Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 307) (1911 08 18)
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With an angry roar’ thi mer t1 ; Carry out his threats) handle, whil sf -hayseed around the w
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STORIES OF BOYS WHO MAKE MONEY ; e | © Isnued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per Librarian of Congress Washing wy 5 ‘on, D - No. 307. 66 0 CHAPTER 1. THE BARNSTORMERS. Is this Plainfield?” asked Sam Sharpley, a husky look- ‘ing boy of eighteen, poking his head out of the door of one f the coaches of the 2:15 a. m. accommodation from Mot- ley Junction, on the D. & G. railroad line, as the train began slowing up for its brief stop at a dreary looking sta- ‘tion, lighted a a single smoky lamp. and speaking to a small boy with a Hibernian east of coun- tenance. “Get a move on and hustle the ladies and gents ont as soon as the train stops. “And don’t overlook Downey rab like you did last night. He’s got his usual load on, and js asleep in the corner seat. Yank him out if he won’t ‘come of his. own accord.” “Ts it the manager yez want me té lay me hands on? Sure it’s bounced TU be whin he gets sober,” replied Mickey. : ai Bounced! Don’t you worry, Micky. He isn’t such a 1 as to ‘bounce so useful a member of the company as self. Besides, he’ll never’ remember the ineident. Go 4 pens, you haven’t more than half a ay to. get every x The Cicer to aes the remark was addressed, said . ee according to Act o: yea ., by Frank Tousey, Publisher, 24 Union Square, New NEW YORK, AUGUST kee 1911. ILLIONS IN IT” “It’s Plainfield, Micky,” said Sam, turning half around} Congress, in the year 1911, fue the ute? of The or ~ ' Price 5 Cents. | : : A BOY wit IDEAS ae By A SELF-MADE MAN truded the end of an oblong sinister-looking black box, a large yellow paper pasted on it bearing the printed words in heavy black type—“The Downey Grab Stock Co.” The box contained the scenery, such as it was, of the theatrical organization which owned the ieee Grab as its manager. — i On either side of it stood two grim-visaged baggagemen ready to fire it out on the station platform. As Sam stepped off the car the black box shot out of the baggage-car door, like a huge stone from a catapult, and landed on the platform with a crash that awoke the echoes of the night. : Then followed a couple of good- sized trunks, one contain- ing “props” and the other costumes and other Te oh handled with the same remorseless energy. fe e Tt was biff, bang, crash, with each, and then the two — baggagemen leaned against either side of the opening of their car, and surveyed the jumbled baggage with a saz- donic grin. : Sam, whose duties as property-man of the “show” made him responsible, for the oblong box and the two trunks the moment they left the baggage car, was a witness of the rough handling they had received, but he knew better than to voice a protest. + It was not the first time that the company’s effects res ar been handled without. gloves by the baggagemen of the. aa trains patronized by Downey Grab’s aggregation of talent — —in fact it was a Tegelae oceurrence and San. was u
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The conductor, lantern in hand, watched their exit from the car with ill-concealed impatience. Downey Grab, the manager, came last of all, leaning - heavily on Micky Free, Sam’s assistant. The odor of rum hung about him, and he seemed incapa- ble of looking out for himself. That was nothing unusual with Grab. Like all great men, he had his weakness, not that the manager was really considered a distinguished personage by any one but himself, The moment Micky got him on the platform the con- aictoy shouted “All aboard” from sheer force of habit, since there was nobody waiting to get on the train at that early hour in the morning. ; Then he swung his lantern and hopped on the car as the engineer pulled out for the next station, some fifteen miles away. There was no “bus on hand to convey the tired profes. sionals to the hotel, half a mile away, so they whad to start off and tramp the distance on foot. { As they filed off into the darkness, two of the men fore- ing the manager along between them, Sam went up to’ the sleepy-looking station agent and asked him to help Mi¢ky and himself pull the oblong box and the two trunks into the station building, where they were to remain till called for later on. Assisted by the half-dopy agent the boys hustled the com- pany’s property into the station, and then they hurried after the manager and the pérformers; after learning that the} ¢ road on the other side of the station, if followed to the right, would bring them to:Main Street, where they would find the . hotel, a typical country place. At that hour the hotel was dark and silent, like the stores in its immediate vicinity, and the houses roundabout. The boys, hurrying forward, could hear the thumping of one of the actors on the front door, “Begorra, we always have to wake thim landlords up, “hy said Micky, with a yawn. “Since we're never expected, how can it be ‘thier wise ?”” replied Sam. “Mr. Grab does not consider it necessary to keep an advance agent ahead of the show, therefore our advent in \thesé villages is unheralded. That throws all “the work of billing the company on us.” on *Sure it does, worse luck!” pe “Flow can’ Mr, Grab expect to pull a house when the . paper’ is only put out a few hours ahead of al perform- ~ ance?” “Paith, doesn’t he depind on the band to % the busi- “ness ?”” “Yes, and a pretty band we’ve got. We make more noise than music. U’m getting tired of barnstorming in this fashion. There’s nothing in it for anybody but Mr. Giab, and not a whole lot for him. With his reputation as a snap) manager it is really a wonder to me how he manages to _ get a company to go out with him; and yet T understand he _ has never