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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (June 7, 1908)
THE SUNDAY OREGON! AX". I'ORTXAND, JUNE 7, 1908. 7 BY CAROUYN WELLS' -!. 53 4 r-iiim iiMT ,., , m n nun mm i 55 .SUPPOSE every one experiences sud den movements of self-revelation that comes without rhvjrne or reason, like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky; reve lations that make clear in one illumin ative flash conditions and motives that have been tangled In a vague obscuri ty of doubt: It was when such an instantaneous radiance of mental vision came to me J realized at once why I had come to Kngland. It was simply and only that I might visit Stratford-on-Avon. Nor was this pilgrimage to be. lightly undertaken. Well I knew that the po sition Shakespeare occupied In my lists of hero-worship demanded that a fitting; tribute of emotion be displayed at sight of such material memorials as were pre served at his birthplace. Moreover, I knew that, whatever might he my sense of reverential homage, In me the power of emotional demonstration did not abound. Hut It Is ever my custom, when pos sible, to supply or amend such lacks as I may note In my nature, by any avail able means. And what could be wiser than when going on such an Important journey, and where I knew my own powers would fall short of an Imperative requirement, to take with me some one who should ade quately supplement my shortcomings? Being of a methodical nature, I have my friends as definitely classified and as neatly pigeon-haled as my old letters. Mentally running over my collection of available companions, I stopped at Sen timental Tommy, knowing I need look ho further. Of course Sentimental Tommy was not his real name, but it is my custom to bestow upon my friends such titles as seem to me appropriate or descriptive. Sentimental Tommy, then, was the only man In the world, so far as I knew, who would make a perfect associate for a day In Stratford. His especial qualifications were a chameleonic power of adaptability, an instant and sympathetic compre senslon of mood, an unbounded capacity for sentiment, and a genius for com radeship. He was also a man to whom one could say, "come, and he cometh," without any fuss about it. The date being arranged, I turned to my Baedeker and was deeply delighted tn discover that we must take a train from lOuston Station. For it seemed that the wonderful columned facade of Bus ton was the only appropriate exit from Lon don, when one's destination was Strat ford. 1 had hoped that our route might cause us to pass through Upper Tooting, as. next to Stratford, this was to me the most Interesting name in my little red book. I know not why, but Upper Toot ing has always possessed for me a strange fascination, and though it sounds merely like the high notes of a French horn, yet my intuition tells me that it is full of deep and absorbing interest. Sentimental Tommy met me at Euston Station, and bought tickets for Stratford as casually as If it had been on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Tommy was in juhllant spirits that morning, with the 1 BLL. I've been doin' a little more circulatin' among the fat-wads. It's gettin' to be a reg'lar fad with me. And say, I used to think they was a simple lot; but I don't know as they're much worse than some others that ain't got so good an excuse. I was sittin' on my front porch, at Primrose Park, when in rolls that big bubble of Sadie's, with her behind the plate glass and rubber. "But I thought you was flgurln' in that big house party out to Breeze Acres," shIcI I. "where they've got a duchess on exhibition?" "It's the duchess. I'm running away from," says Sadie. "You ain't gettin' stage fright this late In the game, are you?" says I. "Hardly." says she. "I'm bored, though. The duchess is a frost. She talks of nothing but her girls' charity school and her complexion baths. Thirty of ushave been shut up with her for three days now, and we know her by heart. Plnckney asked me to drop around and see if I could find you. He says he's played billiards and poker until he's lost all the friends he ever had, and that If he doesn't get some exercise soon he'll die of indigestion. Will jou let me take you over for the night?" Well, I've monkeyed with them swell house parties before, and generally I've dug up trouble at 'em; but for the sake of Plnckney's health I said I'd take an other chance; so In I climbs, and we goes zlppln' off through the mud. Sadie hadn't told me more'n half the cat-scraps the women had pulled off durln' them rainy days before we was most there. Just as we slowed up to turn into the private road that leads up to Breeze Acres, one of them dinky little one lunger benzine buggies comes along, mlssln' 40 explosions to the minute and coughln' Itself to death on a grade you could hardly see. All of a sudden somethin' goes off. Bang! and the feller that was jugglin' the steerin' bar throws up both hands, like