10
OREGON CITY COURIER, FRIDAY, CCT. 1 m
;3
A Lesson From
The Play
By HOWARD FIELDING
Copyright, toon, by Charles W. IJooke
TT1
uJL .
IIERE were long racks for bats
just outside the door of the ho
tel dining room, and as I was
endeavoring to find my own
ihendgear la the midst of the great
end vnried assortment a man spoke my
name In a tone of surprise.
"Upon my word," he exclaimed, with
unusual enrnestness, "I'm glad to see
you! I'm mighty glad to see you here!"
I was glnd to see hitfi, too, though I
might not have stated It In a manner
so emphatic as his own. To me he was
merely a friend unexpectedly met In a
strango city; to him I certainly seemed
to he something more. He was John
M. Crawford, whom I have known inti
mately since our school days twenty
live years ago. We are both In busi
ness in New Haven, and one of us has
ben very prosperous, as anybody
might guess from Crawford's aggres
'' alve and confident demeanor.
"I heard you were In Denver," said
he.
"I'm half way home," was my re
ply. "I had n bit of business In this
city and stopped off for a day and a
night."
"Well, I've a bit of business here,
too," he said, "and you can help me
out with 4t. It's not exactly In my line
nor to my liking, but it's got to bo
done."
Naturally I asked him what it was.
He led mo to a retired spot in a corner
of the hotel office, and when we were
seated ho pulled a folded piece of pink
paper from his packet. I perceived im
mediately that It was a theatrical pro
gramme, a single sheet such as one will
see In "one night" towns. I looked at
Crawford in surprise, for he is not a
man who takes an Interest iu the dra
ma. He held the programme up before my
eyes and put his finger upon a name in
the list of the performers. It was Wal
lace Ford. '
"Yes," said I; "he's an actor. His
mother told me last winter that he had
gone into the profession."
"She told me so, too," replied Craw
ford, "anir I was sorry, though I have
no prejudice against the stage, none
whatever."
He spoke almost as if he were repel
ling an uccusfition.
"Well?" said I.
"This boy has got himself into trou
ble," suld Cruwford. "That's why I'm
nere. ills mother asked me to see
what 1 could do. She would have come
herself, but Hhe Is not well enough to
make the journey."
My sympathy as well ns my curiosity
was aroused. Nellie Ford was a school
friend of mine many years ago, end
she was the sort of girl that ono al
ways remembers. Her childish beauty
and unfailing buoyancy of spirit seem
to be a part of my own youth. Her
name wasn't Ford, of course, in those
old days when Jack Crawford and I
used to sharpen lead pencils for her
and be darkly jealous of each other.
Wo were never Jealous of Ford, who
was a much older boy and quite out of
the field of rivalry as we viewed it
then. But he was tho cnndldato of
fate, and to such there can he no oppo
sition, lie had "prospects" when he
married Nellio, and they were no more
than prospects when ho died ten years
later. lie bequeathed them to his wife
written to his mother, and she is fair
ly prostrated. So here I am."
"Have you seen him?" I asked.
"Yes; I had. a talk with him this aft
ernoon, and he is the most obstinate
young blunderhead that ever I encoun
tered. Before I had fairly approached
the subject he said he would throw me
out of the window for venturing to hint
that the young woman's past might
be considered an obstacle. Well, you
know me. I'll make an affidavit that
man lives who is more careful in
the matter of a woman's good name."
"You may have been too careful," I
suggested. "The boy should know the
facts. He'll know them some day.
Let's go and see him now together."
"It's too late," said Crawford. "He's
gone to the theater. I'm to meet him
ufterward. Suppose we have a look
et the play."
I assented, and after we had smoked
together for a little while we strolled
over to the theater.
The play was a sort of sentimental
comedy by an English dramatist, a
very good piece of work, it seemed to
me. I had heard of it, but had never
seen it performed "and was Ignorant
of the story which it presented. Its
leading idea was that a very good fel
low upon his deathbed had put his
motherless boy into the care of his
best friend, who had accepted the trust
with the highest resolve to execute it
faithfully. Three other men who had
known and loved the father were col
leagues in this great and difficult task
of bringing the orphan through all per
ils which might beset him up to a no
bio and honorable manhood.
At the rise of the curtain the youth is
supposed to have attained his twenty-first
birthday, and the Btory of his guardlan-
Bliip Is disclosed to the audience in the
first act, together with the facts that the
four protectors have led a gay life In their
time and that the boy Bhows signs of a
tendency to do likewise.
Wally Ford played the part of the
youngster, and I thought that his work
was really excellent. Indeed, the whole
company was surprisingly good, especially
tho young woman who (la real life, not in
the pluy) had ensnared Rally's affection
Upon the stage she had the role of an in
nocent girl to whom the four guardians
have betrothed the boy.