had any great diionlty 1 in ate all the people he ants.” egorra, that’s: right, ” ahaa Micky. “This is the m mpany he's Be ere out. this ‘season, 40, 2 is. ‘The “MILLIONS IN IT." me, Sure we're the backbone of the show. But wait till we run ag’in a rale frost and you'll see Mr. Grab go up like a balloon. He’s so full of wind that all he nades is a push to sind him sky-high!” “T should say he has more whiskey than wind in him as a rule,” chuckled Sam. The tired actors had just succeeded in enticing the land- lord from his bed when the two boys came up. The boniface stood in the doorway, only half awake, clad in his shirt, trowsers and slippers. — Such a bunch of guests at any hour would have been gladly welcomed by him, but for reasons he felt rather shy toward the votaries of the drama, He stated his terms, agreed to a rebate in favor of fia profession, but wanted a deposit on account as an evidenta of good faith. It was not the business of the members of the company to advance the required deposit, and as Mr. Downey Grab was snoring peacefully in the grasp of his two supporters, mat- ters looked blue until Sam came to the rescue. “How much do you want, landlord?” he asked, “Ten dollars will do,” was the reply. Sam walked up to the manager, shoved his hand into hi right trowsers pocket and pulled out a small roll of bills, wile the company looked on admiring his nerve. The boy counted out the necessary amount, handed it to the landlord, and returned the rest to Grab’s pocket.’ The Thespians were then admitted and allotted to rooms, everybody doubling up except the odd lady and the mana- ger, who got small rooms to themselves. The landlord regarded Sam as the most important per- sonage connected with the company, and gave him and Micky the best room in his house, which wasn’t saying a whole lot. He called it the bridal chamber, “Bridle chamber, is it?” said Micky, as he and Sam pulled off their clothes. “Sure that’s what I tie ‘cates the stable in the ould dart.” . The manager and his performers slept till ian. when they appeared in the dining-room for breakfast. ; Not so Sam and Micky, who regarded themselves as the backbone of the show. 4 The former had requested the landlord to have him and his companion awakened at seven, when they expected to be served with their breakfast. —. : ; Four hours’ sleep is hardly enough to begin a hard morning’s work on, but the boys had to make the most of it, and get the balance during the afternoon if they. could. ‘The evening’s hox office receipts depended on their early exertions, and after finishing breakfast, they started out | to. corral a squad of kids to help them bill the village, al The only inducement Sam had to offer their allies was free pass to the show, and this had never failed to get all t help they wanted. As fast as they- arranged with a boy they direeted hi go to the Op’ Ty House, which Sam had ascertained small hall over: ’ he express office and ee Tt was ety with cheap, chains, fastened 01 fa L| yellow-keyed, con:
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scenium and drop curtain—the latter representing some foreign subject, originally painted in glowing sunset hues; half a dozen “drops,” or scenes, suspended by clothesline ropes run on pulleys attached to the rafters twelve feet above, by which ingenious arrangement the rollers at the bottom of the scenes were induced to ascend and descend. On either side, in groups of two, wooden grooves were nailed to the rafters, with corresponding wooden pieces se- cured to the stage. These slanted just a bit toward the back, and held in place oblong wooden frames, in skeleton, covered with painted canvas, and represented the “wings” that went with the different “drops.” — Two long pieces of canvas; stretched the full depth of the | stage on either side, furnished dressing-room accommoda- Hon—one for the women and one for the men—and were ‘impartially fitted each with an unpainted board shelf, a couple of cheap mirrors, and as many wooden pegs in the wall as places could be found for at suitable intervals. . Such was the opera house at Plainfield, and it was a very fair sample of sienilar Thespian temples to be found in the ‘small towns throughout the West, in which region Downey Grab’s repertory company was touring. CHAPTER II. ‘SAM SHARPLEY ON THE JOB, When Sam reached the opera house, entrance to which was to be had through a double door, at present locked, over which was a large lamp provided with red glass, let- tered on both sides “Opera House,” he found seven eager- | looking youths assembled in a bunch canvassing the merits of the forthcoming show. As yet they were densely ignorant of the play that was}, to be produced, but judged that it was in line with such productions as had already honored the village at irregular intervals, \ , “Are you all ready to get to work?” asked Sam. ie Ces, yes,” chorussed the lads, 5 What time does the express office open?” — cit ought to be open now,” said one of the boys. _ “The agent has our paper. You'll haye to be patient till he gets here? f se “Here he comes now;” said a boy. _Up the street came the. express agent, who was also a Western Union operator, and handled all the telegraphic business of the town. _ In fact he expected a theatrical company to materialize that day, for he had received a C. O. D. bundle, the after- noon before, addressed “The Downey Grab Stock Co., Plainfield. From the Chicago Show Printing House. Col- ject $4.7 © eras Sam was waiting to get that bundle. _ He had taken the precaution to get a $5 bill from Dow- ney Grab before the previous night’s performance at Motley Junction, in order to pay for the paper. ‘The manager gave it up with reluctance, but he realized that it was one of the absolutely necessary expenses he had to mect if theshow wasto goon aring his Jo g care as a theatrical manager Zé “MILLIONS IN