The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-07-01
RoDDY GOES TO THE THEATRE
By UIy.. Rogers.

Copyright. 1908. by Joseph B. Bowles)
 A kind-hearted. bald-hesded old gen. tleman came into the office few days ago. and was SO delighted with tho smart ofnce boy, Lobbs. that he gave him a dollar to go to the theatre.
 That evening there was great prep aration in the Lobbses' household, the result of which was that the literary idol of the hearth eventually sallied forth radiant in his best suit. On his way out he passed the cage containing hts pet tame rat.
 Tt seems 0 shame to leave you. doesn't it, Roddy. old man?' he said. and he took the animal from its cage and fondled 1t in his hands.
 Roddy's reply was to run up his masters sleeve and nestle snugly some where in the recesses of Lobbs' waist coat.
 An hour and a half later L,obbs' rav- en-coated cranium adorned the front row of the first balcony. and Roddy peeped out from behind the boys glowing necktie, as expectant of what was to follow as was his master.
 The play commenced. and Lobbs. his chin resting upon the iron rail. was en- thralied. Suddenly a piercing shriek from a box beneath rent the heated at- mosphere.
 In a moment consternation reigned supreme
 "Joe the Bruiser." who was just about to murder the hero of the piece, paused half way and looked round to see what was the matter: the manager rushed out from the wings. and the orchestra ceased their weird music. without which no stage murder could ] be satisfactorily accomplished. Every body in the parduet rose, and the gall | lery gods mounted each others should CTS and peered forth to see. 4 lady in evening dress had tainted and two gentlemen in the same box were slashing away with stick and um- | brella, apparently at invisibility. They hit 1t every time. and nothing else, but | still weren't satisfied, and invisibility ddn't seem to mind.
 l Their game was a mystery to all the audience, save one--our genius Lobbs. | At the first glimpse of the battle in the | box he had suspected what was afoot, and instinctively his hand went to his
 waistcoat. Roddy was gone. With c yell. Lobbs scaled the iron bar and prepared to descend one of the supports leading to the circle below. Don't hurt hlm." he cried; "he won't bite I'll soon catch him." But the sight of Lobbs' unceremoni- ous performance only created a wilder panic. The impression went abroad | that some dangerous animal had got |
 People rushed for the doors man yelled Lion" another shrieked Fire" | and pandemonium was loose. | Meantime, Roddy all unconscious of | the commotion he had caused. yet won- | dering greatly at the hostile reception accorded him. left the first box he had visited, and, clinginR to the curtains. rounded into the adjacent one. The re-
 suit was to send a fat lady into hys~ l terlcs whilst her husband emitting oaths of sulphuric hue. hurriedly drag l ged his spouse from the place. | Roddy appropriated the box, took uN a position on the cushioned ledge in | front and settled down to enjoy the play. His meditations were interrupt | ed by g. walking stick that waizze6 past his nose. Roddy tapped his whis- ker rehectlvely.
 "Seems a strange place. this." he re-
 marked to himself.
 Immediately after a program skim
 med past on the other side. l Highly dangerous. too," he added. glancing round to follow the course of | the book with his eye.
 Then an avalanche of missiles de-
 scended, and Roddy became really | frightened He skinned along the | fronts of the boxes and everywhere he
 went was met with shrieks from the women and unkind epithets from the men. In his fright he lodged between the legs of a big man who was trying | to stamp on him, scampered up the back of a lady in evening dress. and ran across her bare shoulders
 Then down double quick time in the parquet A dozen men took up the chase His only refuge was to make for the orchestra. As he climbed the | rail the conductor received him by