Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29
i'd ones and praised LELAND and tire insti-

tuition.
With this newspaper in It's hands the
whole town felt the reaction from the ex-
citement Of the previous day and that morn
Ing. There were few soreheads-mostly
among those who had been informed that
their deposits would not again be accepted
a. the bank-but the general tendency
an opg the Inhabitants was toward celebra-
ticn. This was increased by the presence
within the city limits of many visitors from
the farms. who. having come in terror and
having had their terror pleasantly dis
PEELED. were anxious to make merry. But
the resources of small Kansas cities for use
on occasions accidentally made gay are not
large Had 1t not been for the presence OF
Dpff1eld and his Blacksmith Maid COM
pany In town. there would have been little
that was unusual to do. But Duffleld was
there, and having OWNED by noon about
how the run upon the bank would end
had quickly taken advantage of the situa-
ton by posting large notice In front OF
the theater saying that an extra matinee
would be given that afternoon.
THE Blacksmith Maid company. provi-
dentially, arrived on train which was on
time, and Its members were hustled to the
tbeater without even being allowed to go
to the hotel to eat. Ii is said that at the
tfeater they found a sumptuous luncheon
served with the compliments of the bank.
or those who had not already secured In
the back room of the hotel tickets for some
one of the other performances, nearly every
one in Knowareton seemed to be anxious to
attend this one: but many were disap-
pointed, for the standing room only" sign
was displayed almost Immediately after the
doors were opened, and was quickly for
lowed by another notice which had to be
printed for this occasion, never before hav-
ing been needed at the opera house in
Kr owareton. This sign said:
HOUSE FULL!
Such an extraordinary rush for tickets
to performance which had been the
subject of so much derogatory advance
talk made many old and conservative
residents of the town shake their heads
and wonder what the world was coming
to; but. again. the early edition of the
evening paper corrected a false impress
sion. This, it said, had been unaccountably
circulated in the morning sheets" The
entire manuscript of The Blacksmith
Maid" had, It said. been freely offered to
its editor to read that morning, and, glanc-
full of fun but singularly refined and free
from all vulgarity. The newspaper said
also. that there were hints of libel suits
against those who had slandered the piece
and its manager and author, Mr.. Duffleld
There may have been a few who pur-
chased tickets while laboring under the
false impression who felt a bit foolish
when they saw tbs In the paper; but they
covered their confusion by confding to
assured from the very first that the show
as clean as hounds tooth, and
just the thing to take the wife and children
to see. And, later, they were filled by
such real satisfaction by the undoubted
merits Of the fun and melody in the show
that they forgot to feel any of those other
emotions which might have troubled them
If the performance had been less definitely
meritorious.