The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-04-16

its crown Of dark hair tossed n ,its
sweet, careless disorder against the
pillow only by the width Of an Eng.
lish county In point Of mere. miles.
II 1t had been only that which d.
vided them!
The thought Of her face was the
last image In his mind when he fell
asleep.
The next few days passed quickly;
Jack found his hands full; there was
little time to brood. The scenery
wanted touching up; he was set to
work on one or two new seas, under
the eye Of the stout lady in the blue
velvet and sequins; then presently
rehearsals began. as the company was
completed.
They were opening in town in the
Midlands where they would stay a
fortnight. with change of bill each
night. AS Joe Grisson had said, one
had to be quick study. The theater
was usually put up in a field hired for
the purpose. built Of green painted
boards. all numbered, which fitted to-
gether and were fastened by iron
stanchions; the roof was tarpaulin
stretched over framework. The seats
were merely rush benches, except a
few locally hired chairs that formed
the higher-priced part of the audito-
rum.
There was seating accommodation
for as many as 500, and Mr.. Chatter
ton had done better out of his tours
than many an elaborate company Wis
iting the regular provincial theaters-
had made small fortune out of the
business. The local gentry would pat
ronize the show, especially on the
SHAKESPEARE nights of the week, in
most of the towns visited. Chatter
tons was by way of being an institu-
ton.
Before the end Of the first week the
sense of novelty had worn of, and
Jack Lathom dropped as easily into
his new surroundings as though he
had been accustomed to the life for
years. He got on we'll with the COM
pany, and if his rendering of the mi
nor parts allotted to him was not brill
liant. he acquitted himself we'll enough
to satisfy Mr.. Chatterton. He found
the life pleasant enough, though it
was hard work; the continual change
of play, usually old stock melodramas.
necessitated daily rehearsals. [;
1t was late one Sunday night when.
the theatrical company got out OF the
train at a dead-and-alive station on
their journey to the second town Of
the tour. 1t had been tedious jour-
ney; not that the distance covered
had been great, but they had been
shunted on to a siding for fifty min!
utes, and they had been kept waiting
interminably at functions, after the,
manner IF the trains provided by rail-
way companies for theatrical Sunday!
travelling; every one was glad to step!
out on to the draughty, badly-lighted'
platform.
Three miles before us yet Craig,
though that's better than crawling
along from siding to siding at FIVE
miles an hour?" grumbled Joe. The
country town they were going to had
nearer railway station, but it hap
pened to be on another line, and in
accessible by the train that had
brought them. But think the
guv'nor might have arranged about
conveyance for the men as well as
the ladies. had enough walking that
day. Monty and footed it from Sla-
ton to last me for some time!"
Jack did not mind the walk. He
was glad to stretch his legs. And at
the end Of their journey supper would
be awaiting them at the Kings Arms,
for which they we're bound, 50 he
only laughed at Joe's grumbles 10 the
male members of the company set out
to tramp from the station. The ladies
were driving in a trap sent by the
landlady Of the Kings Arms.
Tell the missus to have that sup
per smoking hot against the momen,
we turn up at the Kings Arms. Jove
we shall be ready for it," shouted Joe
to the driver. But the man only grunt
ed in reply. The train had been an
hour late, and he had to wait in the
cold, and his temper was, perhaps
Just q little frost bitten.
(Te BE continusd.)
Tribute From Mexican MINT Owls.