Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-03-11


determined gloom. "And by the time
we ultimately, if ever, do get to Dale
brook we shall find Chatterton's filled
up the vacancies!"
Their hopes, the one CLEAN rellev-
ing the gloom, centered in their reach
ing Dalebrook.
Chatterton was a we'll known name
in the lesser walks of the profession;
he was the proprietor Of portable"
theater, with which he had toured for
years. Both Grisson and Montague
had been in his company in the past,
and knowing, that he was about to
start new tour shortly from a York
shire town, they had wired to Chat
terton on the previous day, after hear
ing of Mr.. Lewisham Vere's fight, ap-
plying for engagements. Almost be-
yond expectation, Chatterton had wir-
ed back that they were to present
themselves at Dalebrook forthwith.
The salaries Chatterton paid were ex-
ceedingly low, but-good business or
bad-they were always sure. The
news had lifted the two mummars
out of despair.
If only they had taken the wrong
road! What If they were going miles
out of their way from Dalebrook?
Montague's gloomy suggestion filed
Grisson with sudden awful misgiving.
That would be a tragedy indeed!
Hang it, Monty, I wish you
wouldn't suggest such things-we
can't be wrong!" he protested. 'The
yokel said this was the road and that
we were to keep on through Westham
village"
well, we've been keeping on long
time, and we haven't come to it yet
SAYS that a signpost? Cad, 1 be-
lieve it is. That1l tell u.s.
Some distance ahead Of them the
road forked, and there, sure enough,
sign-post extended three weather
beaten arms. The two dusty, foot
sore mummers walked towards it with
hope renewed.
1t almost seemed as though fate
had positive spite against them. Be
fore they reached it their hopes were
nipped. Wind and weather had long
ago done their worst. The lettering
on the post was utterly undecipher-
able.
We'll, I'm jiggered-it's like adding
injury to INSULT" muttered the COM
edlan, dlsgustedly. This a pretty
fix If we take the wrong road we
may find ourselves landed miles out of
our way; and no sign of a soul even
to ask a question of! And they call
this Christian country"
Joe Grisson glared malevolently at
horse placidly cropping the grass in
a neighboring field. He apostrophiz-
ed the unconscious animal savagely.
as though he held it partly RESPONSE
BILE
You're lucky beggar if you knew
it! You awake and find your break
fast table already laid; no worry or
enxiety; Mother Nature looks after
you, confound you! Wish I was
horse-Tve only been an ass, a sjlIv.
dunder-headed ass, to enter this awful
profesh, that's going to the dogs,
Monty, l had a chance once of going
into the undertaking line with nv
uncle and making money Did I lump
at the chance? Not me-too much
of an ass! Dreamed of fame. and
turned up my silly nose at an honest
business, and went on the stage
looked forward to the time when T
should be actor-manager in the West
end, with pretty girls buying my pho
tographs and writing for my auto
graph. Oh, the chance chucked
away, Monty; think of it now-now,
when you and have got just one-and-
pence-half-penny between us-a
fat undertaking business! Was there
ever such an ass? Folks must die
and have cofins even if they don't
want to come and see us NUM-"
"But which way is it to be-" said
the man in the fur coat, looking pa
thetically helpless. Montague always
looked to Grisson in a crisis.
We'll toss up. Heads, we go to the
right; tails, to the left. I'm begin
ming to feel desperate. All | care for
now is to come across some sign of
human habitation where one can re-
plenish the inner man-if it's only
casual word!' cried Grisson. "You
toss, Monty"
The taller man pulled out shilling.
portion of the remaining one-and-
threepence-half-penny feeling referred
to by Joe. and spun it vigorously in
the air. Rather too vigorously, as it
happened. For. as though that shill
ing were beswitched by some mock
ing spirit of mischief, it struck against
one of the arms of the sign post and
ricochetted off into a Shiny duck pond
behind, where it was lost to their
sight forever.
There was a simultaneous exclama-
ton of horror, a simultaneous rush
forward On the part of the two unhap-
Ply mummers, as this browning catas-
trophe reduced their capital to three
pence-half-penny.
Joe, I've done it," groaned the
heavy man, miserably, scarcely daring
to meet the others eyes. "And if
you were to kick me-hard-I
wouldn't say word. If it will re-
lieve your feelings, joe"
Joe's cheerfulness came to the res
cue. He laughed, rather half-heart-
eddy, but perhaps it was to his credit
that he could laugh at all. The
heavy man did not laugh. Goaded to