IT.” {and manager of the ie bam showed a brilliant reluctance to parting with money even when he was doing good business. ae When he was able to pay salaries in full, in times past, the “ghost” had not walked with that degree of regularity that pleases members of the profession, : He adopted all manner of expedients to avoid separating himself from the long green, and now that fortune ons longer treated him as he felt that he’ deserved, the habit became necessary. oP Since the present company started out the people had . been paid smvall sums on account, whenever they were so _ fortunate as to corner him, ; } As he usnally managed to fool his actors, there was a coysiderable balance coming to them. The only persons who had been paid almost in full were Sam and Micky. They drew the least money from the ‘treasury anyway, Sam having signed for ten dollars and Mickey six dollars per week. ij %, The manager had his reasons for acting liberally, as h called it, to Sam. | Sam learned the chief reason when the time came. _ Micky wouldn’t have got any money at all only for Sam. The only performer who had collected half of his four — weeks’ salary was Charley Unger, the comedian, and the — rest-of the company regarded him as a wonder. . The fact was Unger had the knack of locating the man- ager when he was figuring on a “touch,” and Downey Grab - never could shake him till he produced. As Unger was'invariably seen in consultation with Sam previous to his descent on the treasury, it might be supposed that the boy tipped him off to Grab’s whereabouts. If he did, Unger never said anything about it, for if the vest of the company had got an inkling of it they would have flocked about Sam like a swarm of irritated hornets. Sam paid the four dollars, and the express charges on the \bundle, and was about to take it outside when the express agent said: “What kind of a show have you got, young man?” “Finest on the circuit,” replied the boy, with a grin. “That’s what they all say. Where is the manager?” “At the hotel, asleep. We didn’t reach this. burgh till 2:10 this morning.” ee “You can tell him that I’m the owner of the opera house upstairs, and that he’ll have to see me about getting it.” “T am authorized to represent him. I havea blank con- tract in my pocket which we can fill out and sign now just ‘as well as not.” “All right,” said the express agent. ae “Say, you don’t mind if I open jthis bundle here, do | you? I want to send those boys outside around town with — the small bills.’ pd intial bainncseegte “Of course I don’t mind. Use the counter all you want.” Sam cut the cords and opened the bundle, = A bunch of quarter sheet hangers, in two colors, lay top. Sta So at SS Pao ae Sam skinned off one a Ney f them and handed it to the fo . instr oti ile, ~The bill ran es toile :
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4 “MILLIONS IN IT.” SS ee eee OPERA HOUSE. sure I never met him. He has been in the business some To-night! To-night! To-night !| time I suppose?” 2 “Oh, yes, ” replied Sam. “He’s one of the best known , spre he - PRET oe managers in the West. This is the first time he has taken . will present ‘| in nen small places as Plainfield on his route. He is losing The Greatest of all’ Dramatic Successes, The Thrilling 4-act Drama, “LIGHTS OF A GREAT CITY.” ' Special Scenery. Electrical Effects. be 4) ALL-STAR COMPANY. -10-——20—30 Cents. Reserved Seats at—— While the express agent was reading the bill, with mental reservations as to special scenery and electrical effects, Sam yanked ont of the bundle an armful of small throwaways reading exactly the same as thé hanger, He distributed these equally among the boys and chased them -to work, telling them to report to him at the hotel about one o’clock, when he would hand out the passes, which would admit bearer to a ten-cent seat at the back of the hall. money by doing so. But he feels that he owes a duty that" can best be fulfilled by giving the inhabitants of the villages a chance of seeing the truly splendid drama “The Lights of a Great City” Under these circumstances I trust, for” your own interest, as well as his, you will call the attention ,' of all who drop in hefe to-day. to the treat that is in store , for them. Loan me your mucilage-bottle, please. Td like ‘to hang a bill in each of the windows.” Sam then tacked a bill on each side of the double door of the opera house, and a couple ‘nore on the two trees in front. As everybody in the village knew that reserved seats for — opera house shows were sold at Brown’s drug store on the next corner, Sam didn’t bother writing that fact on the bill. The boys started off, each reading one of the bills to learn He got a bunch of thirty-cent tickets and took them to 2 about the play, and Sam returned to the counter. BSS ope ete opine ue sha aa, himselé ei ae hung At that moment Micky joined him, and without a word uP cone oe eae: anid send: Sevehal a ae ne ; ‘ yd : ; outside, after assuring the druggist that Downey Grab’s picked up a bunch of the hangers and went off to display diac Oo; andthe Rae of "The Laghts of a nam: City’ them in all the stores and other public places. eee heat Gree.) ' Sam pulled a small folding hammer and a paper of tacks} gam then dropped in to see the editor of the village from his pocket and tacked up a bill on the post-office paper. side of the room. | After introducing himself, he asked when the paper came — “Ym ready to do business with you,” said the agent. out. “Very good,” said Sam. “There isn’t much to be done.