Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-10-30
Observation-Disclosures
John RringIe's Chance
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

y. y
John Prlngle was man withta sad.
face and curious eyes. His wife said
that heawas II genius his friends said.
that he was "a. fool; he himself said he
was an ass. AS a matter of fact, he
was fall three, but if there was any
thing to choose between the definitions,
1T was John prinsle WHO. was4rlght.
When he was d boy, John Pringle.
wanted to so into the Church. His am
billion was to be eaten ms missionary
by the gentle saSagefbeyond the South
ern seas Histmother, who had dream.
ed dreams of seeing her son in round
collar and soft felt hat, openly en-
couraged the boy to put his pennies
into a missionary box, and wept in
secret Mt the thought of her Johnny
being ronsted on spit.
Three years later, however, having
visited the wicked pantomime by
stealth for the first time, John Pringle
Informed his Mortified parent on his re-
turn that he didn't want to be mis-
sionary any longer, but intended to be-
come clown. John Pringle's mother
made the boy write out the ODD Psalm,
and fell on her knees and thanked
heaven privately when her Johnny had
been dismissed to an early and i'm
penitent bed.
AT the age of 16, John Pringle quar-.
relied with his rich uncle, who had
given him clerkship in tea, and sold
himself body and soul to touring the
atrical company for ten bob week
In order to make things easy for Johr
Pringle materially, the rich uncle re
nounced him, and his mother wrote
enclosing half-crown postal order fol
expenses, and said her Johnny hat
broken his affectionate mothers heart
John Pringle slept with the letter
under his pillow, and sent the posta
order back. incidentally he wrote t,
his rich uncle, and wished him pros
porous journey 10 n place where clerk
ships cease from troubling and ricl
uncles are not at vest.
1t was about this time that Joh,
Pringle's eyes began 10 look curlou.
and John Pringle's face began to lool
sad
For FIVE years John Pringle remained
in the same company; then he fell Ii
love. She had an artificial color, al
unnatural waist, and knowing eye
She agreed to marry John Pringl,
when his salary should reach the fab
ulous sum of 30 bob d. week Meantime
she carried John Pringle's ring in he
purse instead of on her finger. Sh,
said that If the stage manager knew o
her engagement it might spoil he
chance
John Prlngle knew all about chances
He was waiting for his own. HI
agreed, when the stage manager chuck
ed his betrothed under the chin at re
hearsal, that he would look the othe
way.
While he looked his betrothed raj
away with the stage manager. Sh
also ran away with John Pringle's en-
gagement ring-not inside her purse
AS the reward Of virtue, John Prin
gle spent five weeks In a Dublin hospi
tai. The doctors said 1t was nervous
exhaustion; John RrIngle knew 1t wa,
wounded heart When he got III
John Prlngles eyes were still more Gu
rious and John Prlngle's face was still
more sad.
Fifteen years passed, and John Prin
gle was still waiting for his chance
1t was a.pleasantry among his fellow.
to send him numerous postcards from
managers Of London theaters asking
him to give them an interview with q
view to his playing the :leading part
John Prlngle Invariably answered the
postcards; and Invariably smiled wher
the indignant managers enclosed his
postcard In their reply letters. 1t was
while he was answering bogus adver.
tisement, indeed, that John Pringle met
his fate.
John Pripgle's fate was young and
slender, with fuctuating color, an
orerstrained heart. and sensitive