The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-10-14
Copyright. 1910, by Doubleday. Page 6 Company. Copyright. 1908. by
 the Mcclure Company

barker in the dfmes-museums, you know. There was money in the busi- ness, though, if the freaks hadn't caught on that I had the heart of a soft boiled egg Besides, my voice ain't an automobile horn, and barkin' for couple of seasons stove a hole in my top note. One of my old govs switched me on to job paintin' freak showboards, and I'd "a been at it yet if freaks didn't last too long. Once you've put them on the boards there they are. At present my specialty's meenoos."
 Val looked blank, thinking of emus.
 French for grub cards. A swell like you ought to be on to that. But I'm just thinkin what there is for you. This stunt of mine dropped into by luck. Twas Shakespeare introduced me, like he did you tonight
 ''Why Shakespeare Love1and cut in.
 ooh, there's a-a girl in that story actress in the theater where suped-a real actress, mind you, a fascinator from Fascinatorville. Why Lii so much as looked at me I don't know, but she did. I was near twice her age, and 'twould have been playin' the game too low down to try and hook on to her. though was tempted, she was so pretty, so good to me. I don't know what would "a been the upshot If the property man, who had his eye on the gal, hadn't got me the sack and Lii an engagement on the road. She and l drifted apart. I never wrote, though she asked me to. I knew twas better not-for her. But you see why Pm nuts on the dog He was hers, and Shakespeare was her name for him. She loves Shakespeare's plays, and her ambition was to act in 'em But all that's somethin' I wouldn't "a mentioned if you hadn't kind of earned the right to Shakes history. I was tellin' you about my speciality and how Shake introduced me to it. We 1 was on our beam ends, Shake and me- our ribs showin' through like silk One mornin' after night out like this, only a square downtown, l was circu- latin around till blew into Twelfth 1 street and dropped my eyes on to new restaurant with a good fried smell, and an idea hit my brain like a hammer. In l walks and offers to swop it with the boss for a dinner He wasn't takin' any just then, but I talked till I walked him up, showed him what I could do in the art line l and began to work on the spot with grand new thing in meenoos. I've been at it ever since, and, though the pay don't go up by leaps and bounds, the house has. and lots O the eaters say it's my works made it what it is l brought in the public like flock of sheep. I get two meals and three dimes a day out of the job, and I
 wouldn't be sleepin' in my country house tonight if I hadn't run acrost a guy who needed my money more than did. 1 guess there afn't many sweIls have got a finer palace than this
 though it's kind of drafty. Your cas-
 tie across the pond ain't got a finer park. I bet-''
 My castles full of drafts. too," Loveland humored him.
 ''So you came over here to get out of | 'em? Wish 1 could invite you to | my hotel where I hang out when I'm not at my country place, but the trou-
 ble is to see the color of your money or you don't see the color of their
 beds"
 How much is it for room?" asked
 LoYelapd-