"She's rather pretty. Don't you think
so?" said I to Ford.
"Yes, confound it," ho replied, "she Is
with her makeup on."
"There's no makeup that is equal to the
self delusion of a young fellow In love,"
said I. "This girl never painted her own
race as Wally B fancy paints it.
"It s a queer thing," said Crawford a
moment later, "that there's a splendid girl
in this company. Mrs. Ford told me about
her good family, Irreproachable character
and all that. If Wally had fallen in love
with her, he'd have had the maternal
blessing. Mrs. Ford has no prejudice
agalust actresses. She's a broad minded
woman. She knows that there are lots of
nice girls on the stage, and she believes In i
the work if a person really feela called to
it. She put no obstacle in Wally's way
when he expressed a wish to be an actor,
and think she's right. It Is an honorable
work. Now, thla play, for instance, is full
of fine feeling and teaches a good lesson.
You 11 see."
"Which- la the nice girl the one whom
Mrs. Ford likes?" I asked.
"You won't see her till the third act," ha
Bald. "She plays the adventuress."
"The deuce she does!" said I. j
It is the plot of the piece that this ad
venturess Is led to believe that the youth
lias a lot. of money, and she therefore
agrees to marry him if he will settle It
all upon her. In reality he hnsn't anything
except what his guardians give him. The ,
adventuruss Is connected with the dra
matic profession in a very lurid capacity,
and she Is spoken of as having seen "a
great deal of the world."
The youth in the play Is totally blind
and deaf so far as the adventuress In con
cerned. He won't hear a word said against
her. He asserts his own Judgment with
tho explosive confidence appropriate to his
years and will listen to no warning from
the older nnd wiser men who have reared
lilm for Ms father's sake and would make
any sacrifice to shield him from disaster.
I beheld this plot unfolding before me
with a slowly growing wonder at tho
amazing coincidence which was involved.
1 How long," I whispered to Crawford, i
"has Wajly been playing this part?" '
"All the season," he replied.
"A hundred times, at least," said I. "A
hundred times ho has held up this mim
icry of folly to the eyes of the multitude,
and, by the living Jingo, he has never seen
It himself."
"It does fit his own case to tho life, I
dcosn't it?" said Crawford. 1
The curtain had fallen upon the second
net, at the close of which the chief trustee
I shook, my head in blank despair. ' The
boy even believed her In regard to Jer age.
"And," he added, "you would hardly
urge the difference In our ages as a reason
tor my delay. It is a reason for haste.
Life Blips away. We should not waste our
youth. It does not come again."
"We may differ, Wallace," said I, "upon
a definition. What constitutes a waste of
one's youth?"
"A long engagement, for one thing," he
replied, "whi?n two people are sure of each
other"
Crawford argued with his customary
gentleness, and I lost my temper, but we
produced no effect upon Wally. When he
had gone we held a council of war and de
cided to follow the play to the next town.
We did so, and to the next after that.
The business manager of the company bee
gan to recognize us and to nod pleasantly
when we met upon a train. No one but
Wally knew our errand. We were sus
pected of being fascinated by some of the
young ladles. Altogether, for two respect
able middle aged married men, our posi
tion began to be embarrassing. Moreover,
we were doing no good. Yet we were
more and more strongly convinced that
our young friend was on the brink of a
great folly, that he was infatuated with a
wholly mercenary woman and that be
cause of our old time regard for his moth
er we could not desert him while there re
mained the most shadowy ghost of a
chance of saving him.
Wally was entirely unshaken in his alle
giance to; Miss Hartington. He treated
flip? w
! if P
Confessions of a Priest.
'Rev. John 8. Cos , of Wake, Ark,,
writes "For 12 yettrs I suffered from
Yellow Jaundice I consulted a num
ber of physicians and tried all sorti of
medicines, but jsot no relif-f. Then I bp
can the line of Flectric Kilters and fen I
that I am now cured of a diceasi) ti at
had me in its grasp for twelve yearn "
If you want a reli ble medici e for
Liver and Kidney tronhle, stomach (In
order or general debility, get Elecrio
Bitters. It's tmaranteed by Howell &
Jones. Only 50c.
October 27, 28 and 29.
World's Fair excursion tiokots to
Chicago, St. Louis and all eastern
cities will be sold by the Great North
ern Railway on October 27th, 28th
and 29th, in -addition to October 3rd,
4th and 5th. Apply to any Great
Northern agent for rates and full information.
A Judicious Inquiry.
