The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-29
THE CAT AND THE MOUSE.
Rnuau au HuHuaumunuau

A Play With One Act and Two Scenes.
 DRAMATIS PERSONAL
 GOV. B. B. COMER. PRIVATE SECRETARY W. E. FORT.
 scene--The Governors once in the Capitol
 Time-Midnight
 Scene 1-The Governor seated at a desk in his private office; Fort in the adjoining office at his desk asleep.
 Governor (reading):
 Tn silence. and at night the c6hsGience
 feels
 That life should SOFT to nobler ends
 than power"
 Centuries ago the great Curiinal Richelieu.. seated at his desk. read these lines of the moralist and fell to musing on the littleness of hu- man power. Yet. when Huget rush d in with the dispatch which told of ;he exclaim,ng: Thou Hest. thou sage and sober moralist; there's nothing grander than power" l have power executive and legislatiye-1 am courted Fort. Fort! Fort! i say!
 Enter Fort.
 Governor--Why. Fort, have yon grown so sleepy headed of late? Thrice
 
 of State which needs must have atten- tion
 Fort-Pardon, my liege. Weary with exenfton in keeping watch over your faithful legislators that none dar re express opinions. until you have first given the cue. l grew drowsy and fear deep sleep did
 Weigh my eyelids down And steep my senses in forgetfulnass.
 GOyernOr--J know l still. Fort. l am sensitive to any va Ut of attention. It has been said that Mir Seward could. by the tinkGng little bell have saved the life of Maximi!ian and yet a greater than Seward r1ust call three times. with his voice and not by the tinkling of a bell. before he is attended
 t'ort-sire, "The sleeping and the dead are but as pictures" "Sleep tha, knits up the ravelrd sleeve of carc, did hold me in such fond embrace that l heard your voice, but moment since, when l came al once to know your Highness's pleasure.
 GoVernor-It is we'll 1t is well. if is we'll But tell me, Fort how it is you can afford to sleep when am here and disposed to talk, for know you not that. like Bomienne. the secretary of Napoleon. you shall live in history as my secretary?
 Fort-Ah, Sire,
 Governor-Yes as my secretary. but enough of this. What think you. Fort of my faithful henchmen in the Legts- lature; will they all prove true? Hear you of any disaffection?
 Fort--My liege. on one or two occa- sions l heard mutterings of discon- tent among the faithful and an expres. sion now and then which told but too plainly that If opportunity offered they would give vdice to their own opinions and not those of your High ness.
 such rebellious ideas and they shall soon feel the weight of my displels- ure. Not one of these men but moves and has his being in the warmth oi my countenance, and will they now de- sert me? It is the warm day which brings forth the adder; and unthodght- fully l may have warmed the serpen' which will sting me. It is the fate oi great ones to have but the show oi love when the heart is wanting Sycophants! They would pay court tc Beezlebub. if BeezIebub would give them place and position. They crook the pre1uant hinges of the knee where thrift may follow fawning." They dc not love me for myself. Alas! l an not happy. These men shall skiddoo
 Fort--Sire! l well know, and the, do, too, that to differ with your High ness Is treason and that no overt ac is necessary to convict them. Stiil my liege, there are some measures o great pitch and moment yet to be on acted by the Legislature and would Il not be we'll, think you. to wait untl these laws are passed before you an initiate them by withdrawing from them in the splendor. of your smile?
 Governor-My gentle Ariel! No. ex cuse the poetic slip. I mean my saga cious Fort! You reason well. and will act on the suggestion, but prithee Fort, tell no man of this. for it mus not get abroad that i ever acted or the suggestion of any one but mysel, flor always I am Caesar. In attempt ing as you know. to administer al the same time the Executive and Leg islative departments of the Govern nent. I must needs as to one of then act through trusted lieutenants. and wish to know what you think of them for two heads are better than one if one is a-but let that go. What dc you think of Long? Is he to be trust ed as leader?
 Fort--Your Highness, while MT. Long is rather short in ability. he IS long in his devotion to your Highness That is his long suit.
 Governor-What say you of Merritt! Fort-That he is a fellow of some merit
 Governor-What of my doughty knight from the hills of Marshall, the aggressive Lusk?