Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-17

driver to hurry along; but he might well have
Pm almost Sorry the boy manager said that
we stopped to give the matinee. The receipts were
only nine dollars and sixty cents, anyway.
'Oh Wile!' the leading lady said why will you
keep forever bringing in the question of money in
connection with our art? | hate money! To the
true artist the word money has no meaning FArt
is all to me-
art was all to me- too said Fogarty, the leading
man, for nearly six weeks when was playing IN
East Lynne last season. Since then I've got SO l
don't fret about long the meals are regular.
Cyte and the Doc had seats in the front end of the
wagon, where it was SO dark nobody could see any
thing and | between the soubrette and the
property man, not saying much, but hearing a lot
about the theatrical business, as we splashed along
through the mud that kind of killed off the yearning
I'd ALWAYS had to be actor.
The soubrette, or ingenue as she called herself,
was delightful little lady; but she kept worrying
good deal about what her mama would think if she
knew her child was away off there in the woods at
that time of night with her lungs exposed We
hadn't any light except lantern fastened to the
dashboard, and the rain got worse as we splashed
along Pretty somebody started song about
it always being fair weather when good fellows got
together and the whole company joined in; SO it
didn't SO dismal, although the rain was blowing
in through the open ends of the rig making most of
us about wet as if there hadn't been any top on
the thing noticed that the driver joined in the
singing with good deal of enthusiasm but generally
hitting only the high notes, and l began to have
suspicious that the Docs strategy was working.
IA,
and we'd got about halfway to Rymersburg, when
| felt suddenly as if the earth was dropping from
under us. The next thing knew was my back,
with the ingenue trying to get of her heels in my
mouth The driver had run over high bank, and the
wagon was bottom side up in deep ravine The
women screaming and most of the men were
using language that neither hopeful nor elegant;
but l could still hear the driver singing, " 1t sh
awaysh fair weasher when good feersh get tgesher,
and it seemed to me that he showed mighty
poor taste But there wasn't any doubt of
helm far
the weather might have been improved a good deal
without amounting to much. 1t struck me after I'd
crawed out my hands and knees through about
foot of water that the Doc had overworked the
strategy department; but that time to bother
about fine points or to worry over technc.
It's curious how many legs a few people seem to
have in a mix-up of that kind The lantern had
gone out; but as l looked back into the long dark
place I'd crawed out of it seemed to to be full of
the dim outlines of legs that pointed in all directions
except down. Suddenly the thought to
that Clytie in there, and forgot my own trou
bles as l rushed back to rescue her. The first leg
got hold of was Angel Willies, and flung him into
puddle where he sat and complained bitterly. Then
/ got the ingenue loose, and as was putting her
down Fogarty came out with the leading lady had
''Zachariah," and looking up, what did ! see but
him and Miss Treawney standing at the edge of the
road where we'd rolled over
Are YOU injured Zacharah! he asked
l told him l didn't think was, and inquired how
he and Clytie had escaped
1T has been my good fortune he said, g to rescue
my dear child from what mi ht have been terrible
fate Can l be of any assistance down there?
PY that time everybody had got out, and we
- found that no one was killed although the leading
lady had sprained ankle and seemed to think it
was all Angel We's fault. The horses were
browsing not far away, and the driver was leaning
against tree singing, sh alwaysh fair weasher.
1t clear that the song had made hit with
him The property. man wanted to straighten
things out by whipping the fellow who had got us
into trouble and Fogarty thought 1T was good idea;
hut the Doc advised them @ be calm