The log cabin Democrat., 1909-10-21

a home talent show in the big barn. have every one of the boys do some little thing. song, clog dance, any kind of jinks. so long as it i'll fill up a program. The idea is to keep them on the ranche on Christmas eve in- stead of piling off to town and loading up with forty-rod booze. Of course I'll provide plenty to drink, but out here they can sleep it off without coming to any harm, and the great thing is that every man will be Johnny on the spot when it's time to start work again"
 "I believe it can be done" said An drews. There's Tom Marston used to be a college man out east and knows all about the amateur theatrical game he'll be just the chap to fix a stage up fine. Bob Evans can make a mouth organ talk, and there's six or seven of the bunch think they're the only heel and toe tappers worth speaking of on this side the Rockies. Every one of them will be crazy for chance to show off, and best of all there's Gen tleman Dick, he is so full of magic tricks that he cant hold 'em in and is always cutting up his swift hand plays. Yes, guess it'll go all right especially when the news goes around that you'll provide the liquid refresh ments"
 '1'H see to that part of it. said Harrington There goes Leahy now around the bunk house Call him in here"
 Andrews stuck his head out of the window and yelled to Leahy to come over. When he made his appearance Harrington explained matters.
 I'm depending on you to flrip make this affair a big success, Leahy,' said he, "as you're so popular with the boys. They all say you're whole amusement show by yourself"
 Gentleman Dick seemed much fiat tered by the confidence reposcd in him. The owners safe stood with it's door open and he pointed at the bills and coin piled up inside ready for pay day.
 "Ill take my wages against the bunch of dough there" he said, that we'll bring off bully show. You'll never be more astonished in your life"
 "All right. Leahy," said the owner. I'm glad to see you enter into the spirit of the thing so heartily, and you can bet you won't lose anything by it. Now, Jake and you take hold and fix the barn up to suit yourselves and Uyb af tch money"
 Gentleman Dick did as he was told With the aid of Tom Marston and An drewS he put up neat little stage in one end of the barn, made a curtain out of several grain sacks sewed to- gether, and when a lot of lanterns were placed in position around the walls, every one agreed that the Lone Star theater was surely the real thing. None of the boys were missing when Christmas eve arrived and liar rington even went to the length of in viting a number of outside guests. On the day previous l chanced to ride over to the ranch and was persuaded by the enthusiastic owner to stay for the festivities.
 Whatever that show lacked in the way of polish was certainly made up for in enthusiasm. Harrington had kept his promise in regard to the fur nishing of a plentiful supply of liquor and the various performers played their parts with tremendous vigor. Bob Evans rang extraordinary changes in upon a medley of popular tunes with his trusty mouth organ, another gifted w-puncher gave a fine exhi bition of fancy shooting, the rival step dancers stamped and kicked in a style that brought forth loud cheers from the audience and threatened to demol- ish the platform, songs sentimental and comic, ancient and modern were rendered with praiseworthy energy, and Gentleman Dick fairly surpassed himself in the performance of his sleight-of-hand tricks
 The latter individual was assuredly the star of the night. He began opera tions by manipulating cards and coins with magical deXterity, all the time keeping up a rapid-fire string of jokes and small talk that would have done credit to any Coney island faker. Some of the jests were hoary with age but most of them new to his audience and the majority of Gentleman Dicks com rades agreed that that talented ma gician was simply wasting time punch ing cows in the west when he ought to be adorning the boards of some big eastern theater. He followed with the usual business of breaking up watches. firing them out of pistol barrel and reproducing them whole and unin- jured, made an egg omelette in liar rington's hat, returning the property to it's owner unscathed and finally an nounced that he would wind up his performance by an exhibition of East India magic
 This trick" he said, addressing the spectators gravely, lis one l learned from a Hindoo magician in New York With the sole exception of the man who taught 1t to me 1 am the only