he'd been shot with a ripe tomato. "f"aramba!" says he. "Likewise gad zonks!" as the antique quits movin' al together. I'd have known that lemon-colored pair of lip whiskers anywhere. Leonidas liodge has the only ones in captivity. I steps out of the show-else in time to re mister man lift off the front lid and shove lls head , into the works. "Is the post mortem on?" says I. "By the beard, of the prophet!" says he, swlngln' around, "Shorty McCabe!" "Much obliged to meet you," says I. givln' him the grip. "The Electro-Pollsho business must be boomln'," says I, "when you carry it around in a gasolene coach. But go on with your autopsy. Is It locomotor ataxia that alls the thing, or cirrhosis of the sparkln' plug." "It's nearer senile dementia," says he. "Gaze at that piece of mechanism. Shor ty. There isn't another like it in the country." "I can believe that," says I. For an auto it was the punkiest ever. No two of the wheels was mates or the h ti h n M. M. EST peculiar kind of international triumph which comes only .td an American who has attained some especial favor bf the English. Gleefully he told me of his great luck: Only that morning he had been kicked by the King's cat: An early stroll past Buckingham Palace and along Con stitution Hill had resulted In an inter view with the royal feline. anj the above mentioned honorable result had been achieved. My observation to the effect that I didn't know that cats kicked, was met by the simple statement that this cat did and then we went on to Strat ford. The ride being in part through the same country that I had traversed when com ing to London, X felt quite at home In my surroundings; and we chatted gayly of everything undgr the sun except the im mortal hero of our pilgrimage. That's what I like about Tommy he has such a wonderful intuitive sense of conversational values. And though his obsession by Shakespeare is precisely the same as my own, and though he is him self a Bartiett's Concordance in men's clothing, yet I knew, for a surety, that ha would quote no line from the poet through the entire day. As we had neither of us ever been in Stratford before, we left the train at the station and paced the little town with an anticipation that was like a blank page, to be written on by whatever might happen next. Trusting to Tommy's instinct, we asked no questions of guidance, and started oft at random, on a nowise remarkable street. ' At the Chancel. It-?as an affable August day, and our gait was much like that of a snali at full gallop; yet before we turned the same size; the tires was bandaged like so many sore throats; the front dasher was wabbly; one of the side lamps was a tin stable lantern; and the seat was held on by a couple of cleats knocked off the end of a packing box. "Looks like It had seen some first-aid repalrln," says I. "Some!" says Leonidas. "Why, I've nailed this relic together at least twice a week for the last two months. I've used wagon bolts, nuts borrowed from wayside pumps, pieces of telephone wire, and horseshoe nails. Once I ran 20 miles with tha sprocket chain tied up with twine. And yet they say that the age of miracles has passed! It would need a whole machine shop to get her going again," says he.' "I'll watt until my wagons come up, and then we'll get out the tow rope." "Wagons!" says I. "You ain't travclln' with a retinue, are you?" "That's the exact word for it," says he. And then Leonidas tells me about the Sagawa aggregation. Ever see one of these medicine shows? Well, that's what Leonidas had. He was sole proprietor and managing boss of the outfit. "We carry 11 people. Including drivers and canvas men," says he. "and we give a performance that the Proctor houses would charge 75c a head for. It's all for a dime, too quarter for reserved and our gentlemanly ushers offer the Sagawa for sale only between turns." "You talk Jlke a three-sheet poster." says I. "Where are you headed for now?" "We're making a hundred-mile Jump up into the mill towns," says he, "and be fore we've worked up as far as Provi dence I expect we'll have to carry the receipts In kegs." That was Leonidas all over; seeln' rainbows when other folks would be pre dictln' a Johnstown flood. Just then, though, the bottom began to drop out of another cloud, so I lugged him over to the big bubble and put him Inside. "Sadie." says I. "I want you, to know an old side pardner of mine. Hlsjiame's Leonidas Dodge, or used to be, and there's nothing yellow about him but his hair." And say, Sadie hadn't more'n heard about the Sagawa outfit than she be gins to smile all over her face; so I guesses right off that she's got tangled up with some fool Idea. "It would be such a change from the Duchess if we could get Mr. Dodge to stop over at Breeze Acres tonight and give his show," says Sadie. "Madam." says Leonidas "your wishes are my commands." Sadie kept on grinnin' and plannln' out the programme, while Leonidas passed out his high English as smooth as a demonstrator