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

Tho Mountebank and tho People.
In the center walked man. dressed
as a mountebank. who bent forward.
laden with various properties-a bag
that contained miscellany Of spuri.
Gus medicines and drugs, to be sold
from a stand, and various dolls for a
small puppet theater he carried on his
back. It. was not for the Governors
daughter, or the old woman, however.
his call had been intended. way
there!" be repeated to those in front
Of him.
But they, yet seeking to detain.
called out: Give the piece here!"
Like person not lightly turned
from his purpose. he, strolling.player
as we'll as charlatan, pointed to the
Mount, and, unceremoniously thrust.
Ing one person to this side and anoth.
er to that, stubbornly pushed on. AS
long as they were in sight the girl
watched, but when with shouts and
laughter they had vanished, swal.
lowed by the shifting host, once more
she turned to the crone. That per.
son, however. had walked on toward
the shore. and indecisively the Gov
ernor's daughter gazed after. The
womans name she had not inquired,
but could find out later; that would
not be difficult. she felt sure.
Soon, with no definite thought of
where she was going, she began to re-
trace her steps, no longer experienc.
Ing that earlier over-sensitive percep-
ton for details, but seeing the picture
as a whole-a vague impression of
faces; In the background. the Mount
Its golden saint ever threatening to
strike!-until she drew closer; when
abruptly the uplifted blade, a domi-
nant note, above color and movement,
vanished, and she looked about to
1nd herself in the shadow Of one Of
the rocks bulwarks. Near by, q scat.
tering approach OF pilgrims from the
sands narrowed into a compact stream
directed toward q lower gate, and, re-
membering her experience above. she
would have avoided the general cur
rent; but no choice remained. At the
portals she was jostled sharply; no
respecters OF persons, these men made
her once more feel what it wac to be
one OF the great commonalty: an atom
In the rank and file! At length reach.
Ing the towers little square, many Of
them stopped. and she was suffered to
es""~o--to the stone steps swinging
Sharply II.-.-. She had not gone
tar. however, when looking down, she
was held by a spectacle not without
novelty to her.
In the shadow Of the Tower Of the
King stood the mountebank she had
seen but a short time before on the
sands. Now facing the people before
his little show-house, which he had
set up In a convenient corner. he was
calling attention to the entertainment
he proposed giving. by q loud beating
on q drum.
Rub-a-dub-dub! Don't crowd too
close!" Rub-a-dub-dub! Keep order
and you will see"
Some trumpery miracle mystery!"
called out Jeering voice.
"Or the martyrdom of some saint"
cried another.
II don't know anything about any
saint" answered the man, UNLESS
rub-a-dub.dub.-"you mean my lords
lady!"
And truly the piece, as they were to
discover, was quite barren Of that
antique religious flavor to which they
objected and which still pervaded
many Of the puppet plays Of the day.
The Petit NIasQue of the Wicked Peas
ant and the Good Noble. 1t was called;
and odd designation that at once inter
ested the Lady Elise. bending over the
stone balustrade the better to see. 1t
interested. also, those official guardi-
ans OF the peace, a number Of soldiers
and a few officers from the garrison
standing near. who unmindful of the
girl. divided their attention between
the pasteboard center Of interest and
the people gathered around 1t.
Circumspecly the little play
opened; scene In which my lord, in
a waistcoat somewhat frayed for one
or his station, commands the lazy peas
ant to beat the marsh with q stick
that the croaking Of the frogs may not
disturb at night the rest Of his noble
spouse. seemed designed principally
to show that obedience. submission
and unQuestioning fealty were the
great lords due. On the one hand,
was the patrician born to rule; on the
other. the peasant, to serve; and no
task. however onerous, but should be
gladly welcomed In behalf OF the mas
ter, or his equally illustrious lady The
dialogue. showing the disinclination of
the bad peasant for this simple en-
ployment and the good lords noble So
licitudc for the nerves Of his high
born spouse. was both nimble and wit
ty' especially those bits punct ctuated