The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-18
NOT TRAINED ANIMALS
How Small Boy Didn't Enjoy Him
self at a French Drama

From the New York Times.
Not all the tragic and comic turns that
take place In theatre are enacted on
the stage or behind the scenes A good
many of them are played through with
tremendous reality right out In the audi
forum, even as far away from the foot
lights as the top gallery.
One of these little side issue formed
feature of the entertainment for those
who sat in the second row of gallery
seats at a suburban performance of a
problem play. When the doors were
opened to admit the public TO that partie-
ular part of the theatre that afternoon,
one of the first persons to rush In and
buy a ticket was a boy about II years
old He was a bright, wholesome look
Ing little chap, and as he went pelting up
the long flight of stairs. even his short
tan overcoat seemed to catch a Whit OF
the excitement that danced in his big,
brown eyes, and it tapped and swished
round his thin legs merrily
He was already seated when the woman
who had stood in line behind him came
putting up to the top floor. She looked
at him in surprise as she sat down be-
side him, and her first thought was.
child expect to get out of a play like
this?"
Once she was on the point of putting the
question to him point blank, but his eyes
were already fixed on the drop curtain
with an eager expectancy that discour-
aged impertinence, and she finally ceased
to speculate ON the incongruity of his
presence. or even to think Of him at all.
At the end of the second act however.
el,a txyac m hin, His n
had been resting lightly against hers ali
the time, although she had scarcely no.
ticed 1t. Now 1t pressed nearer, and his
xand clasped hers tinlidly.
"Will you please tell me-" he said, 'it
this is the trained ANIMAL
The question went straight to the wom-
ans bump of humor, and at the first in
slant this unconscious and unrivaled crit
icism of the actors who had been disport-
ing themselves so strenuously brought
shrek of laughter to her lips. But just
then her eyes caught his. and her throa.
closed with an ache that Il off laughter.
Such pitiful eyes as they. were. The glad
sparkle was drowned In tears and the
smiling face of the early afternoon was
the picture of despair. The woman
squeezed his hand sympathetically.
ft"Why, no, she said. this IS a French
drama. What did you think it was?''
! Then the story came out. At a variety
house next door troupe of trained ami
mails had been performing for two weeks.
The boy had been promised sufficient
money and an afternoon off to go and
see them. The last matinee came and
the promise was made good. The boy
had been obliged to go alone, but he was
sure he could find the place. In sipte OF
his self-reliance he had made mistake,
and Instead of the trained animals he
had struck the problem of the eternal
triangle.
His disappointment was too deep to be
put into words but his face. voice and
dropping figure told the story. The wom-
an tried to make some kind of a bargain
with the ushers or the box office In his
behalf. but it was then to late to set the
little fellow right, and as she, too was
reduced to car fare home she was obliged
to return and report nonsuccess. AS the