at a food show. Inside of 'ten minutes they has it all fixed. Then Sadie skips into the little gate cottage, where the timekeeper lives, and calls up Plnckney on the house phone. And say! what them two can't think of in the way of fool stunts no one else can. By the time she'd got through, the Sagawa aggregation looms upon the road. There was two four-horse wag- r if W-'MM ?' cL Sent first corner tears stood in my eyes, though whether caused by the thrill of being on Shakespeare's ground, or the reflection of Tommy's discernibly sup pressed emotion, I've no Idea. But for pure delightfulness of sensa tion, it is difficult to surpass that aim less wandering through Stratford, with a subconsciousness of what was awaiting us. In London, historical associations crop up at every step; but, though pointing backward; each points in a different direc tion, and so they form a great semi circular horizon which becomes misty and vague in the distance. This is restful, and gives one a mere sense of blurred perspective. But Stratford is definite and coherent. Everything in it, material or otherwise, points sharply back to the one figure, and the converging rays meet with a suddenness that is dazzling and well-nigh stunning. Stratford is reeking wtth dramatic qual ity, and a sudden breath of its atmos phere makes for mental unbalance. "Don't take it so hard." said Tommy, with his gentle smile; "this is really the worst of it, except, perhaps, one other bit, and It will soon be over." "Why, we haven't begun yet," said I, in astonishment. "You're thinking of the birthplace, the memorial and the church. You ought to know that we can see, ab sorb, and assimilate those things in just about one minute each. It is this that counts this, and the footpath across the fields to Shottery." "And the River," I added. "Yes, and the River." Following his unerring Instincts,. Professes Short MCbe "tells of Red Letter. Day uiiih a Dmmaiic ooo Oianizaiion ons. Trie front one had a tarpaulin top, and under cover was a bunch of the saddest-lookin' actorines and specialty people you'd want to see. They didn't have life enough to look out when the driver pulled up. The second wagon carried the round, top and poles. "Your folks look as gay as a gang startin' off to do time on the island," says I. "They're not as cheerful as they might be, that's a fact," says Leoni das. It didn't take him long to put life Into "em, though. When he'd give oft a few brisk orders they chirked up amazin'. They shed their raincoats for spangled jackets, hung out a lot of banners, and uncased a lot of pawn shop trombones and bass horns and such things. "AH up for the grand street parade!" sings out Leonidas. For an offhand attempt. It wa'n't so slow. First comes Plnckney, rldjn' a long-legged huntln' horse and keepin' the rain off his red coat with on um brella. Then me and Sadie In her bub ble, towin the busted one-lunger be hind. Leonidas was standln' up on the scat, wearln' his silk hat and handlln' a megaphone.1 Next came the band wagon, everybody armed with some kind of musical weapon, and tearln' the soul out of "Sliver Heels" In his own particular way. The pole wagon brings up the rear. Pinckney must have spread the news well, for the whole crowd was out on the front veranda to see us go past. And say, when Leonidas sizes up the kind of .folks that was givln' him the glad hand, he drops the Imitation so ciety talk that he likes to spout, and switches to straight Manhattanese. "Weil, well, well! Here we are!" he yells through the megaphone. "The only original - Sagawa show on the road, remember! Come early, gents, and bring your lady friends. The doors of the big tent will open at 8 o'clock S o'clock and at 8:15 Mile. Peroxide, the near queen of comedy, will cut loose on the coon songs." "'My word!" says the Duchess, as she squints through her glasses at the ag gregation. But the rest of the guests was just ripe for something of the kind. Mrs. Curlew Brassett, who'd almost wor ried herself sick at seeln' her party put on the blink by a shopworn ex hibit on the inside and rain on the out, told Plnckney -he could have the medicine tent pitched In the middle of her Italian garden If he wanted to. They didn't, though. They stuck up the round top on the lawn Just in front of the stables, and they hadn't much mor'n lit the gasoline flares be fore the folks begins to stroll out and hit up the ticket wagon. ' "It's the first time I ever had the nerve to charge two dollars a throw i7i esital tfburiiey Tommy's steps led us, though . perhaps not by the most direct route, to the Shakespeare Hotel. 