A well known traveling man who
visits the drug trade says he ban often
heard druggists inquire of customers
who asled for a coueh medicine,
whether it was wanted for a child or
an adult, and if it was wanted for a child
they I'lmopt invariably recommended
Oamberlain's dough Remedy The
reason for this is that they know there
is no danger from it and that it lways
cures. There is not the least darker in
giving it, and for coughs, cold. and
croup it ie nns'irpaseed For side by
Geo. A. Harding.
Low prices does Jior- bar quality
with us, you get both. Miss 0. Goldsmith.
WALLY FORD STRODE IN.
Crawford and me with frozen dignity. It
was utterly futile to reason with him, and
when at last he informed us that his wed
ding would take place within a fortnight
we decided that the battle was lost. Nev
ertheless we did not quit the field, and as
the company played an engagement of
threo consecutive nights in one city we
were spared the miseries of travel.
We took a double suit in a rascally little
hotel in order to be near Wally, who was
economizing for the wedding, and on the
last of the three nights we were sitting in
the parlor waiting for the boy, who had
promised to see us after the performance.
He came promptly, and, with the mag
nanimity of a victor, he greeted us less
icily than usual. Indeed we were fairly
launched upon a really amicable conver
sation when a hasty rap at the door inter
rupted us.
Crawford answered, and I saw him re
treat from the door after he had opened
It, as If there had been a ghost outside.
"I beg your pardon," said a voice which
I Instantly recognized as Miss Hartlng
ton's. "Is Mr. Ford here?"
Crawford did not reply In words, but he
made a series of grotesquely wooden ges
tures which the lady rightly interpreted
as an invitation to come in. So in she
came, and her looks amazed me. I had
Been her several times off the stage, and
always the sight of her had touched my
heart. The world hnd not used her well,
and she showed It. She had seemed to me
a beaten woman, weary, disappointed and
oppressed by a deep sense of injustice, yet
withal sustained by some interior strength
which I had taken to be sheer pugnacity.
Now she was transformed. She held her
head high; her eyes shone; there was the
magic of renewed youth in her face.
"Wally," she cried, "read that!"
And she gave him a telegram, so long
that it filled two sheets. The boy got
about half way through it, and then he
seized her hand, exclaiming:
"Splendid! Splendid! This is the chance
of a lifetime. I'm so mighty, mib'hty glad
for you."
She looked at him Intently, lovingly
yes, by all that's odd, the woman loved
him;:
'let the chance of a lifetime for both of
NEW STOCK OF DRY GOODS S
o
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8 Bars Perfecion Soap for 25cents.
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Goods delivered promptly to any part of city. i
OREGON
HOPJ LINE
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3-TRAINS TO THE EAST DAILY 3
Through Pullman standard and tourists
sleeping cars daily to Omaha, Chicago,
Spokane, tourist sleeping cars (personally
conductde), weekly to Chicago and Kan
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HOURS
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of the boy decides to buy the adventurmw ! V" she said, paying no more attention to
"HBS FALLEN IS LOVB WITH A GIlUi IN
, THIS oourANf."
end Ills son. Some day they would get
B share of a considerable estate, but it
was n long time coming.
'So Wnlly Ford has got himself into
trouble," said I. "Well, we'll got him
Oat That's nil settled. Now I'll hear
tho story."
"He's fallen in love with a girl to this
Company," said my friend. "She's older
than ho Is nnd and Quito out of the
question. She's been married nnd di-vorced-cr
two or three times, I be
lieve. Koally, you know, it's mighty
hard to say auythlnu afrnlnst a wo
man even when the worst that one la
tempted to say Isn't half as bad as tio
troth. But in this case I thiuk there's
no doubt that the woman's motives
are entirely uiereennry. You know
Wully must got Ills money soon In the
more course of nature. Old Timothy
Ford enn't llvo forever. And this girl
has found It out ami has made up her
mind to marry Wally. The boy ho
outrlxlit for the small sum of 1.0(10 as th Cwwrford and
blily way of rescuing the youthful prey j two dummies.
tram her clutches, we could speak mora
at our ease, brtwwn tho acta.
"How Id It possible," Bald I, "that he rnn
piny this part over and over again and In
his private lifo enact the very folly which
hrt holds up to the public for a lesson?"
'I dun t know, said Crawford. "Doesn t
me than if we had been
"Wally, this offer miracu-
fciBS s It the sky should rain roses"
"40 hilars," said he.
"This part that Is offerod me," she con
tinued, "Is all that I ask. If I cannot
mako my way with this, I am content to
fall. But I was not eontent to live this
life of mlno and have nothing, absolutely
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look reasonable that a man could do that; notlilnp; no smallest desire granted, no
upon my word It doesn't. Lovo'a a queer
thlnpr." I
"Do you think thnt the fellow on the
stiifio la supposed to bo In love with tho .
adventuress?"
"No," said ho; "not really."
