the rise of the curtain the vantb is
supposed to have attained his twenty-first
birthday and the story Of his guardian
snip is disclosed to the audience in the
first act together with the facts that the
I""' projectors nave led gay life in their
IItHr ana thdt the boy shows signs Of
tendency to do likewise.
Wally Ford played the part Of the
youngster. and / thought that his work
was really excellent Indeed. the whole
company was surprisingly good, especially
the young woman who lin real life. not in
me pIaN) mad ensnared Wallys affections.
Opoh the stage she had the role of an in
nocent girl To whom the four guardians
nave betrothed the boy.
Shes rather pretty. Don't you think
so? said to Ford.
res, confound it. he replied. "she is
with her makeup on"
mere no makeup that Is equal to the
self deluson Of a young fellow in love"
said l. This girl never painted her own
race as Wally's fancy paints it"
Its queer thing" said Crawford a
moment later. that there's a splendid girl
In this company. Mrs Ford told me about
her-good family, irreprOachable character
and all that. If Wally had fallen in love
with her, he'd have had the maternal
blessing. Mrs. Ford has no prejudice
against actresses. She's a broad minded
woman. She knows that there are lots of
nice girls on the stage. and she believes in
the work If person really feels called to
1t. She put no obstacle in Wally's way
when he expressed a wish to be an actor
and think she's right. 1t is an honorable
work. Now. this play, for instance is full
of fine feeling and teaches a good lesson.
You'll see
(which is the nice girl-the one whom
Mrs. Ford likes" l asked
You won't see her till the third act" he
said. She plays the adventures"
THE deuce she does!" said l.
1t is the plot of the piece that this adj
venturess is led to believe that the youth
has lot Of money, and she therefore
agrees to marry hm-if he will settle it
all upon her. In reality he hasn't anything
except what his guardians give him. The
adventures is connected with the dra-
matte profession in very lurid capacity,
and she is spoken of as having seen "a
great deal of the world"
The youth in the play is totally blind
and deaf so far as the adventures is con-
cerned He won't hear a word said against
her. He asserts his own Judgment with
the explosive confidence appropriate to his
years and will listen to no warning from
the older and wiser men who have reared
him for his fathers sake and would make
any sacrifice to shield him from disaster
l beheld this plot unfolding before me
with a slowly growing wonder at the
amazing coincidence which was involved
How long" l whispered to Crawford,
has Wally been playing this part?'
"All the season." he replied.
"A hundred times, at least" said l.. "A
hundred times he has held up this MIN
icry Of folly to the eyes of the multitude
and, by the living lingo. he has never seen
it himself
ut does fit his own case to the life.
doesn't IT, said Crawford.
The curtain had fallen upon the second
act at the close Of which the chief trustee
of the boy decides to buy the adventures
outright for the small sum of 910OO as the
from her clutches. We could speak more
at our ease between the acts
How is it possible" said l. that he can
play this part over and over again and in
his private life enact the very folly which
he holds up to the public for a lesson?"
II don't know" said Crawford. Doesn't
look reasonable that man could do that;
upon my word it doesn't. Loves a queer
thing"
do you think that the fellow on the
stage is supposed to be in love with the
adventures"
mo" said he; mot really"
'Well. neither is Wally in love with this
girl He Is suffering from q species of
self hypnosis He is under the influence
of a deluson. We must wake him up
"I'll have another try at him after the
show" said Crawford. 1.-The company
doesn't leave town till tomorrow He is