1 "You know," he said, "intending vis itors to Stratford are Invariably in structed by returned visitors to go to My Thoughts All With Mary Anderson. for perches on the blue boards," says Leonidas, "but that friend of yours, Mr. Plnckney. wanted me to make it five." Anyway, it was almost worth the money. Mile Peroxide, who did the high and lofty with a Job lot of last year coon songs, owned a voice that would have had a Grand-street banana huck ster down and out; the monologue man was funny only when he didn't mean to be; and the blackface banjolst was the limit. Then there was a juggler, and Montana Kate, who wore buck- te'--' 'W;f uT: ff . "i LEONIDAS UP TO HIK skin legglns and did a fake rlfle-shoot-ln' act. I tried to bead Leonidas off from sendin' out his tent men, rigged up In red flannel coats, to sell bottled Sagawa; but he said Plnckney had told him to be sure and do It. They were birds, them "gentlemanly ushers." "I'll bet I know where you picked up the lot of 'em," says I. "Where?" says Leonidas. "Oft the benches in City Hall Park," I says. "All but one." says he, "and he had Just graduated from Snake Hill. But you didn't take this for one of Froh man's road companies, did you?" They unloaded the Sagawa, though. The audience wasn't mlssln' anything, and most every one bought a bottle for a souvenir. 'It's the great Indian liver regu- the Red Lion Inn, or Red Bear, or Red something; but Instinct tells me that this hostelry has a message for us." Nor wae the message only that of the typical English luncheon which the dinrhg-room afforded. There were many other points about that hotel which impressed me with peculiar de light, from the quaint entrance-hall to the garden at the back. Each room Is named for one of Shakespeare's plays, and has the title over its door. After hesitating be tween Hamlet and Twelfth Night, I finally concluded that should I ever spend a whole summer in Stratford, which I fully intend to do, should take pos session of the delightful, chintz-furnished "Love's Labor Lost." The library was a continuation of fas cination. A strange-shaped room whose length Is half a dozen times its width, it seemed a place to enter but not to leave. . .However, one does not visit Stratford for the delights of hotel life, and, lunch eon over, we again began our wander ings. By good luck we chanced first upon the Memorial Theater. The good luck lay In the fact that, having seen the outside of this tribute to Genius, we had no desire to enter. It was mindful of a modern New England high school building, and, though we knew It contained authentio portraits and folios, it had little to do with our Shakespeare. We paused at the monument, and com mented on the cleverness of the happy thought that provided Philosophy to fill up the fourth side of Shakespeare's genius. And then we went on to Henley street lator and complexion beautifier," says Leonidas in his business talk. "It re moves corns, takes the soreness out of stiff muscles and restores the natural color to gray hair. Also, ladles and gents. It can be used as a furniture polish, while a few drops in the bath Is better than a week at Hot Springs." He was right to home. Leonidas was, and it was a joy to see him. He'd got himself into a wrinkled dress suit, stuck an opera hat on the back of his head, and he jollied along that swell mob Just as easy as If they'd been fac tory hands. And they all seemed glad tboy'd come. After It was over Pinck- NECK IN TROUBLE. ney says that it was too bad to keep such a good thing all to themselves, and he wants me to see if Leonidas wouldn't sfVy and give a grand mati nee performance next day. "'Tell him I'll guarantee him a full house," says Pinckney. Course, Leonidas didn't need any eoaxln'. "But I wish you'd find out If there isn't a butcher shop handy," says he. "You see, we were up against It for a week or so, over In Jersey, and the rations ran kind of low. In fact, all we've had to live on for the last four days has been bean soup and pilot bread, and the artists are beginning to complain. Now that I've got a little real money, I'd like to buy a few pounds of steak. I reckon the aggre gation would sleep better after a hot supper." I lays the case before Plnckney and tnd . the house, where Shakespeare was born. We entered the narrow doorway into the old house, which shows so plainly the frantic endeavor at preservation, and we climbed the stairs to the room where the poet was born. The air was smoky with memory and through It loomed the rather smug bust. Us weight supported by a thin-legged, inadequate table. With Tommy I was not troubled by the objectionable thought -of "first im pressions." In the first moment we took In, with one swift glance, the fireplace, the walls, the windows and the few scant properties, and after that our attitude was as pilgrims returning to an oft visited shrine. In the room back of the birth room, the one that looks out over the garden, sat the custodian of the place. He was a large handsome man with none of the doddering, mumbling effects of his profes sion. He looked at me keenly, as I stood look ing out of the back window, my thoughts all with Mary Arden, and he said. In a low 'oice, "You love him, too," and I said "Yes." A little shaken by the birthplace, but of no mind to admit it, we went gayly through the Stratford