Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-06-04

Rub.a.dub.dub! Don't crowd too
closet" Rub-a-dub-dub! Keep order
and you will see,
Some trumpery miracle mystery"
called out "a jeering voice. ],
"or the martyrdom Of some saint"
cried another. 80. q, AZ,
II don't know anything about any
saint" answered the man, unless. y" -
rub,a-dub-dub! you mean my lords
lady!"" 3i35 y 55;. y. Y
/ And truly the piece.tas 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 Masque Of the Wicked Peas
ant and the Good Noble. it was called;
and odd designation that at once inter-
ested the Lady Elise, bending over the
stone balustrade the better to see. It
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 it.
Circumspectly the little play
opened; a scene in which my lord, in
a waistcoat somewhat frayed for one
Of his station, commands the lazy peas
ant to beat the marsh with 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;5 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 apd the good lords noble 70
licitude fof the nerves Of his high.
born spouse, was both nimble and Wit
ty; especially those bits punctuated
by a cane. and the sentiment: Thus
all bad peasants deserve to fare!" and
eliminating in an excellent climax to
the lesson-a tattoo on ths peasants
head that sent him simultaneously.
and felicitously, down With the cur
tain. N 4 f
What think you Of it," At my
lady's elbow one OF the officers turned
to companion. 4, ~.
Amusing. but And his glance
turned obviously toward the people.
Certainly they did not now show prop
.er appreciation either for the literary
merits OF the little piece or the pre-
cepts 1t promulgated in fairly sound,
ing verse. 4. ". * i
"The mountebanki ~ From the crowd
number Of disconnected voices: rose.
Come out, Monsieur Mountebank!"'
Eyes, Monsieur Mountebank, come
out; come out! ;.i5 "
With fast-beating heart the Lady
Elise gazed as in q dream had she
listened not to the lines of the pup
pet play: but to q voice strangely IA
miliar, yet different ironical; SCOT
ing; laughing! She drew her breath
quickly; once more studied the head.
in its white, close-fltting clowns COW
ering; the heavy. painted face. with
red, gaping mouth. Then, the next
moment, as he bowed himself back
apparently unmindful of a missile
some one threw and which struck his
little theater-the half closed. dull
eyes met hers; passed, without sign
or expression!- and she gave nerv-,
GUS little laugh. What q fancy!
Act second 1.-THE tinkling of q 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:
jsi * a For II there's a croak. M
,5 For you'll be the stroke.
From no gentle hand.
A merry little tune. it threaded the
act; it was soon interrupted. however.
during a scene where comical-look-
ing devil on q 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. u