The Miller sun. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 190?-19??, 1907-01-26

what dye think or the play!
only Just got in" returned Mr.. VIII
Tiers, sulkily. ANY good?"
swell, not bad" returned the other !;
"I've seen it in Melbourne, you know
the original, | mean, this is very sec
ond-hand affair"
Just as the orchestra were making their
final plunge into the finale of the "Wop-
pies Waltz" NJ. Vandeloup. cool and
calm as usual, strolled into the theater,
and, seeing a vacant seat beside Villiers,
walked over and took it.
Good evening, my friend he said
touching Villiers on the shoulder. EN-
joying the play, ehF'
Villiers angriy pushed away the
Frenchman's hand and glared vindictively
at him.
'Ah, you still bear malice for that lit
tie episode of the ditch" said Vandeloup,
with gay laugh. "Come, now, this is a
mistake; let us be friends. Seen your
wife latelyr
This apparently careless inquiry caused
Mr.. Villiers to jump suddenly out OF his
seat, much to the establishment Of his
friend Barty.
a
success, and would have steady run of
three nights of least, so Mr.. Wopples said.
Villiers, Vandeloup and Barty went out,
and as none of them felt inclined to go
TO bed, Villiers told them he knew Mr..
Theodore Wopples, and proposed that they
should so behind the scenes and see him.
This was unanimously carried, and after
Some difficulty with the doorkeeper, they
obtained access to the mysterious regions
OF the stage, and there found Master
Sheridan Wopples practicing a breakdown
while waiting for the rest of the family
TO set ready. He volunteered to guide
them to his fathers dressing room, and
on knocking at the door Mr.. Wopples
voice doomed out Come in" in such an
unexpected manner that it made them all
jump.
OF course, they all expressed themselves
delighted, and as the entire Wopples fam
lily had already gone to their hotel Mr..
Wopples with his three guests went out
of the theater and wended their way to-
wards the same place.
They soon arrived at the hotel, and
having entered, Mr.. Wopples pushed open
the door of a room from whence the sound
Of laughter proceeded, and introduced the
three strangers to his family. The whole
ten, together with Mrs. Wopples, were
present, and were seated around large
table plentifully laden with cold beef and
pickles, salads and other things too nu-
merous to mention. Mr.. Wopples present
ed them first to his wife, a faded, washed
out looking lady, with perpetual shipper
ON her face, and clad in lavender mus
lin gown with ribbons of the same de-
scription, she looked wonderfully light
and airy.
This" said Mr.. Wopples in his deep
voice, holding his wife's hand as if he
were afraid she would float upward
through the ceiling like bubble, this is
my futterer."
Why he called her his futterer no one
ever knew, unless it was because her rib
bons were necessarily futtering; but, had
he called her his shadow, the name would
have been more appropriate. Mrs. Wop-
pies futterCt down to the ground in a
bow, and then fluttered up again.
Gentlemen" she said, in thin, clear
voice, you are welcome. Did you enjoy
the performance?
Madame" returned vandeloup, with a
smile, need you ask that?"
A shadowy smile hoated over Mrs. Wop-
pies indistinct features, and then her hus-
band introduced the rest of the family in
bunch.
Gentlemen" he said, waving his hand
to the expectant ten, who stood in a line
of five male and FIVE female, ''the celebrat-
ed Wopples family"
The ten all simultaneously bowed at
this as If they were worked by machinery.
and then every one sat down to supper,
Mr.. Theodore Wopples taking the head Of
the table. All the family seemed to adj
mire him immensely, and kept their eyes
fastened on his face with affcctionate re-
gard. When it was nearly twelve o'clock
Vandeloup rose to take his leave.
"0h, you're not going yet" said Mr..
Wopples. upon which all the family
echoed. "Snrely, not yet" in most hos
pitable manner.
II must" said vandeloup. With a
smile. II know Madame will excuse me-"
with bow to Mrs. Wopples, who there
upon futtcred nesvously; ''but have to
DC up very early in the morning."
sin that case said Mr.. Wopples, ris-
ing, II will not detain you; early to bed
and early to rise, you know not that I
believe in it much myself. but under
stand it is practiced with good results by
some people"
Good night. Messrs. villiers and Jar
per-" said vandeloup, going ont of the
door. II will see you tomorrow"
"And we also. I hope" said Mr.. Wop-
nles, ungrammatically. Come and see
'The Cruet Stand again. I'll put your
name on the free liss."
NJ. vandeloup thanked the actor warm
ly for This kind offer, and took himself
off; as he passed along the street he heard
| q h.,r... &c lancrh+nr from tho Xnnrln. fa m.