|” The editor and proprietor told him that the Clarion was You furnish the hall, lighting, orchestra, ushers, ticket) published on Saturday morning. Na seller, and we furnish the company, special scenery, elec-| “What a pity you don’t come out to-day!” said Sam, , _ trical effects, printing, band and doorkeeper. We expect| with, assumed regret. “In that case I could give you a * seventy per cent. of the gross.” . ) large advertisement. I never neglect a chance to pull the “How much?’ asked the gen people.” “Seventy per cent.” “You might give me a job of printing,” ‘Suggested the ; “You don’t want much, do you?” proprietor, with an eye to business, “As we have a large company, a box of special scenery| “Sorry, but we have all the paper we need. I have he ' anda bang-up band, that’s about right.” dozen or more of the tising generation of this village out “How many people do you carry ?” : billing the piave: I suppose three fees yn be as many as _ Thirteen, including myself and the manager.” _| you require.” ‘2 |. What are you—the business manager?” The proprietor modestly ieee ee his family was pt _ “Yes, I’m the business manager, property man, I double|a large one, and that six would come nearer the mark, — on the stage and also in brass, and, as Tae see, 1 am also| “All right. I'll give you three now. You can ask Mr. the advertising agent.” Grab, when he calls, for the others. I suppose you will: 8 “You have your hands full, haven’t you 277 give me the privilege of ‘hanging a bill in your pecs As ““T am kept fairly bus We il, shall I write in seventy| Thank you. Good-day.” per cent?” A Meee So Sam slapped up two bills outside a went on Dies ao “T think not. Make it sixty.” Hi, Bo Seer q “We'll split the difference and call it sixty-five,” said RE | er Cee | CHAPTER III. ica ‘Sam, writing that in, without waiting for the edb house man to dissent. “Now sign here, Mr. 7 , “My name is Fox,” said the mai, eng his J sim Han- cock to the contract. “My name is Sam Lari z said the boy, dashing ‘his signature off. The contract was ‘signed in duplicate, ae patty. re- DOUBLING ON BRASS. At noon, precisely, the male ‘members of Daring Grabs ; Stock Co., arrayed in red caps decorated with gilt br and accompanied with some kind of wind ‘instrament, | their Way to the opera. house, . “He will] ‘Tt is the long established custom of repertoire es: playing one-night, and even lone 8 os at the Bri
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members to make their bow to the tooting of their own horns. Whether he be the leading man or the hustler of props, he is engaged with the understanding that he “doubles in brass,” or, in other words, performs as a musician in the mid-day street parade, in addition to displaying his abilities on the stage in’ the evening. Tt is therefore necessary for a person whose ambition circles around a cheap road company to learn to play pass- ably well on. some brass instrument. He can learn to act afterward. The way Sam Sharpley secured his engagement with ee Grab was through the fact that he was a very fine performer on the cornet. As soon as the manager heard ie play he snapped him é up at.once at the princely stipend of ten dollars per—haps. He got hold of a treasure with Sam, for the boy was ‘fond of the Show business, though, strange to say, he did not care to be an actor. Sam was looking for experience so as to take out a show himself some day. He came to the right: ae 8 for experience when he signed with Downey Grab. The people who went seit Grab expecting to get money were usually disappointed. Thirty dollars a week was the limit he put on his leading eet and so on down to about ten dollars. Those figures were. written in the contract. Attempts had been made to levy on the long black box containing the scenery, and the trunk labeled “props,” both of which belonged to the manager, but at the sais : “moment they could not be found, ‘They and the property man, bribed by Grab, disappeared together. The performers mye their own instruments and cos- _tumes, They owned the ree and ‘usually hired the latter. Micky Free was the only male member of the stock com- ~ pany who could not perform on a wind instrument. Sooner than have his services go to waste Downey Grab purchased a second-hand pair of cymbals for him, and thus the Trish lad was enabled to double in brass. _ Sam, on account of his musical ability, was made leader of the ‘band. He led off with the air and the others followed down to ~ Old Howler, an ex-tragedian, who did old men’s parts on ‘the stage, who furnished the Bees ao cad pah” on the big bass instrument. ‘It wasa great ‘band, and when it got down to business a bi could hear it half a mile on a still day. ge the present occasion Sam began proceedings sath a 9: cornet solo, as usual, As he was really an artist in n his line, hig playing always apices. a big crowd. The erack cornet players of famous bands: had ver ary little n him when he did his best. tebe’ invariably received a big. round of applause. Vatarally the spectators, . after hearing him, expected omething ag wast rom the ae of the band, and were sae uy “MILLIONS IN IT.” | nized them, latter who is sate tke ‘Exin Go Bragh’ Fheougn i ap nose. order to march tothe ching, ae ba rape eat eh the cymbals in Micky’s energetic grasp. With a bunch of. village boys behind, the procession: pro ceeded up Main Street. In a moment or two the whole band burst forth a “There'll be a Hot Time in the Old Town To- pig or something equally characteristic. _ That brought every one to their door. And it told every one, who had not already learned ee fact from the bills, that there was something on at the © op’ry house that night: ‘ While his people were trying to draw the public, Downey _ Grab was hobnobbing with the proprietor of the hotel across the bar, What Mr. Grab didn’t say about himself and his abilities as a theatrical manager is hardly worth mentioning, Professional jealously on the part of the managers of the great cities who stood out against him as one man, com- pelled him to tour the provinces. But-he assured the hotel man that the time would yet come when he would triumph over his enemies, and make them all look like very small potatoes indeed. At one