Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-07-07

net. on the night Mary len the nouse
he had carried her satchel Tor tnres
miles on the way to the village.
when his story had been finisneO-
and there were many other details
both father and mother looked at 1eD.
Never before had they seen paleness
through his sunburn-his eyes LOOK 90
steely, his Jaw so hard set Tney
didn't ask what he was going to 40;
thew could read It in his face. me
sNew York Uncle Toms Cabin COM
pany" was to foregather that night a.
q village 26 miles away for rehearsal
previous to taking the road. Tne boy
Jimmie had It all down pat. II he had
only been year or two older so no
had been told, he would have been
taken along to play the part OF George
Harris.
Zeb Hastings went upstairs ana
changed to his Sunday suit. Wnen
he came down he went to the barn
and harnessed the old mare to the DEM
ocrat wagon. He had the barnyard
gate open to drive out when Mrs'
White came out and asked between
her sobs:
"Zeb, what you goin' to DOT"
"Goin' to tip over Uncle Toms
cabin"
He drove to the village where Mary
must have taken the train, put up the
horse 1t the tavern barn and then
went to the depot to wait for his train
Men who knew him for q good fellow
shook hands or slapped him on the
back, and, after looking at him In his
Sunday suit asked II he was going
away to be married. To their sur
prise he replied that he was. no
wasn't mentioning nawes. but ne en-
pected to bring a wife back with him.
At two o'clock in the afternoon zeD
Hastings was landed ct tho depot ID
schofield. He made q few Inquiries,
got a bite to eat and then made his
way to Turner'S hall. A citizen named
Turner had the enterprise TO turn the
second story Of his hardware store
into place where outraged taxpayers
and other bodies might meet. Tneat-
ricals had been given there and there
were bills on the walls and boards
announcing that the Uncle Tom COM
pany would take its chances at an
early date.
A rehearsal had been called for two
o'clock and as Zeb made his way into
the hall It was Just beginning. ne
paused for q moment to locate two OF
the actors-Mary White and the sum-
mer boarder. Then he advanced and
lifted himself upon the stage Mary
stared and turned pale and trembled.
The summer boarder didn't recognize
the farmers hired man, and he ad'
vanced and demanded why the tntru'
sion.
ri have come to act!" replied zeb'
and he proceeded to do so.
It was great acting. 1t never Will
be beaten. It brought down the man
aEef and the house-the manager
first. Zeb didn't have many speeches..
but the action was superb. He seized
that manager by the hair and shook
him silly. Then he mopped the stage
with him. Then he booted him about
The women Of the cast crowded 70
gether and shrieked and screamed.
They were real shrieks and screams
warranted three-ply. The gentlemen
in the cast woke up after a bit and
pitched into Zeb in body. There
was no make-believe in that pitch, but
they were as straws in 4O-mile gale.
Down went Uncle Tom, and down
went Legree. The Lawyer Marks was
tossed aside like chip and George
Harris received two black eyes In one
two measure.
| It took Zeb Hastings just nine min
utes to tip over Uncle Toms cabin
and Uncle Tom and everybody con-
nected with 1t and bring about imam
cial wreck. When hb had finished ne
beckoned to Mary White. She came
over and took his arm, and they left
the hall together. 1t was II o'clock
that night when they drove up to the
farmhouse. The family rushed for
ward with extended arms to cry:
"oh, Mary, how could you-how
could"
"Cut It Quit" interrupted Zeb. MARY
and me was married before we left
schofield, and there's been acting nun