The Pensacola journal., 1906-09-20
Arthur and May Spend a
Night with the MariOnettes

large hall seated with benches and chairs.
The admission was Is cents for children
under IL. Arthur, having Just turned II,
honestly paid his quarter, for he was too
honorable boy to deceive the old French
man who presided at the door and issued
the tickets.
/, In one corner Of the room two musicians
--or performers that vent by that name
were seated, strumming on a guitar and
mandolin. The seats were filing with q
motley crowd Of Italians. French and
Americans Children predominated. Ar
thur and May procured two front chairs,
where they would have a splendid view Of
the little stage with its. brilliantly and
badly painted drop curtain.
Pretty soon the curtain went up and
there dashed into view two very nimble
warriors or Knights In armor. Their legs
and arms could, bend backward at the
toints as well as forward As one knight
walked boldly and ,menacingly toward the
second. who as boldly came toward him, a
great deep-stomached voice beloved forth
from the wings at one side of the stage,
speaking the dialogue for the marionettes
who were being jumped about the, stage
In most wonderful manner. Occasionally
O huge, strong hand would appear from
above the heads of the puppets, guiding
leg and arm Of the warrior by means Of
q long iron rod.
The story being enacted on the stage
was strange to Arthur and May, for the
reader spoke In a foreign tongue; but new
ertheless they watched 1t with increasing
interest. And when beautiful queen was
thrust upon the stage, all dressed In scar
let velveteen trimmed with white cotton
batten. their enthusiasm grew.
Eyorv lifflo vvhlIa fho oudlov,c Avry~~ a.
to applause, and Arthur and May clapped
hands as loudly as any. But all the
time they wished so much to know what
was being said. At the close of the per.
8rmance Arthur whispered to May: "Sup-
pose we slip into corner and hide be-
hind a bench and after the crowd has
gone we can slip out and go behind the
scenes and see those wonderful marion
cites and discover how they are worked.
Are you willing to run the riskr'
"Yes, yes; let's stay and see them,'
whispered May, full Of eager anticipation.
Then, In the confusion Of departure, no
one noticed boy and girl hide themselves
In a. corner behind some Old pieces of
scenery which the manager Of the Marion
cite Show had not used for the perform
ance that evening and which made fine
hiding place. at
Pretty soon the hall. was empty save
for Arthur and May. As they crept out
from their hiding place In the dark, for
the manager Of the hall had turned out
all the lights, they found 1t difficult to get
about among the benches and chairs and
find their way back Of the stage. Once there
however, they found, to their delight, that
a window In the rear of the small stage
admitted both moon and electric light.
Arthur CROPPED about among the rows OF
strange figures. that stood against the
walls IN their glittering armor. priestly
kingly and Queenly robes, all as silent as
the grave.
'Ah, I've found a CANDLE" said Arthur,
his voice sounding strangely In the empty
place. 'And, luckily, ] have match OF
two In my pocket"
"Well, let's have a light" said May,
feeling bit creepy" as she expressed it,