The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-26

We'll, the people thought II would be
good thing IL she did marry him; II
might cause her TO take a reef 10 her
sails-but they didn't know Eliza Al.
ice as well as she knew herself She
was only dallying with the gospel ex.
FOUNDER because she knew Samantha
Ann would like to have him, and also
because he was the only thing in
sight Isl Nh9 ENtH
Just when the trustees began to
wonder If they would live with pa and
ma, or If Eliza Alice would insist on
parsonage, an Uncle Toms Cabin
troupe hit the town. Eliza Alice heard
some one say that the girl who played
Topsy I'm the show had got mad and
quit and that the manager was In
auiring If there was anyone in the
town who could take the part until he
could get another girl from the city.
II was a case of seek no farther
right then and there. Eliza Alice
struck for the job and got II.
When the show wagons left that
night Eliza Allce's trunk was in one
of them, and she was on the payroll
at SO per week The people did not
get through talking about her sensa-
tional departure for at least a month
and then from time to time her moth
er would drop an occasional hint of
her great success on the stage.
Nearly two years had passed when
Sim Nipple returned from a trip to
Chicago and brought paper with a
glowing account of the great success
Of a new comic opera. An entire
page was given to describing the tai
ent and beauty Of the star Of the
opera, Miss Eliza Alys, and in the
many photographs old friends land
enemies) had no troubein distinguish.
ing the features of Eliza Alice, though
she was evidently graduate of some
beauty parlor, and had gained by the
course Of sprouts she had undergone.
There was a rapid exchange of letters
between the great actress and her
parents, duly reported by the postmis
tress to her friends, but as they were
sealed and Ma Jones kept the secret
to herself the villagers had to guess
and speculate, and while they were
thus engaged a great big red automo
bile footed into town one day and
whisked Pa and Ma Jones off to Chi
cago to dwell in luxury at the expense
of their talented daughter.
Samantha Ann was the bright par
tlcular star at church festival that
was pulled off just after Eliza Alice
shook the dust of her native town
from the ruffles of her skirt She not
only'played the organ sang a solo and
most Of the elbow work in scrubbing
out the church after the big event
The young preacher was completely
captivated with this display of her all
around ability, and fearing something
might occur to switch him off again,
he Immediately began negotiations,
and before Samantha Ann could rea.
lie II she found herself duly author
lied by law to half-sole the seat Of the
minister's trousers. II was all done
so quickly that the church trustees
suggested they live with Pa and Ma
Smith awhile, and having thus side.
tracked the parsonage talk promptly
forgot II.
In the course OF a year Pa Smith
was grandpa, and the next year he
was another. The minister made a
dignlfed howl for an increase in sal
ary, but the church people could not
see why they should be taxed any
more for salvation because his family
kept growing.
Samantha Ann might have been in
her early twenties, but the bloom was
gone from her cheeks, there was a
stoop to her shoulders, and she looked
more like woman in her late for.
ties
Still, with all her drudgery and toll
she often thanked heaven that no one
had ever talked about her as they
had about Eliza Alice, and she was
glad she could wax along the street
with head high in the air, knowing
that no one was going to say some,
thing mean after her back was turned
Samantha Ann was thus well satisfied
with her condition in life until the
town decided to hold a chatauqua one
year. and deputation OF leading clti
zei,s was sent to Chicago to get Eliza
Alire to sing at the doings in the park
She agreed TO come, but she stung
them for $3.50 for three stingy songs
While she was In town she was en-
tertalned by the local masnate's wife
and the people who used to play foot
ball with her reputation every time
there was the slightest opportunity
quarreled with each other In the effort
to heap her with attentions, even the
preacher giving evidence by his &C
tions that he had forgotten that she
had thrown him to play Topsy.
Samantha Ann had never beer
known TO make a display Of temper
but when she saw Eliza Alice so high
ly honored by the Hammer club she
went home with a well-defined upward
| tilt to her nose. When she got there
she took one long look at her faded
face in the mirror and then smashed
the reflector with the rolling pin
When the rest OF the folks came hom,
they found her rubbing some coloi
into her cheeks with a piece OF cham
/ OILS. having no heed To the naby which