street, passing groups of happy villagers, and so sud denly did we meet the Avon that we al most fell Into It. We chanced upon two broad marble steps that seemed to be the terminal of a macadamized path to the river. The Avon was using the lower of these Kicked by the King's Cat. two steps, so we sat on the upper one and watched the children sailing boats upon the Memorial Stream. This brought to my mind Mr. Mable's word picture of Shakespeare at 4 years old. and for a Sadie, and they goes straight for Mrs. Brassett. And say! before 11:30 they had that whole outfit lined up in the main dinin'-room before such a feed as most of 'em hadn't never dreamed nbout. There was everything from chilled olives to hot squab, with a pint of fizz at each plate. Right after breakfast Plnckney be gan warmln' the telephone wires, call in up every one he knew within 15 miles. And he sure did a good Job. While he was at that I strolls out to the tent to have a little chin with Leonidas. and I discovers him up to the neck In trouble. He was backed up against the center pole, and in front of him was the whole actorette push, all Jawln' at once, and raisin' seven different kinds of ructions. "Excuse me for buttin' in," says T, "but I thought maybe this might be a happy family." "It ought to be. but It ain't." .says Leonidas. "Just listen to 'em." And say. what kind of bats do you think had got into their belfries? Seems they'd heard about the two-dollar-a-head ticket and the swell, crowd that was comln' to the mati nee. That, and beln' waited on by a butler at dinner the night before, had gone to the vacant spot where their brains ought to be. They were tel'in' Leonidas that if they were goln' to play to Bropdway prices they were go in' to give Broadway acts. Mile. Peroxide allowed that she would cut out the rnsrtime and put In a few choice selections from grand opera. Montana Kate hears that, and sheds the buckskin legglns. No rifle shootln' for her; not much! She had Ophelia's lines down pat. and she meant to give 'em or die in the attempt. The blackface banjolst says he can Imper sonate Stf Henry Irving to the life; and the juggler guy wants to show 'em how he can eat up the Toreador song. "These folks want somethin' high toned," says Mile. Peroxide, "and this Is the chance of a lifetime for me to fill the bi'1. I'd been doin' grand ooera long ago If it hadn't been for the trust." "They told me at the dramatic school In Dubuque that I ought to stick to Shakespeare," says Montana Kate, "and here's where I get my hooks In." "You talk to 'em. Shorty," says Le onidas; "I'm hoarse." "Not me." says I. "T did think you was a real gent, but I've changed my mind, Mr. Dodge. Any one who'll tie the can to high-class talent the way you're tryln' to do is nothln' less'n a fiend In human form."' "There now." says the blondlne. Leonidas chucks the sponge. "You win." says he. "I'll let you all take a stab at anything you please, even If it comes to recltin' 'Ostler Joe'; but I'll be blanked if I shut down on sellln' Saeawa!" Two minutes lat.er they were turnln tiinks upside down diggln' out cos tumes to fit. As soon as they began to rehearse, Leonidas goes outside and sits down behind the tent, holdln' his face in his hands, like he had the toothache. "It makes me ashamed of my kind." says he. "Why, they're rocky enough for a third-rate wagon show, and I supposed they knew it; but I'll be hanged If every last one of 'em don't think they've got Mansfield or Julia Marlowe tied in a knot. Shorty, it's human nature glimpses like this that makes bein' an optimist hard work." "They're a bughouse bunch; all act- time the baby Shakespeare took prece dence over the man poet. It Is scarcely fair that the Avon should be so beautiful of Itself, for this, with 'its vicarious Interests, makes it too blessed among rivers. Then we went to Holy Trinity. Tn approach, plain as way to parish church. seemed like a solemn ceremony, and, as Tommy afterward admitted, "it got on his nerves." Unbothered by verger or guide, oblivious to tourists. If any were there, we walked straight to the chancel, looked at Shake speare's grave and walked away. It was fortunate for me at this mo ment that I had taken Sentimental Tommy with me; for, as his emotions are so much more available than mine, so he has them under better control. I had expected to look around the church a bit, but Tommy led me away, through the old graveyard, to the low wall by the river. And there, under the waving old trees, we sat until we could pick up out lost three hundred years. Bark through the town we went: and I must needs stop here and there st the little shops, which, with their mod ern attempts at quaintness, display rel ics and antiques, more or less genu ine. Few of their wares appealed to me. 0o I contented myself with a tit y cel luloid bust of Shakespeare, which by chance presented the familiar features with an expression of real power and intellect. It was strange to find this poet face