"Well, neither Is Wally in love with this '
trlrl. Uo i.i suflVrlnK from a uper-los of
eelf hypnosis. lie Is under tho liuluonce I
of a delusion. Wo must wake htm up." 1
"I'll have another try at him after the :
show," said Crawford. "Tho company
doesn't leave town till tomorrow. He Is
comlni? to my room at the hotel. We il .
both do our best. It's a serious matter, I
my friend. Wally mny marry the plrl any
duy."
We saw tho remainder of tho play and
then walked back to the hotel. Half an
hour lntor there was nn unnecessarily loud
rdp at the door, and Wally Ford strode
In, tall, handsomo nnd strong. I observed
an excess of dignity, an effort to seem
older than his years in fact, very much
the same demeanor that he uses on the
tnKC when he says, "There comes a time
In every man's life when his own Judg
ment Is of far more use to him than any
other person's."
The reply In the play Is, "Perhaps this
Is not one of those times."
But tho Infernal difficulty Is to beat
luch a conviction Into the head of aa ob
tlnato boy.
Wnlly stnrted at tha sight of me, and
there was an added defiance in his manner
when he returned my RreetlnK. I hastened
to assura htm that my presence In the
city was entirely accidental, and he said,
wtth a withering Rlnnce at Crawford, that
he was glnd to hear It.
There Is ronlly no use in setting down
hfre what we said to him thnt nlfflit. It
would have been Just the same If we hnd
read to him out of the city directory. My
statement 'hat the very part he played
should teach him prudence and respect fur
the Judgment of his elders nearly procured
m,e some broken bones. Pld I venture to
compare Miss Hartington with the woman
of the drarnaT Oh, dear, no: not for the
world. Still there was a faint basis for
comparison In tho fact that she was five
rears older than hlmsolf.
"Miss Hartington is but twenty-six,"
sail ho. vSne Is two years older thaa t
sra."
slnple trleam of good fortune between my
cradle and tny grave. Wully, I was not
strong enough to do it. I was not strong
enough, to live a life all loss and still do
rlplit. But now, now! Now I can do It. 1
can say to you what I should have said
long ago, thnt that you must not think
of me any more."
She had been at a high pitch of courage
tip to that last sentence, but she could not
quite cany It on to the end. I thought
thnt she didn't mean what she said, but
the boy knew her better, and suddenly his
face grew startlingly white.
"l"io you mean." he cried, "that you will
break with me?"
"Yes, yes," she answered, and she
waved her hand toward Crnwford and me.
"Ask them. They know. They'll tell you
they've been telling you. Love some one
who has not lived so much, who has Illu
sions and the hopes of girlhood. I lost
them long ago, but I have ambition. I
love my work. You-nhall see."
And In tho midst of this outburst she
vanished from the room.
Wally's fnce, which had been so pale,
now flamed with rage.
"You, you!" he shouted, striking up to
us. "You have done this. You have
bought her. You have wrecked my life."
I think he was upon the point of striking
Crawford, but Instead he turned upon his
heel and left us.
Crawford Bank Into a chair and slid
lower and lower in it till I thought he
would slide off upon tho floor.
"The boy Is crazy," said I. "Thlsls un
doubtedly genuine.. The girl has got a fine
engagement, and her good luck has given
her the strength to do right, Just as she
said. Put to accuse us of getting this en
gagement for her"
Crawford Interrupted us by tapping up
on his own breast.
"1 did it," said he. "She doesn't know
It, but I did. I telegraphed to a fellow In
New York and used money and all that
By George, she has got a chance! I know,
for I puid for It. And somehow I'm
ashamed. It's like some blasted conspir
acy, and yet it's for the good of both of
them."
"But how did you know she'd give him
up?"
"You don't understand women." said
he. "You never did. She loved him."
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INTESNATIONAL
Correspondence Schools
BOX 799, SCR ANTON, PA.
1.
Mr.
. F. X. Hot.L. ' '
Asst. Sunt. Dlv. 1, 1. C St. Portland. Ore.
Dear Sir: Replying to yours of the (ith Inst., will say, wheu I enrolled in the Schools
I was receiving a salary of $go per month, or $1080 per year, and am now advanced to
,f 150 per month, or SiSao per year, an Increase of U6 per cent. Aside from the financial
gain, there Is the satisfaction o( knowing that you know the theory and fundamental
principles of the profession, and no technical report or discussion is beyond your com
prehension.
There Is absolutely no question concerning the ability of the schools to teach, or of a
student tn learn under the system employed by the International Correspondence Schools
of Scranton, Pa.
Respectfully yours.
Frank H. Nbwhall,
' Chief Engineer Tug " Taloosh."
P FREE CIRCULARS
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II