Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-08-14
PEOPLES COURSE.
Sixth Entertainment.
READING LORNA DOONE."
You are Welcome.

You are Welcome.
As the man stood there looking at the
banner, a number of people passed up
the stairway. They seemed to be Of
the poorer class, but were neatly and
comfortably dressed. There were men
and women and children, and the
watcher was gratified to note that there
were quite as many men as women.
Somebody touched his elbow. He
booked around. A tall young man was
smiling down at him.
Pardon me-" he said, "but I infer
that you are a stranger in our village.
II you have nothing better on hand, |
would be glad to have you attend our
little entertainment"
THANK you" said the older man. az
have nothing better on hand"
He looked at the tall young man as
ne spoke. He was a slender young man,
but he held himself erect and his shout
ders were good. He was a homely
young man with pronounced cheek
bones, but his eyes were bright and his
Enile pleasant.
I'VE are trying to do the best we
can with our modest little course" he
explained as they climbed the narrow
stairway. I'VE are up against some OBJ
Btacles, but none Of them has proved
insurmountables This Is our second
year"
The older man nodded. He was a
short man and rather stout, a plain
man-plain Of face and plain In dress
who would be unnoticeable in a
crowd His blue eyes were keen and
~ walked with a firm STEP
zone Of these obstacles 1 take to be
your location" he said.
YES" the younger man replied.
"But It's much better than the hall
We had last year. That's a saloon on
the ground floor, it Is true, but the
proprietor runs a very quiet place"
They were standing In the doorway
81 the assembly room. It was a plain
apartment with q little platform at
che end, g room that would seat an
audience of two hundred, perhaps, with
standing space for fifty more. It's only
furnishings were the chairs and a pi-
ano. The place was almost filed, but
the tall man passed down the aisle and
found the stranger a seat we'll to the
front.
It'll have to ask you to excuse me-"
he said. Then he bent a little lower.
sYOu can leave at any time, you know"
DO whispered. That's standing priv
Elege with US"
He smiled and nodded and passing
forward, disappeared through a door
way at the right OF the stage.
The stout man locked around. The
nall was rapidly filing UP. Even the
sanding room was being occupied.
They vera working people, most Of
them, working people vino bore a thrift
" look.
That's a fine young fellow you was
speakin' to Just now" said a voice at
the strangers side. He looked around.
A white haired old man with a little
wrinkled face, was looking up at him.
''I'm stranger IN your village" said
the stout man. Tell me about him"
He's the lad that started these
shows" the old man explained. "They
laughed at him. He didn't care for
that The shows went on Just the
same Then the big lads tried to break
'em up. He whipped the biggest one
and that settled the rest. At first no
body came. Now look at the crowd.
This IS the second year. He's really a
great lad"
rs It all freeP" the stout man
asked
''Sure. But he has to give out tick
cts because OF the crowd Only two
Ia family can come, you understand"
''But there must be some expense2"
HE finds the money, too. They say
one Of the parsons helps him a bit, an
James Ferguson, he's the manager Of
the Cameron mills, stands for part Of
It, an 1 have no doubt the lad puts his
hand In his own pocket for a good bit
besides"
The stranger nodded
What's his idea in going to ell this
bOtherf"
''BotherI The lad don't think 1t a
bother. It's a pleasure for him. There