The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-07-25
nv QUICK CHANCE

am an actor accustomed 20 coach
and act with many amateurs. What b
most trying to me In my connection u
when am requested 20 play a sec
ondary part to some unfortunate gen
tleman who considers himself qualified
by nature to play the first part. For
this ! need not say exact double
fee. but the wear and tear OF my feel
ings are more than proportionately Sc
we're.
The character that is sometimes az,
fected by these deluded persons Is that
OF Sir Charles coldstream in Used
Up" Military men In particular who
have cultivated an impassive manner
and a drawing voice are prone 70 im-
agine themselves fitted for this per-
Torrance. and many fifty pound note
have had for playing the blacksmith
TO very. very sad caricatnre OF that
! pleasant baronet.
was asked 10 do so down az a GER
tnin great mansion at Richmond one
Easter At first | positively declined
upon the plea that I was drawing
large houses as Lord Fribble In my
own theater and could not be excused.
even for single night. but the follow
ing letter persuaded me 60 accede to
the request:
My Dear Biafhers-You must come. for
there Ia no man In England can trust
20 play tho blacksmith 10 my Sir Charles
except yourself As for your theater.
| that is easily managed. Your Lord Frfb-
BILE 10 over by 10 o'clock; then Jump into
cab and catch tho i0;30 TO Richmond.
Used Up viii DO made our last picce
expressly 10 suit this Arrangement and
you can change your costume Ia tho cab
| or train. 1 incinan check for ESQ lest In
my hurry and excitement on tho night I
should chance 90 forget IL. Yours over.
PLANTAGENEr.
AS 60 dressing In the train. that was
not TO be thought Of, for only imagine
n there should be no compartment
without lady I'm II. But to devote
the half hour had TO get TO the sta
ton TO dressing seemed feasible
enough. 1t was true that the piece In
which played Lord Fribble was gen
orally concluded by 10. but few more
minutes had TO be allowed for In my
case, since | always had TO come for
ward TO acknowledge the calls from
behind the curtain. OF course I might
have omitted this. but no earthly con-
sideratlons, or, at all events, no con-
siderations with respect 10 an amateur
performance az Richmond, would have
induced Alphonse Blathers TO commit
such discourtesy.
At 1906. then, on the night In ques-
ton 1 hurried from the theater in the
splendid attire Of Lord FribbIe and
jumped into the cab that was at the
door I'm readiness for me. while an at
tendant placed carpetbag by my side
containing the costume OF the black
smith.
"Drive quick. sirrah." were my last
words and "rll make 'em spin. my
lord" lin allusion probably to the
wheels). was the obsequious reply.
My periwig was still ON my head.
though my blacksmith's clothes We're
on my body, when l passed through
Watoeloo bridge turnpike, and never
probably had the tollman betrayed SO
much establishment during his official
ceived my toll
But the next moment had thrust II
into the carpetbag with the rest OF my
fine attire and became. with the help
OF little lampblack, as genuine
son Of the anvil as any man whose car
riage has broken down on the road
would wish 10 see.
The clock IN the Waterloo road |
showed but FIVE minutes 20 the half
hour. aud all my thoughts were con-
centrated upon the question q whether |
should reach the station IN time
did reech IL IN time, though with a |
minute o~ two only 10 spare, and, |
jumping cat upon the platform, bod |
out my hand with shiilings IN IL |
10 The cabman. II Is always my cus-
tom to pay such persons literally, and |
at FIRST thought the claimants aston
ishment was due 10 the magnitude Of |
the sum thus offered to his notice His |
eyes became the size OF saucers, bis |
mouth approached the dimensions OF a
punch bowl rather than those OF siop |
basin.
"None OF your blood money! cried |
he. "oh. mother OF Moses. here's
villain been and murdered a hereditary
noblemanl Police, pollcer'
AZ that fatal cry the porters. who.
must say, had not shown themselves
very alert TO take my carpetbag. began
to gather around me. and at the same
time an inspector showed himself mt
the ticket Office door.
That man Il mad" said l. address
Ing this official. II have given him his
fare and shilling over. and he won't
take e."
But the cnbman had by this time
swung himself of his perch. ''IIe has
murdered a hereditary noblemanF' was
that idiots reiterated cry which, be-
Ing tnken up by the porters. the pas
sengers and the pnssersby. presently
49, fsxa..