o’clock the company sat down to dinner in the hotel dining-room, and then Sam and Micky sneaked off to get the balance of their sleep. Sam, from experience, knew better than to go. to their room, The manager was sure to arouse them both to attend to some business connected with the show. So they glided off down Main Street and took their vant to the suburbs, where a small river ran sparkling in the sunshine, ' Here they found a quiet, shady spot among the trees that bordered the stream, and in ten minutes both were asleep. While the over-worked property boy, business;manager, and advertising agent combined, was sleeping the sleep of the weary, with his assistant, Micky, beside him, three mem- bers of Downey Grab’s Stock Co. came that way. hie The afternoon being theirs to dispose of at will, Ohustay: Unger, the comedian, Henry Johnson, the heavy man, and Frank Robinson, who played juvenile lead, took a notion As to explore the country around Plainfield. by “Listen!” exclaimed Johnson, in tragic tones. “I think © . I hear the sound of some one’s nasal bugle. Dust hear it, — brothers ?” “I dust,” replied Danger. “Ti’s some guy snoring.” “Ah! What a lovely sylvan glade in which to, court, slumber’s sweet bondage,” : said Johnson, “Tt’s a good place to. sleep | if you haven’t the price of a a bed,” said Robinson, in practical, tones. — As the actors adyanced nearer the sleepers they ae “It's Sharpley and the Harp,” auld eee “Tbs as the Thespians pansed i in front of the boys, ot should Easy that their tees brought oe
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———=—=——= —— 6 7 : ‘MILLIONS INIT? e the stage as you try to be off, the show would probably make more money.” “You're the Jinx of the show yourself, Robinson. You try to pose as a matinee idol because yowre cast for the lovers part, but you’re a yap at the business.” “Ts that so? Whoever told you that you were a come- dian?” said Robinson. “T don’t have to be told. True ability always comes to the surface.” “So does a dead fish.” “That's a good wheeze for you, Robinson. tainly wasting your talents in repertoire. playing with Booth or Irving.” “Why, they’re dead, you chump.” “T know it,’ replied Unger, with a wink at Johnson. “That’s where you got his goat,” said the heavy man. “Talking about goats, what’ll we do with these kids?” said Unger. “Sell them to the railroad company. They’re always looking for’ sleepers,” said Robinson, with a grin. “Don’t pay any attention to him, J ohnson. He’s some- times taken that way. Now I’ll tell you what we'll do with Sharpley. We'll lift him up gently and carry him aboard that abandoned canal-boat in the creek. When he wakes up he'll wonder how he got there, It/ll be a good joke on him,” said Unger. The other two fell in wal the idea. Sam looked so fagged-out that they didn’t bilieas a little handling would wake him up. So between them they lifted him as gently as possible and Your are cer- ‘You ought to be je The voices came from behind it. Curious to learn who the speakers were, he felt along the bulkhead till he found a knothole. Applying his eye to this, he saw two rough-looking men examining and commenting on the contents of a good-sized bag. Sam almost gasped when he saw them take a complete — silver service, piece by piece, out of the bag, and figure on ~ the value of each. They valued it at $1,000 at a rough guess. i Then they took out a lady’s jewel case, which they opened, and appraised its contents of gems at a couple of thousand dollars more. } Other articles of value followed until they summed up’ { the total results at about $5,000. | There seemed to be no doubt that the men had committed _ a big robbery in the neighborhood. “We've made a bang-up haul, Bill,” said one of the pair. “You bet we have. We'll live like pigs in clover when we . reach Chicago.” ies “Tt’s about time we had a little luck. We must hide | this bag somewhere till we’re ready to light out after dark.” “There's a hollow tree on the bank. We can put it in there. No one is likely to come this way before to-morrow, — and by that time we'll be half way to Chicago.” v4 “A good idea. We'll do it. Then we'll go to the village — and get supper at the restaurant.” “T’ll go up first and take a look around,” said the fellow : named Bill. He jumped out of the forward hatch and his companion _ carried him a short distance up the river to the creek where; awaited his’ return. the cumbersome-looking canal-boat lay moored to a post driven into the bank. A plank connected with the deck, and over this they got| hatch. him on board. ' Then they lowered him down into the hold. _ -As:they started to leave, Sam rolled over on his side and they distinctly heard him mutter: . _ “Ts just the thing, Micky. There’s millions in it.” t os CHAPTER IV. THE DISCOVERY THAT SAM MADE. a _ “He’s having a pipe dream,” chuckled Unger, as the actors left Sam alone in his glory. ‘Three hours passed away, and the sun was pretty well _ down in the sky when Sam awoke. He rubbed his eyes and looked around him in astonish- ment. “Holy smoke! where am I at?” he exclaimed, not a little amazed at the transformation which had taken place in his surroundings. ‘He went to sleep in a leafy covert out in the open air, oe within sight of the river, now he found himself in the hold of some kind of a boat. He sat np and scratched his head in a perplexed ey: | *Well; if. this doesn’t get my goat ’m.a \it so they won’t discover ii?” Then he stopped and Monee for he. heard voices behind es ; ti {he was afraid the two rascals would. make such a _thoro i psteel of the meen that they would find Des Bill came back in about ten minutes, oN “The coast is clear,” he said, poking his head down the — “Hoist it up.” With Bill’s help the bag and its contents were landed on deck, and the other man followed it. Suit tieard their tread’ on the deck. ie Stepping on a box, which