Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-19

out every ticket in this here show. 1t
may be the bummest outfit that ever
played Uncle Toms Cabin in Red
Spider-and there's been some pretty
bad ones. t0o-but l invite you all TO
be present tonight rs my special guests
and each one can take rs many tickets
as he liles-pcrvided he gives EN- to
somebody who'll SO to the show and
act like he enjoyed II some. Here.
you begin. Tony. pass 'em along"
Then. rs the box went around the
three long tables. link Prole arose and
faced the room. His customary self
consciousness vanished with the sin
cerity of his motive and his words left
the big hearted audience thrilling with
eagerness 10 help the little band of
strolling players.
THAT there outfit may he all to the
bad so far as actin goes. but they mean
all right and its their Twin they're
after and it's mighty poor picllin's they
get. too. 7 reckon! They don't come
here just nacherly 10 aGgravate us
they don't know how we feel about
that there play and don't want EN-
to. Every one OF 'em is dyin' to get
back home TO somewheres where they
can earn plenty enough to eat and
drink. but they can't pull out enough
money to get thar. If we buy up the
house. why. they'll all buy tickets home
again and there'n be one less OF that
Uncle Tom outfit to aCgravate us. see?"
They saw. and said so vociferously.
Eliza. crossing the ice. you know.
fellers?'
They nodded gloomily.
They want TO get back to Ohio to
grandfather's farm. Topsy wants to
learn to he an engineer. and old Le-
greene used TO be a lay preacher
down east and he's goin' to tackle 1t
again. Same way with all OF 'em.
Shall we send EN- homer"
There was a chorus OF alternatives.
And now came the most interesting in.
cdent of the meal. for as each man
took one or more tickets he solemnly
dug down and paid the price for 1t. so
when the box came back to Jink Prole
Il was full of silver quarter dollars and
fifty cent pieces. which. added to the
price he had paid for the entire house,
! doubled the receipts for the evening
! performance.
| link Prole spent the entire afternoon
! interviewing the different members Of
! the company, and before the curtain
arose that night each one had a sum OF
money sufficient to take him back home,
wherever that was. Little Eva aud
her mother. Mrs. Prayer. were perhaps
| the happiest among the lot.
It was n performance long to be
| remembered for the enthusiasm of the
/ audience. as the spirited acting brought
forth its own reward Red Spider
agreed 10 a man, and the women were
unanimously of the same opinion, that
never had there been so sweet an Eva.
so winning an Eliza. whose happiness
buhbled above the tragedy of her part.
| Legree was positively amiable when
off his guard. and only Lawyer Marks
maintained his dignity and poIse. Tn
Gle Tom twanged his banjo until the
strings broke. and the bloOdhOunds
leaped playfuly upon Eliza and her
infant The gay and rollicking Topsy
was the talk of Red Spider long after
| other Uncle Tom companies had APP
peared and dishanded under the sys-
TEN OF elimination adopted by the com
munity.
BY the next afternoon the theatrical
company had left Red Spider in the
stagecoach for the nearest railroad
station. with the exception OF Mrs.
Prayer and Eva-whose real name
was Evn-to link Probes delight
Mrs. Prayer remained to convince
link Prole that he was making n
! great mistake TO believe that he was
really in love with her when he had
only known her brief, twenty-four
I hours
! 81 tell you II don't make no differ
J ence In love. It comes when il gets
ready and then stays forever. II it's
the right kind" said link convincingly.
/ Il know mine is the right kind because
/ never felt like this beforehand your
/ bcin' an actress don't make mite Of
difference to me. ma'am. Your hus-
band hein' n small manager and dyin'
sudden that way. there wasn't any
thing yau and Eva could do except
get jobs in some company. Now,
reckon You amt so all fred afraid or
me Mr. Corwuod. he's boss Of the
/ Twin Star outfit where | work he's
always known me and he'll tell You.
And there's a little house down by the
East crick. near the scloOlhousc. handy
for Eva. here. and it's waitin' for
some married chap 70 take H. I leave
it 10 you. shall IT he me? And you?
And Little Eva. here
links arm was around Eva. and
her fair cheek was pressed against his
brown one Mrs Prayers dark head
was bent IN confusion ut this rapid
wo0iug. but the litt" GicEering color
I'm her cheek betrayed that her heart
was not untouched.
link Probe late .n approaching matri-
mony. WAS now impatient Of delay.
"Eliza. he u~2ed ut last. Just YOU
make believe you're in that play and
come across the ice and sit beside ne
ana Little Eva"
And Iii. Eliza crossed tho leo for