Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1909-06-25
The Price.
BY ELINoR M. LOCK.
sseaeeeeenaaaaaaaan.

IL is twenty-five years since Bob
Garnet and struck up our long
friendship. It happened chiefly be-
cause misery loves company and both
OF us we're very miserable Twenty
hye years have brought many
changes to us and to-day | am an
actor, playing in the best houses to
the finest audiences in the country.
and Bob is known as the greatest
living comedian. To see him come
upon the stage, they tell me, is to
laugh. His face is absurd and his
gestures are models of mimicry. But
/ can never laugh when | see him.
because know what 1t has cost him
to be the funniest man in the coun-
try.
! shall not bore you with my own
hardships any more than Bob's story
makes 1t necessary. Suffice it to say.
that at the time 1 first met Bob l had
had my first taste of trouble and
knew the sight of sorrow when
met 1t In another man. We were
members Of circus troupe at the
l.,
Bob had risen from what is known
as mover" to be one of the clowns.
Just year before that had mar
ried a good girl whom | loved and
who had run away from a comfort
able home to share my life of poverty
and chance, and wishing to be what
she called help to me" she learned
my business and worked with me
day after day. | never should have
let her. l didn't realize that she
never got over her fear of the brutes.
And one day. poor girl, when was
training cage of eats, one of them
got away from me and threw her
and mangled her-but, as | say, this
is not my story. l tell this because
it was what drew me toward poor
old Bob when found he had trouble, |
too.
Bob wasn't a success in the ring.
He was funny enough sometimes and |
the crowds would roar with delight
and the mensEsr would ieols siIpr9 |
val arsss--Fv-Ts sEings~osa--,.-.,-- qso
De goXg well. But every once in "a
while Aould come time when Bob
went fs-sough his antics like a man
in dfQam and with no more spon-
taneity ,6iS wit than an engine. Then
the Crow laugh and the
manager ~ned it chiefly on Bob
There was one time in particular that
his dull fit laSked for week, and at
last the manager called him, and in
my hearing administered a very
hearty rating. He told Bob plainly
that If he didn't do better he'd have |
to move on. Bob stood and took it |
silently and when it was over he |
went away. slowly. without a word
l followed him to his quarters in the
dressing tent and caught up just as
he was going in.
Don't be down, old chap" l said,
Better luck tomorrow"
He shook his head and his face
under the paint and dust looked very
young and miserable.
Come in." he said.
l went in with him and | was the
most astonished man you ever saw.
There were the simplest things in
the way of furnishing you ever saw
"a chair, rickety table. an old bag
and a cot bed In one end. And on
the bed there was curly-haired girl
with an old little face and a pair of
big dark eyes
WELL" | said, She looked at me
and then past me at him and her face
broke into little smile.
What's your name?" | asked her,
for the sake of saying something.
Gay" she answered.
Her mother named her that"
said Bob. sitting down beside her,
but we didn't know then how little
she was going to have to be gay
about"
Is she sick?" I asked. l never
saw a man so gentle as he was as he
lifted her into new position.
She's got a bad spine," he said
II can't do-very much for her. Her |
mothers dead-you see, and I'm all
there is to take care of her. / think |
sometimes she ought to have a wo-
man to see to her. but IL do the
best can"
He'd held up all right till then, but
after that he turned his face to the
wall and cried like a boy. | think
did, too. AT any rate, the next thing |
remember was that we were both |
sitting on the bed holding the hands
of the poor little child and telling
all our woes. l learned from him
that she was always in pain and that
there was no hope Of saving her.
But, If he could make some money,
Bob said, there would be things he
could get that would make her hap /
pier. l emptied my pockets and Bob
found dime or two in a drawer and
we went out and bought big doll
for her. 1t was no use getting medi
cine. for anyone could see that the
time for that was past. We snug
gled the doll in to her and to see the
poor thing lying there with it in her
arms and smiling now and then for |
happiness, made US both wipe our
eyes.
Well. after that l came often and
brought her oranges and candy, when |
had the money, and stories and
jokes when there wasn't any cash.
She was a dear little thing and never
uttered a complaint, but we saw her |
grow worse and worse day after day, |
1t got harder than ever for Bob to go |
out at night and make the people
laugh. / tried to get him excused,