on a cheap trinket, and with deep thankfulness of heart I possessed myself of my one souvenir of Strat ford. It is directly opposed to all the in stincts of Tommy's nature to ask.ln struct.lons in matters which he feels he ought to know intuitively. And so, upon his simple announce ment, "This is the footpath across the fields to Shottery. to Anne Hatha way's cottage," we started. As Tommy had hinted, during our walk from the station, there would be another bit of the real thing; and this was It. The walk across the fields as crowded with impulses that came perilously near emotional inten sity. Rut from such appallng fate we were saved by our sense of humor. One cannot give way to emotions If one is conscious of its humorous as pert. And we agreed that as the path across the field had been here ever since Shakespeare trod it, and as it would In all probability remain for some time In the future, the mere co incidence that we were traversing it at this particular moment was nothing to be thrilled' about. And yet It was the path from Strat ford to Shottery, and we were there! But It was a longer patli than we had thought, and the practicality which Is one of the chief ingredients of Tommy's sentiment moved him to look at his watch and announce that we would have to turn hack at onre. If we would catch the last train toLondon. Not entirely disheartened at leaving Anne Hathaway's cottage unvlslted for we both well knew the value of the unattained we turned, and wan dered back to the station Just in time for the late afternoon train. And that was why we didn't dis cover until some time afterward that we had taken the wrong road acrocJi the fields; and that, as we imagined our faces turned toward It. Anne Hath away's cottage was getting further and further away to our left. MLLICM) org are ?ay I. "You can't change ern, though. ' "I wish I wasn't responsible for this lot." says ho. He was feelin' worse than ever when the matinee opens. It had stopped ralnln' early in the mornin . and all the rottaffers for nines around hud rome over to see what new doin's Pinrkney had hatched up. There was almost a rapacity house when Leonidas steps out on the stape to announce the first turn. I knew ho had more Rreen money in his clothes that minute than he'd handled in a month before, but hearted as sheepish as If he was goln' to strike ein for a loan. "I wish to call the attention of the audience. says he, "to a few changes ofs programme. Mile Peroxide, w ho is billed to sing coon songs, will render by her own request the Jewel song from 'Kaust' and two solos from 'Lucia di hammcrmoor.' " And say, she did it! Anyways. thm was what she aimed at. For awhile the crowd held its breath, tryln to be lieve it was only a freight engine whistlin' for brakes, or somethin like that. Then they be era n to grin. Next some one touched off a giggle, and af ter that they roared until they were wlrtin'away the tears. Leotfdas don't look quite so glum when he comes out to present the re formed banjolst as Sir Henry Irving. He got his etie all right, and he hands out a game of talk about delayed gon itis comin' to the front that tickled the folks clear through. The guy never seemed trt drop that he was bein hand ed the lemon, and he done his worst. T thought they'd used Tip all the laughs they had in em, but Montana Kate as Ophelia set 'em wild again. Maybe you've seen amateurs that was funny, but you never see anything to bent that combination. Amatetirs are afraid to let themselves loose, but not that bunch. They were so sure of bein the best that ever happened In their particular lines that they didn't even know the crowd was givln' om the ha-ha until they'd got through. Anyway, as a rib tickler that show was all to the good. The folks nearlv mobbed Plnckney. teilin him what a Cfe he was to think up such an ex hibition, and he laid it all to .Sadia and me. Only the Huchess didn't exactly ncm to connect with the .toke. Phe sat stnl Idlv through the whole perforrronee in a kind of daze, and then afterwards she fys: "It wnsn't what I'd call real ly clever, you know; but. my word! the poor things tried hard enongh " Just before I starts for home I hunts hp T.eonldns. He was givin" orders to his boss canvasman when I found him. and feelin the pulse of his one-luneer that Mrs. Brassett's chauffeur had tin kered tip. "Well, Leon Id as." sn ys T. "are you poln to put the Shakespenrc-Pagawa combination on the ten -t went y-tnlrt circuit?" "Not if I can prove an alibi." says he. "I've just paid a week's advance salarv to that crowd of Melbas and Booths, and told me to go sign con tracts with Frohman and Conried. I may be running a medicine show, but I've got some professional pride left. Now I'm going back to New York and engage an educated pig and a troupe of trained dogs to fill out the season.' The last I saw of Montana Kate she was pacln up and down the station platform, readin a copy of "Romeo and Juliet." Ain't they the pippins, though?