stood under the main hatch, ‘he ventured to follow their movements. : They carried the bag to a huge gnarled oak tree, whose dead limbs pointed at the four quarters of the compass. © The men shoved the bag into an opening that Sam could not distinguish from his place of observation. After pushing the shrubbery against it they started se in the direction of the village. Sam waited awhile to give Shai a start, and then he aot ; out of the hold’and went ashore, So interested was he in the bag of stolen silverware, jewels, and other articles of value, that the mystery of his presence on board the canal-boat was temporarily for ‘ gotten. i He went straight to the hollow. tree, pulled the shrubbery i aside and came upon the bag. “They re coming back for it after supper, and lend to take it to Chicago and realize on the stuff. I guess it’s my: duty to remove it from their clutches, and later on turn it over to the police of this village. Now where ee T hic He thought of dragging it. into the spuishies itionione
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i cane The canal-boat did not appear to be a safe place for it, either. Sam walked around, and at length came to a hole in the ground at a point near the head of the creek. It was partly hidden by a bunch of bushes. - It seemed to be as good a place for hiding the bag as he was likely to find. Returning to the tree, he found the bag much heavier than he had supposed it was, and it took all his strength to drag it from the hole. The only way he could carry it was to get it on his back. Succeeding, he staggered along to the hole and dropped it He went some yards away and pulled up an armful of wild vegetation, He threw this down on the bag, hiding it wholly from sight. “That will ‘do. Pll bet they won’t find it there. Now Pll get back to the village, for it must be nearly supper- time,” he said. _ Although he did not know just where he was, for he and Micky had not come upon the creek during their walk, he had a general idea of the direction in which the village lay, and he started that way. “Tt’s a lucky thing for somebody that 1 happened to be "on that canal-boat at the time those thieves ‘were there, but ~ up and walked to the canal-boat in my sleep I don’t see how ~ usual for me. ahead, the windows of many of the houses reflecting the | : the hotel. _ what bothers me is how came L to be on the boat?” he mused, as he walked along. “he lash thing I remember is lying down with Micky in that shady nook beside the . Fiver: Undoubtedly I went to sleep there. Unless I got ‘I could have got there. If 1 did that, it is something un- By George! That dream 1 had about the anal-boat may have been responsible for it. It was a great dream, too. J seemed to be carrying out the very idea I’ve had in my mind for some time. If I had the money neces- sary to start such an enterprise I believe it would be a great —suecess. It is a kind of original scheme, and would do away with the chief difficulties a repertory show has to contend with. In my opinion there’s millions in it, and one of these days I mean to give it a trial.” . ras Sam stepped out into the road and saw Plainfield straight or light of the setting sun. ‘Ten minutes later he was walking up Main Street tow a There were a dozen chairs lined along the low veranda of that building, and these were mostly filled with the male members of Downey Grab’s Stock Co., talking shop, while awaiting the supper bell, always a cheerful sound to them. Even if the “ghost” didn’t walk on Monday afternoons, as it ought to have done, they still had the consolation that “the manager paid their board and lodging and traveling penses. "That of itself was preferable to being “at liberty” in the ity, with ihe ever-present spectre of an unpaid landlady | ns tia g¢ to turn them and their trunk into the street, “MILLIONS IN IT.” ell. as: the necessity, of bracing some preeegutlnoey ee rice of a : % wien ghee Unger, Johnson and Robinson had circulated the joke: they played on the boy, and all hands wondered what his sensations had heen when he awoke and found himself on board the canal-boat instead of where he went to sleep. The reader may think that the said practical joke didn’t amount to a great deal, but anything that will afford even a ~ trifling diversion goes with the members of a cheap Teper tory company on tour. They are a happy lot, with nothing ahead but a life of small towns, poor railroads, cheap hotels and boarding- spouses, and the corresponding discomforts, and nothing but a trailof the same thing. The tour may start with a week or two of comparative prosperity, due to the fact that the show is just starting its season, and the manager still has a few dollars in his jeans to pay salaries and expenses, even if the necessary amount is not taken in at the door; but days of uncertainty are apt ito follow. ‘From one small town to another the show drifts, somie- times barely making enough to pay its board bills, and then the end comes with a suddenness that would take atvay the breath of anybody but a died-in-the-wool repertory actor. He’s used to it, in fact expects it. Sam saw the grin on the actors’ faces and suspected that he was the cause of it. : “Hello, Sharpley, where have you been?” asked Unger. “Out on the suburbs,” replied the young property man. | “You and Micky went off bogenitets didn’t you?” _ “We did.” “How came you to shake him’ ?” chuckled the come- dian. “How do you know that I shook him! 2” asked Sam, sus- piciously. “Because he’s looking for you.” “Yes, he got back a little while ago and said you and he went to sleep under the trees beside the river,” said Robin-. — son, “and when he woke up he found that you had gone: away and left him. That’s a nice way to baa your side partner?’ “T wouldn’t treat a chap that way—I’d take him up to a bar,” said Unger. ¢ “Tt isn’t my fault. I walked off in my sleep.” fra A roar of laughter greeted Sam’s reply. ; “What are you fellows laughing at?” asked Sam. | “T didn’t hear anybody laugh. Did you, Unger?” asked ‘|Robinson. The comedian shook his head. “That must have been Old Howler you heard. “He just went inside to brace the boss of the show for a quarter,” — said Unger. “So you walk in your sleep, Sharpley ? Whee did you go. in your somnambulistic condition ?” eas “Oh, I just took a stroll,” replied Sam, evasively. “Where did you find yourself when you woke up?” te “Tn a place where I made a surprising discovery.’ Ms ae “Tell us about it.” Ss “You'll learn about it later on. got 9 The Trish boy answered for ees ty appearing, até | Which way aid <2
