Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-08-07

handed it to the actor. Merry pocketed
it without further questioning, and
pulled on his gloves.
Good night" he said. "or good
morning. whichever you choose
Say, old man" Wentworth held
the door for a moment half closed
while he spoke. "Say, If you don't
mind, let's keep this transaction to
ourselves"
I'm willing" Merry paused to
strike a light for his last cigar, then
he laid his hands solemnly across his
breast Gross my heart" he added
in a sepulchral tone.
Wentworth started at the sound of
IN opening door. A girl entered.
For heavens sake, Derry! What
are 0 doing up at this unearthly
hour?"
I've had my sleep. you haven't"
she answered with a laugh.
"Dorcas, sit down." said her brother.
DO you see that fellow on the bench
under a tree?"
The girl leaned a hand on Went
worth's shoulder while she turned her
eyes in the direction his finger pointed.
yes! What's the matter with him ?
Is he anybody you know? Is he in
trouble"
n Hes an old frisnd of mine. It's
Andrew Merry, the comedian"
Wentworth sat for a moment gazing
into his sisters beautiful face. She
was a child in spite of her eighteen
years. He felt like an ancient, sin
battered, soiled, city-worn hulk Of
humanity as he returned the straight
forward gaze Of her gray eyes.
"Tell me about him, Enoch."
Il ran cross him when / was doing
dramatics On the Pittsburgh Union.
He was a genial lad. but there wasn't
much for him to tell an interviewer.
He had been born and raised in a
western town and then apprenticed to
a country bank. He hated figures and
loved the stage. He stuck 10 the
ledgers for a while because he was all
his mother had. / guess she w~orshiped
him."
How did he happen to go on the
stage?
do sooner or later, and began with a
turn in a vaudeville house. He had
reached a salary Of fifty a week. He
was perfectly happy except for one
thing-he couldn't get the mothers
loneliness out of his mind. They wrote
to each other every day"
Il think / should like him." sug.
| gested Dorcas.
81 gave Merry all the space next
morning instead of the dancer, and he
wrote me a grateful letter. I didn't
see him again until two years later
when l came to New York. l found
his name in the cast of a light opera
company on Broadway. He was pretty
far down the list, but before the thing
had run two weeks he was moved uI
to second place. His work was un
usual. He's the funniest Merry An
drew / rel saw, yet once in a while
there's a touch of whimsical tearfu.
pathos in his antics hat makes G
man-wink."
lake me 10 see him., cried tht
girl eagerly.
Wen go tomorrow. It's his CLOSING
night in The King at Large He's
bigger favorite than several of the hi.
stars, yet-it's the queerest thing-il
all these years he's never taken tn,
step that would bring him to the top.
Why"
THE Lord knows. One manage
died, another went under. It's the un
certainty of stage life"
And his mother?" asked Dorcas.
"She died suddenly last season. 4
fool usher gave Merry the telegram Il
the middle of a performance, when h
went off the stage. He dropped as i
he'd been shot. They rang down tn
curtain until the understudy could ge
into his toys. He didn't act for tw
months. I thought he would neve
! brace up. l had him here half the wiz