Year: 1871

ana velvet coat anu SILKY muSLacne; Duh
! should have much preferred to see his
half a mile off; but he was SO pleasant
and gentlemanly, that couldn't quarrel


Presently Miss P begged him to go
on with his work and then she said, as
she looked over his shoulder, that he
ought to put in figure or two; and how
it came about / don't know, but 1 found
myself standing at the edge of the surf
Tin imminent peril of wet feet and pre-
tending to throw bluefsh-line into the
breakers.


1t was hardly consolation to think of
being part of famous picture, when that
required one to stand with ones back to
all that was of immediate interest. But it
was much worse to be reused by shout
from the wretch, and to see my own horse
walking leisurely away toward the town.
| know fastened him securely.


l hurried up the beach, and the ruff1an
met me with look of pretended sympa-
thy on his features.


"This is too bad" he said. az am afraid
you will have to leave Miss P to my
care. will stay with her while you bring
your horse back. If you shouldn't over
take him" added the ogre, "I will see that
she gets home; but really ! can't leave
just yet, | have got such splendid chance
which have been waiting for all summer; !;
such surf and such light on iti'


1t did not occur to me then, though it
did afterward, that the miscreant might
have offered me his team. Instead of that
he hurried me of, bidding me run, which
l did. So did my horse, just Quickening
his pace till he got far enough away to
Craze, and then starting on as l got near
him. had to foot it the whole way to
town. The beast went safely enough till
he reached the stable; but there he pushed
right into it, and, catching the buggy
against the Intel, smashed the top com
pletely. Twenty dollars would not make
good the damage, the stable folks said /
told them to send up to the hotel at half
past nine and get their pay, after the loss
had been properly estimated.


One thing seemed a little odd. / had
unbuckled the check rein to use as a hitch
ing-strap. 1t was found buckled all right,
but not checked which makes me think that
the horse had learned to unharness him
SELF They are knowing animals, the
Nantucket horses.


Then I went to the clerk of the hotel
I told him thought would give a pub
lie reading that evening. Could l have
the use of the dining room? would put
the tickets at twenty-five cents, and at
that rate would probably secure an audi
ance. / had heard that one of the Har-
ward fellows had done the same thing in
one of the rural districts, and netted one
hundred dollars. The clerk said the di-
ming room could not be we'll spared and
would not hold enough, but the Athene-
um Hall was the place where such things
usually were given. Would he engage it
for me? He would send and get it right
away, and would send the town-crier to
announce the reading, as there was no
time to print bills, and that was the usual
custom, moreover.


Then / went to my room to prepare a
programme. 1t did not seem ten minutes
before / heard the voice of the herald pro-
claiming in vocal small caps that "There
will be ORA matte Reading this evening
at Ath-e na um Hall. Doors open at seven.
P'formance t c'mence It eight o'clock.
'Dmittance twenty-fiv cents" Then the
ding dong of his bell died away up one
street and was heard coming down the
next. 1t was evident the town would be
thoroughly canvassed. Could I read
Well, l had tried it in private circles.
| Malitdoi non sine gloria, and at the public
Latin School where graduated had won
the Hancock medal. The first thing
w DO w SSb pOoho. donCO bhC Dut
he was a book-keeper, not a book lender.
However, he thought might obtain the
loan at the Ather9um, on depositing their
valuation. AS / only wanted them to go
from the library-room to the hall upstairs
| l ventured on this, depositing with bold
front but beating heart my twenty dollar
bill, and receiving Shakespeare, a Byron,
and three volumes of Mrs Browning.
Also copy of Handy Andy. This last,
being doubtful of my skill in rendering the
Irish tongue, took to my room, unluck-
lily. The others I thought could man
age at sight, especially as i meant to keep
to the pieces / knew by heart, and wanted
the books more for form than for use. By
this time the tea gong sounded, and went
to the table with an anxious breast and a
sense of being the observed of all observ.
ers. Miss P was already there, but in
my seat was the tiend, mean the artist
in human shape. / expected to see Miss
Minnie look embarrassed, but she only
looked radiantly happy, and smiled sweet.
| ly upon me as | passed by to take my
place at the foot of the table.


/ could not eat; in fact I had doubt
whether it would be well to attempt il
before public reading; so after bearing in
silent torture the spectacle of the vampire
helping Miss P to blue fish snd black.
berries, retired to dress. That operation
was limited to the putting on of cloth
coat in place of a tweed, my last clean
collar, and taking my last ditto handker
chief, and at seven l started for the hall


The streets were not inconveriently
thronged, but " it is early yet" / said
mentally. had left Handy Andy in my
room, not feeling quite up to the comic
but in mood to which / was sure OthellC
would come in great force. I found the
town who was also to be the money
taker and stage manager, at the door, but
no one else. He suggested that, as it wa;
still daylight, it wasn't worth while tc
light up yet, to which I agreed, and re
tired to the dressing room with my vol
umes, a solitary candle and glass o.
water. / shut the door, so as not to be
disturbed by the noise of the assembling
throngs, and gave myself up to study.
had heroically determined not to look al
my watch lest should get nervous, an6
when eight O'Clock struck from the South
Church tower, / confess / started with
surprise. Selling my books and giving
myself no time for stage fright, walked
dignifiedly ON to the platform, found my
first place, and raised my eyes to survey
my audience. There were two people in
the hall, a ghoul and his victim, NEAR
the artist and Miss P. The crier, thai


is, the ticket-taker, stood by the entrance


his hands in his pockets. My audience


preserved a respectful silence, though


there was queer look on the face of tkt


female portion, while the monster, NEAR


the male part, made motion of the hand.


suggestive of applause. 1 sank back into


seat. The crier walked up the hall, put
ting out the lights as he went. and sayins
in voice startlingly loud in the stiffness
"'S no use waiting any longer tnight


and the sooner shet up the less gas will
be wasted. I'll jest hand them folks thei
, money back and you can settle with me-
Then, as the company dispersed, one o
whom. by the way, declined to receive hi
} quarters, say ing soto uOcs, "Tve had de


lightful entertainment, and really fee
conscientious scruples at taking anything
back" The crier proceeded to sum up
"The hall, well, we can't charge morel
} halfprice under the circumstances
} the halpl be ten; lights, we'll, sa,
: two n half. My cryin' two n
half, ought to be FIVE; s jes


rnnob D., 81.