Gilpin observer., 1920-01-22

give 1t as his opinion that they could
now afford to risk little on the clas-
sizes, and as Michael O'Duffy also
thought that the time was come to
work for glory and not for filthy lucre.
"RomeO and Juliet" was decided upon.
At the first performance, Archie
sat. red and uncomfortable, In the first
row and held his own hands. while
ODuffy, in velvet trunks, his red hair
covered with long black curls. sat on
stone parapet with his arm about
Leona.
Leona had carefully explained to
difference between real and stage
kisses; but now, as she leaned against
the beautiful ODuffy, Archie distrust-
ed her, and he stretched his neck I'M
mercifully to see If they were really
holding hands,
Mr.. Watkins, having decided to do
the classics, was determined to give
Shakespeare fair chance. and the
stage-setting for the balcony scene
was. in the words of Michael O'Duffy,
"she-derve."
1t was the lake that gave Archie his
Inspiration, for he knew that the life
like undulations on its surface were
made by the regular movements of the
''supeS," who knelt in rows beneath its
wave at the very next performance,
and discover for himself if Leona were
true or If the kisses that Juliet be-
slowed on Romeo were as real as they
looked.
The following night the curtain rose
at Morgan's on the same resplendent
scene, but Archie was not in his usual
to feel his absence, as, leaning over
the balcony. she stretched her arms to
the electric moon, and inquired with
deep feeling:
Romeo. Romeo; wherefore art thou,
Romeo?"
Archie, watching her from the bot
tom of the lake, thought that she had
never looked so beautiful.
Then O'Duffy appeared, and. gazing
on him with a soulful expression.
Juliet inquired tenderly:
"Are thou not Romeo and Monta-
gue?"
To which Romeo replied. with much
ardor:
Neither, fair maid, If either you
dislike"
Adding flippantly, in an undertone:
'Me names O'Duffy, but you can call
me Mike"
Juliet was not at all disturbed by
this irrelevancy; and when ODuffy.
who had declared against long-dis-
tance love-making, climbed up on the
balcony and took her In his arms, the
dialogue progressed finely, in spite of
Romeo's slightly Irish accent.
my bounty Is as boundless as the
sea. My love as Deep"
She spoke with an Intensity which
communicated itself to the inflamma-
BILE Irlshman; and O'Duffy, springing
forward, caught her in his arms and
imprinted real, resounding, an un-
mistakable kiss on her carmine lips.
Instantly there was a roar from the
depths of the lake.
Look at Venus rising from the
Archie needed 1t not.
"I'r teach you," he cried, shaking
with rage; "I'll teach you to kiss my
girl"
O'Duffy recognized his rival.
"Come on and teach mel" he yelled
derisively, throwing Off his cloak.
In an instant the two were locked
In the fast embrace of deadly hatred.
while Leona, screaming wildly, leaned
over the parapet.
$50 1t, venus!" shrieked the de-
| lighted audience.
"Punch him, Romeo!" cried the bal
cony.
Mr.. Watkins dashed out upon the
stage.
"Come down |" he shouted.
The balcony was high, the ladder
erweight. He ragged in impotence.
"Come down." he shrieked. shaking
both fists at the combatants. This
time O'Duffy answered:
"Come down, did you say? He's
comIngl'
With that he seized Archie by the
waist and flung him over the parapet
down into the lake, where the "supes,"
held by the baleful eye Of the foreman,
knelt In stupehed silence.
With mufIled cries. the waves rose
up and scattered In all directions, and
Mr.. Watkins. from the bank of the
lake, made dive for Archie. and
O'Duffy stretched out his arms for
Leona.
She, however. preserved her pres
ence Of mind and, realizing that her
false hair was falling Off, saved the
situation by ordering down the cur
tain.
The next day the aunts. the sisters,