Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-10-31
Observation-Disclosures
John PringIe's Chance
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John Pringle was a man with a sad
face and curious eyes. His wife said
that he was a genius; his friends said
that he was a fool he himself said he
was an ass As a matter of fact, he
was all three, but if there was any
thing to choose between the definitions,
it was John Pringle who was right.
When he was a boy, John Pringle
wanted to 90 into the church. His am
billion was to be eaten as missionary
by the gentle savage beyond the South
ern seas. His mother, 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 roasted on a 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 93d 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 a touring the
atrical company for ten bob a week.
In order to make things easy for John
Pringle materially, the rich uncle re-
nounced him, and his mother wrote
enclosing half-crown postal order for
expenses. and said her Johnny had
broken his affectionate mothers heart.
John Pringle slept with the letter
under his pillow, and sent the postal
order back. Incidentally he wrote to
mis- rich uncle, and wished him a pros
porous journey to a place where clerk
ships cease from troubling and rich
uncles are not at rest.
1t was about this time that John
Prlngle's eyes began 10 look curious
and John Pringle's face began to look
sad.
For five years John Pringle remained
in the same company; then he fell in
dove. She had an artificial color, an
unnatural waist, and knowing eye
She agreed to marry John Pringle
when his salary should reach the fab,
ulous sum of so bob week. Meantime
she carried John Pringle's ring in heI
purse instead Of on her finger. She
said that If the stage manager knew OF
her engagement it might spoil hei
chance
John Pringle knew all about chances
He was waiting for his own. He
agreed, when the stage manager chuck
ed his betrothed under the chin at re
hearsal, that he would look the Other
way.
While he looked his betrothed raj
away with the stage manager. She
also ran away with John Pringle's en-
sagement 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 Pringle knew it wa:
wounded heart. When he got III
John Pringle's eyes were still more Gu
rious and John Pringle's face was still
more sad.
Fifteen years passed, and John Prin
gle was still waiting for his chance
1t was a pleasantly among his fellow:
TO send him numerous postcards from
managers Of London theaters askins
him to give them an Interview with
view to his playing the leading part
John Pringle invariably answered tn
postcards, and invariably smiled whel
the Indignant managers enclosed hi
postcard in their reply letters 1t wa
while he was answering bogus adver
tisement, indeed, that John Pringle me
his tate.
John Pringle's fate was young an
slender, with calculating color, a
overstrained heart. and sensitiv