The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-10-05

"Down With the DeviI!"
apparently unmindful of missile
some one threw and which struck his
little theater-the half-closed, dull
eyes met hers; passed, without sien
or expression!-and she gave a nerv.
Gus little laugh. What fancy!
Act second!" the tinkling of a bell
prefaced the announcement, and once
more was the curtain drawn, this
time revealing marsh and the bad
peasant at work, reluctantly beating
the water to the Song Of the Stick.
BEAT! beat!
At his lordship's command;
For II there's a croak,
For you'll be the stroke,
From no gentle hand"
A merry little tune, 1t threaded the
act; 1t was soon interrupted. however,
during scene where a comical.look.
Ing devil on broomstick, useful both
for transportation and persuasion,
came for something which he called
the peasants soul. Again the bad
peasant protested; would cheat even
the devil Of his due, but his satanic
Majesty would not be set aside.
You may rob your MASTER" he said,
In effect; "defraud him Of banalite,
bardage and those other few taxes
necessary to his dignity and position;
but you cGn't de.raud Me-" Where.
upon he proceeded to wrest what he
wanted from the bad peasant by force
and the aid Of the broomstick!-ac.
companying the rat-a-tat with q we'll.
rhymed homily on what would certain.
ly happen to every peasant who
sought to deprive his lord Of feudal
rights. At this point growing rest.
iveness on the part Of the a. Hence
found resentful expression.
THAT for your DEVILS stickl"
ITO the devil with the devil!"
"Down with the devil!"
The cry, once started, was not easy
to stop; men in liquor and ripe for
mischief repeated It; in vain the
mountebank pleaded: my poor dolls!
My poor theater!" Unceremoniously
they tumbled 1t and him over; a few,
who had seen nothing out of the or
dinary in the little play took his part;
words were exchanged for blows. with
many fighting for the sake of fighting.
when into the center Of this, the real
stage. appeared soldiers.
What does 1t mean?" Impressive
In gold adornment and conscious au-
thority, the commandant himself came
down the steps. who dares make riot
on day consecrated to the holy
relics? But you shall pay" as the
soldiers separated the belligerents.
Take those men into custody and
who Is this fellow" turning to the
mountebank. mournful figure above
the wreckage Of his theater and poor
puppets scattered, haphazard, like VIC
Tins Of some untoward disaster.
1T was his play that started the
trouble" said one of the officers.
"Diable!" the commandant frowned
What have you to say for yourself?"
IT," began the mountebank, q" he
repeated. when courage and words
alike seemed to fail him.
The commandant made a gesture.
up with him! To the top of the
Mount"
mo, MOI" At once the fellows
voice came back to him. Don't take
me there, into the terrible Mount!
Don't lock me up"
Don't lock him up!" repeated some
: one in the crowd, moved apparently
by the sight Of his distress. 1T wasn't
his fault"
mo; It wasn't his fault!" said 9th.
ers.
"Eh?" Wheeling sharply, the com
Tlandant gazed; at the lowering faces
that dared question his authority;
then ct his own soldiers On the
beach he might not have felt 30 se-
cure. but here. who're tw.-i.. y II.
armed. could defend a pass and a
mob batter their heads in vain AGAINST
walls, he could well afford a confident
front. up with you" he cried stern
ly and gave tie mountebanK a con-
temptuous thrust,
For the first time the mans apathy
seemed to desert him: his arm shot
I back Ike lightning, but almost at once
fell to his side. while an expression.
/ apologctiCally abjCCt. as If to atone for
that momentary fierce impulse. over
spread his dull visago. "Ch. I'll co."
he said in accents scrvile And pro-
ceeded hurriedly to gather up the re.