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8 5 “MILLIONS IN IT” = The actors rose like a flock of birds at the discharge of a gun and made a rush for the dining-room. CHAPTER V. ' DOWNEY GRAB’S STOCK COMPANY STRIKES A FROST. As Sam and Micky had to go directly to the opera house aiter supper to set the first act of the play, which, owing to their desire for sleep they had neglected to do during the aftemoon, the former had no time to hunt up the police and tell them about the bag of stolen property which he had con- cealed, He intended to tell Fox, the proprietor of the opera house, who would be in the box office, and let him attend to the matter. The walk to the hall was too short to enable him to tell all his story to Micky, but he began it by describing how, when he woke up, he found himself in the hold’of a canal-boat in a. creek, and it was a great mystery to him how he got there. “Tt was some of thim actors pulled the trick on yez,” said Micky. “But how could they carry me to the boat without waking ' me up?” said Sam. “You must have been dead tired like myself. Sure I wouldn’t have heard a cannon if it had been fired off along- ,side me ear.” “T can guess who the funny ones were.” “Faith, a blind man could do that. It was Unger and - Robinson. They’re always up to just ‘such didoes. They may have followed us, and when they found us aslape they worked the trick on yez.” By that time they reached the opera house, the door of which was open. A small boy, the proprietor’s son, was sitting in a chair beside the box-office, which was merely an enclosed space just large enough for a man to squeeze inside of. _ It was furnished with a pane of glass, with an opening through which one could introduce his hand, and a shelf inside, wide enough to hola a money-box on one side and a box of tickets on the other. A long flight of stairs with no landing till you seuiidet the top. led i a pair of double doors that opened on the penal. “Ts the ane open. upstairs ag saeea Sam. “No,” said the boy; “do you Release to the show ?” “Tm the property —— and we’ve come to set the stage,” said Sam. _“ere’s the key,” aha ihe. cout; " Sam took it and marched upstairs, followed by Micky. Although it was light outside in the street, the ee aon tas rather dark. Sam unlocked the door and placed ‘the key on the inside. He eee out the chair used by the eee Si 3 ‘and Micky picked them up as fast as he threw them out, - | scenes, that formed the scenic resources of the opera . house, ie : {tor the first act of “Lights of a Great City When in use at night the illumination was supplied by numerous kerosene lamps, fastened to the walls, at intervals, and supplied with reflectors. Sam and Micky reached the stage through a door at the top of four steps. The curtain. was up and the oblong black box, flanked by the two trunks, lay lengthwise on the twelve-foot stage. The first thing that Sam did was to open the costume trunk, It was divided into two sections, one of which held the larger musical instruments, which had been returned to it after the parade, while the other was crammed with the — costumes. To one not acquainted with the shifts and make-shifts ~ adopted by the members of a road company, it would be a matter of surprise to learn that the costumes for a full re- pertory of four dramas—consisting of a Wild West play, a city melodrama, a rural drama of the order of “Way Down East,” and some old favorite like’“Ten Nights in a/Bar- room”—could be crammed into one compartment of a large trunk; but such was the fact. The same costume, assisted by trivial additions or omis- sions, and a change of wig and face make-up, will some- times fill the bill for the performer in all four pieces, if the parts are alike, At any rate the members of Downey Grab’s Stock Co. managed to dress their parts without having any super- fluous costumes to draw up. It didn’t take Sam long to yank the suits for the night’s show on the stage. A city melodrama doesn’t require much in the way of costume. The comedian and the soubrette were about the only ones who wore anything outside of their street attire. Further disguise was accomplished with wigs, beards, and a stick or two of grease pals applied with DISiesienyy skill to their faces. Sam tossed a thin-flowered skirt, fancy hotlice and féreign headdress to Micky. He didn’t have to tell his aecieteail what to do with them. The Trish boy carried them into the ladies’ dressing-room and hung them on a couple of pegs. While he was doing that Sam conveyed the comedian’s German coat pants, vest and flaxen wig into wed gent’s dressing-room. “A few other articles followed behind each of the canvas sereens, and then Sam slammed down the cover of the trunk; and he and Micky pulled it behind the wney, near first ra _|entrance, to answer for a seat. he Sam then attacked the “props” used in the Dasa Fs and carried them to a corner behind the scenes. Trunk No. 2 was then hauled over to the gent’s side and _ left. ae Before tackling the box eneee the “special ee es Sam let down and examined the six, stock “drops,” De sock As he expected, one was a street cloth, and that would do “Tt was ee near the front.
