Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-15

glee party round the fire who so far had
made no contribution to the entertain
ment. He darlsly suspected him OF being
, the villain, though what the villain should
be doing unrecognized at such a period
of the play-it was about the third act
was hard to understand. However, the
mystery was now cleared up by French
vivandiere-by this time ii was plain that
the scene was laid in the Crimea-who
called upon the mysterious one, in the &C
cents Of -Bowe. for a song
and dance. No reply being forthcoming,
the entire company tprecipitately, but
quite correctly, as it happened) rose up
and denounced the stranger as a Russian
and spy. They had only themselves to
blame for his presence. for apparently he
had strolied up and joined the party quite
promiscuousiy: and no one had thought,
so far, OF asking him who he WAS or even
Of addressing him.
The audience now sat up expectantly.
But instead OF taking the spy prisoner
and shooting him on sight, the guard hur-
ried off r. L. E.-possibiy to bring up their
big guns or find q policeman. These de-
plorable tactics did not meet with the re-
ward they deserved. for the villain. In
stead Of boiling of l.. as fast as he could.
fingered upon the stage to tell the audi
ence that he had come back TO have one
more go at the hero. Goodness knows
how many he had hado The hero obiig-
ingly appeared at that moment, and a
/
crease as the play proceededD OF the audi
ence shouted to the villain to cut in and
do it now. But ,ortentous trampings
of" announced the return OF the glee
party, and the villain. finding that he
could not execute his perfectly justifiable
design without considerable danger to his
own person, and was. in fact. in a par
ticularly tight place himself. suddenly ap-
pealed with considerable nerve it
seemed to Hughie) to the hero. as cleric.
. ,f,,, hnrr iyt.1an Inv r.
~ fool as we'll bore) Immediately
complied. You must take upon you my
IDENTITY he remarked. In twinkling
they had exchanged greatcoats. and the
villain was now by all the laws Of melo-
drama completely disguised as the hero.
He dashed of L., just as a perfect ava
ienche of people. who had been faithfully
and increasingly marking time in the
wings, poured on to the stage r., ard en-
deavored almost to poke their rifles into
the hero's breast. But just as nervous
female in the audience, apprehensive
about the sudden discharge Of firearms.
convulsively crippled Hughes left elbow.
the heroine dashed on from nowhere, and
taking her stand before the hero-ap-
parently she was the only person upon
the stage who recognized him--utiered
these thrilling but mysterious words:
You kennot far erpon ther Red
kerawSsi
Curtain, amid thunders Of applause.
After a commenda bly, short interval the
curtain rose upon the next act. The hero
was now discovered asleep (under what
must have struck any thoughtful member
Of the audience as highly compromising
circumstances for clergyman In the
cottage Of a stout lady in very short
skirt and fur-topped boots. whom. from
the fact that her opening soliloauy COM
menced with the words, "Har, vell!' the
audience rightly adjudged to be Rus
sian. This lady. 1t was soon plain. was
consumed by secret passion for the
hero. In fact, she proclaimed It in such
strident tones that II was surprising that
it's object did not wake up.
This scene soon resolved itself into a
series Of determined efforts on the part
Of the villain to terminate the existence
Of the herO--an enterprise In which he by
this time commanded the whole-hearted
ence. His first attempt was foiled by the
comic man, who entered singing Keep
the baby warm, mother!" Just as he had
crawled within striking distance Of the
unfortunate man announced his intention
OF retiring Ito the woods" pending an
other opportunity. But he had no luck.
Just as the comic man performed hui
morous exit through the window. the
stout lady-most of the other characters,
by the way. addressed her as Tinker"
possibly her name was katinka-came in
through the door filled with the forebod-
ings of what she called 'loove.' Her
subsequent course of action could GER
tain|y only have been condoned on the
plea of emotional insanity. She uncere-
moniously bundled the hero out Of bed
fortunately he hsd gone there in his boots
and cent him of Oh a transparent wild
goose chase to the trenches" Then she
got into bed herself. and when the viii
lain came crawling back from 1.-THE
woods bI1ndishing his knife in the lime
light, the audience were treated to a sort