Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-25
: CHAPTER XI.

 HOW A GREAT NATIONAL cATAs-
 TRoPHE WAS AvERTED ON JUBI-
 LEE DAY.
 Being desirous of seeing the play out, I had secured-at reasonable enough price-a front seat in the top window of the house exactly opposite to that from the roof of which Number Two hoped, with one snip of his abhorred shears" to ~slit the thin-spun life'' of the royal family of England.
 The morning of the jubilee saw me take my place-not this time in my councillors disguise-in my allotted seat, whence watched with no little curiosity for the final act in what was meant to be a tragedy, but which had been the means of transforming into farce.
 Number Two was not astir as early as was, and did not put in an appear ance on the roof until the tail of the great procession was in sight. Mean while sat looking down on the stall wart fellows who went swinging along at quick march on foot, or upon the stately pacing and prancing of the cav airy that passed, clattering and jing- ling, in pursuing lines.
 My enjoyment of the pageant was, however. considerably marred by the constant growing of a man sitting near me, whose natural moroseness of disposition was accentuated by the fact. that he was dissatisfied with his seat
 Who wants to see lot of court Munkeys riding in double rows or driv- n 0ov ior I,J1 T That's what most of lem are, you know. It's bad enough for the nation to ave to pay for their keep-royal keep too-and pay em big salaries for doing nothing, without our 'aving 'em stuck up on 'orse or in fine carriage for us to ave to pay to see 'em go by. If you and me were dressed up in those hne uniforms and 'ad 'orses found for us to ride on, we'd look just as fine men as they. Isn't that so, mister?'
 ''Oh, yes," said, "it is quite possi- ble."
 There you are, then. And who are . they, after all? That's what I want to know"
 Who. indeed?" I made answer.
 Now if they'd ask me- he went on, Uo I4OO6A AO udQ IdIuGI 0AU0CL6Q they would have done so, and felt ag- grieyed by the oversight, If they'd ave asked me, I'd ave said, What you want is all the great people in the queens reign-them as is living, of course. They ave got Roberts and Wolseley, and quite right too, but where's Gladstone, and Roseberry, and Dr. Parker, and w. G.? There's the president of the Royal academy and all the big doctors? Amt they done a precious sight more good than all your f1unkeys and princes? Princes! We've got too many of 'em as 1t is. There s 'Enry Irving, and Wilson Barrett, and All Caine, and Marie Corelli, and George R. Sims, and Penley and Stan ley? They ain't 'ere-leastwise, not in the show. tell you if they'd asked me-With another splutter of resent ment-sI could ave told 'em who to | put in"
 Yes, there's a great deal in what you say" said, thinking it wiser to agree with him than to add fuel to the fire of his grievance by a dispute. E All the same" put in a man of con- ciliatory countenance who sat behind ] me, "all the same, you cant deny that it's an imposing sight"
 Its imposing enough as a 'oIe,'' admitted the iconoclast, "but if you look at it separate-like, it's only loI of 'uman beings like you and me dressed up in uniforms and riding by on 'orses. But, 'Ullo! Why, I'll be jiggered if there ain't Freddy 'Opkins ! i'm as married my cousin-a-riding by in the Lancers! That's i'm on, the white 'orse with the black mustache. Fred-O! Fred 'Opkins! How are you, Freddy? See, 'e's a-looking this way. What yer Fred! How goes it, sonny? See i'm nod? He looked up l and nodded, e did. Now 'e is what I 1 call ,f1ne-looking chap. Fancy is being ere too! We'll, I'm jiggered! I must tell lem at 'ome as I see Fred | 'Opkins in the procession, and that e I looked up and nodded-not a bit proud l like''
 Just at this moment the sound of dis l tant cheering from the west increased l perceptibly in volume. 1t was no l longer mere ch eering, but the almost frenzied shout of multitude swayed l by some great emotion. It was cam l tagious. It seemed to run along the lines like kindling fire. It grew nearer -hoarser-louder-til it was almost