The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-06
A CHURCH ENTERTAINMENT.
BY WILLIAM MAcLEoD RAINE

Copyright, 1906. by Joseph 3. Bowles,)
 Bedding smoked a meditative pipe Tn silence. Luck had been against us Tor many a day, though we had wooed her with a persistence worthy of better reward.
 The east had grown too warm for us because of a little diamond episode In New York which we had pulled or some weeks before Since coming to Denver, two weeks before this time, we had not done a stroke of business. It appeared as if we were to be driven to honesty despite ourselves
 Jack had picked up the morning pa per Ilstlessly and almost immediately had been shaken into a sudden inter- est.
 'I'ye got 1t, Tommie. The very thing. I believe. Back in an hour"
 With that he seized his hat ana bolted.
 nicked up the paper Le had drop ned. but found nothing of absorbing in terest there. There was an account or a big political meeting. sensationai headlines about murder on Market street and an interview with Sir Ar thur Hornbrooke, the English war cor resnondent. who was billed for lec- ture in Denver that night
 It was long hour before Jack showed up again, but when ne dio read triumph in his 3aunty step ana smiling daredevil face. He was alive with enthusiasm. and oozed energy from every pore.
 well, old chap. we have met the enemy, and he Is ours-that is' ne VIII be-"
 Got 1t all planned, I suppose--ex- cant that little matter of a striped uniform and bracelets on our wrists IT we come to grief" told him dryly.
 ssWe,re not coming to grief. my boy. Torirht. we shine. feel 1t in my homes Ever go In for private theatri' calls much. Tommie?" he asked. with twinkling eye. h, way at house parties. and before that occasionally at college" I answered.
 "C;lad to hear 1t. You've got to play leading man tonight at a church enter
 aA church entertainment" ejacu- lated Good heavens, you're not going to- , brooke, the war correspondent IS to lecture tonight at Trinity ehurchF no interrupted.
 oTIon of the day. Escaped twice from the Boers, was wounded three times. died at least half dozen deaths from enteric fever and wounds &C., cording to newspaper reports contln- ued Belding.
 well what about him?" I asked.
 ."The prices he is charging Tor ms lecture are outrageous. It's simply highway robbery! Tommie, as an American citizen, I feel 1t my duty 10 make an emphatic protest against pay ing tribute to an effete nobility You take me?"
 His sparkling blue eyes were elo- quent of daring purpose
 T think do You mean to hoio nm up after the lecturer
 "You're warm. but you are not not vet. Before the show, not stter'
 Before? I don't understand. After >the lecture he or his agent VIII nave his share of tonight's proceeds.
 ~ think not. After the performance won and I will have his share of the nroceeds wind and weather permit ting" he corrected. rye Just been calling on him. Went as the aLegeo renresentative of one of the papers. tTd tsn't half bad fellow. but his blatant two-for-a penny. cocksure ad- vance agent makes me weary. It ap- nears is names 'Enry Dickinson fIashton. and he can talk an arm on any long distance pugilist In the world. Now Tommie, we have a big days work cut out or us. I'm going up to tba library. to bone up on all the mag agine articles I can find on the South African war want you to buy all ,he hooks on the eubpect that are to be bad. he sure to get Hornbrook4's hook. Better get the books at different stores. A1so invest in hundred feet of i've eivteenth-inch rope Don't have any ot tbe things sent here, but bring them vonrself in different trips. See you again later in the day.
 That evening Belding spent more than an hour making me up as Henry Dic,inson Ashton, Esquire. and a deuc- edlv uncomfortable figure of @ man he made me, for Ashton was not of an ideal cut from the point of view of
 "T think that will do for you. Mir ,Enrv Dickinson HaShton. Now for the baronet. Afraid I've got to sacrifice