The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-12-20
Madame Midas
BY Fersus Hume
-S33SEGG

TO cause your unmatched feet TO stumble !;
in fact" said the speaker, looking up to
the sky, Il see no stars whereon you
could fix yoar gaze"
This somewhat strange mode of remon-
STRANGE was delivered in a solemn manner,
with appropriate gestures. and tickled Mr..
villiers so much that he leaned up against
a great rock abutting on the path, and
laughed long and loudly.
That's right, sir" said the stranger,
approvingly; Laughter is to the soul what
food is to the body. i think, sir, the
thought is a happy one"
Villiers assented with nod and ex-
amined the speaker attentively. He was
a man of medium height, rather portly
than otherwise. with a clean-shaven face,
clearly cut features, and two merry gray
eyes, which twin!.iici like stars as they
rested on Villie-s. lie had small. we'll
shaped hands. one Of which grasped a
light cane, an6. the other white silk
pocket handkerchief with which he fire.
quently wiped his brow. He seemed very
hot and. leaning on the opposite side of
the path against a rock famed himself
with his hat, all the time looking at Mr..
Villiers with beaming smile.
whats your name?' asked Mr.. Viii
Tiers, wondering whether the portly gen
tleman was mad.
For reply the stranger dived into an
other pocket and. bringing to light a
long billposter, held it up before Mr.. Viii
liers.
Read mark and inwardly digest :" he
said in muffied tone behind the bill.
This document set forth in red. black
and blue letters that the celebrated Wop-
pies Family, consisting of twelve star
artiste.;. we're now in Ballarat, and would
that NJ ght appear at the Academy of Mu-
sic in their new and original comedy,
called "The Cruet- Stand" Act. l.: Pep
per. Act H.. Mustard. Act. I'LL: Vim
egar.
you, then" said villiers, after he had
perused this document, ARE Mr.. Wop-
ples?"
Theodore Wopples. at your service,"
said that gentleman, and rolling up the
bill, then putting it into his pocket, he
produced therefrom a batch of tickets.
"One of these" handing a ticket to Viii
lers. will admit you to the stalls to-
night, where you will see myself and the
children in The Queensland
Rather peculiar title, isn't it?" said
villiers, taking the ticket.
The play is still more peculiar, sir, y
replied Mr. Wopples restoring the bulky
a;,ss-..set of tickets to his pocket, dealing
as it does with the adventures of a youth
who hides his fathers will in the cruet
stand, which is afterward annexed by a
comic hailif.'
Its very kind of you to give me this
ticket" said Villiers, in whom the gen.
tlemanly instinct still survived.
mot at all: not at ALL" retorted Mr..
Wopples. with a wink. Business, my
boy. business. Always have a good house
first night. so must go into the highways
and byways for an audience" and with a
gracious wave of his hand he skipped
lightly down the path and disappeared
from sight.
Ii was now getting dark; so Mr.. Viii
liers went on his way, and having select
ed a mining shaft where he could hide the
nugget. he climbed up TO the. top of the
hill. and lying down under the shadow
of rock where he could get good view
o. Marchurst's house, he waited patiently
till such time as his wife would start for
home.
IN pay you out for all you've done,''
he muttered to himself as he lay curled
up in the black shadow like noisome
reptile. Tit for tat, my lady Tit for
tat :"