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- “MILLIONS IN IT” os ; neue: ae eee \ | RNS Sail To tell the honest truth, that was the best feature of the, show, because it possessed real merit. Half-past seven came, Downey Grab took his place at tho door of the hall and prepared for the rush of business he caleulated that the thrilling melodrama, “Lights of a Great City,” ought ‘to draw. Such a rush was really vitally necessary to recuperate his” waning finances. Business had been simply “rotten” for the last ten anys, and unless he got a “house” that evening he would have to call the tour off, and Jeave the members of his company to shift for themselves, which, seeing that he hadn’t paid more — than quarter salaries, with the exceptions already men- _ tioned, would leave the bunch stranded in Plainfield—a very serious matter to every one but Downey Grab himself. Mr. Grab had met such a crisis more than once before, — and the only effect it had upon him was a sense My disap- pointment that he had failed to “pull the money.” There were lots of actors always looking for work, and when he found another obliging “angel” willing to. back him, he knew that he would have no trouble in formitig a fresh company. The only anxiety he had was . get the long black hox. . containing the scenery, and the trunk full of “props,” out of town without his people getting wise to the fact that the show was stranded. With that object in ultimate view, he was always good _ to his property man, and, property men being human, cov- — sidered it wise to stand in with the manager. As we have remarked, Downey Grab was prepared for a rush, It came in the shape of the seven. small boys who had earned passes by helping to bill the village that morning, Then there was a lull. : Ten minutes passed before the stairs besitanitaa: to the — tread of anybody else, and then a man who had paid real money at the box office for a twenty-cent seat came up.. A dozen people with free tickets followed him at inter- vals, and then came the second paid-for ticket—a thirty- cent one this time. : Following them came a rush of two who had puphaesd reserved seats at Brown’s drug-store. - The house looked awfully thin, but the seven eae boys” : who were stamping for the orchestra to appear didn’t worry, ‘about that. é The less people in the hall the better they could see ane stage. i Professor Smith, who gave lessons on the piano. to. the 4 ising generation of Plainfield’s upper circle, was the — orchestra, and he took his place ‘at the antediluvian instro- ment in ths hall at five minutes after eight. eg et As he had taken care to collect his pay in advance, the meagre size of the audience had no effect on him. = He opened: the piano and began the overture wi AS he same energy as epuaacals the iesy house were ‘crow ed to. its capacity.) ¢ ‘The moment for ringing ew tis: at has bat st He and Micky removed it to the extreme back, against the brick wall, for the full stage was required. Another drop was a parlor scene, and that would fill the requirements of the second act—the drawing-room of a Fifth Avenue mansion. \ The third act represented a view of the East River, with the Brooklyn Bridge, by night, and other local additions. Nothing that would answer was to be found in the house, as a matter of course, but Sam had the cloth in the box, and he and Micky got it‘out, and hung it rolled wp in front of the street scene. | The fourth act was an attic interior, and could have bee faked up with the kitchen drop, but Sam considered the bar- room cloth, used in “Ten Nights,” would be more satisfac- tory, so he got it out. T'wo or three set pieces, that folded up small by. means of hinges, came out of the box, and then the black case was “closed, liftedoff the stage and laid lengthwise in front of the first row of seats in the auditorium. Before this work had all been accomplished, Micky had to Tight the lamps on the stage, at the wings, and those at- ‘tached toa board in the flies. ‘ _. The country-looking youth, who comprised ae force of ushers, appeared and began to light up the hall. Down at. the entrance the bunch of boys holding free tickets began to assemble, prepared to make a rush and oc- _, cupy the best ten-cent seats as soon as the door was open to them. / ,/ The members of the company also began to arrive with| small bundles in their hands, containing their make-up sticks and other necessary articles which they carried in their private suitcases, The manager followed a little later, and he stood at the + outer portal like a great mogul till it was time for him to ‘get “on the door” upstairs. S As soon as the stage was ready for the first act, Sam “a lowered the curtain, leaving the usher & light the foot-| dan ps. m am had been so busy that he had had no time to think] _ about telling the proprietor of the opera house, had he been| present, which he wasn’t, about the stolen property down at the creek. : Tt was too late now for him to do it, for he tad to make up as a tough for his appearance in the first act. Micky appeared in the same act, and in the third and fourth as well, as a New York hootblack. In the second act Sam enacted the thinking part of a footman and a servant to the owner of the Fifth Avenue ‘shout. and nna as part of a ‘fexee mob i in the distance, and: do. a lot of other things, oe, wait on the performers when wanted. . it that. wasn’t quite eee to earn his’ en lait 5 ary, Sam w 1s. expected to wash up and’go outside between| 0. : third acts and vise a cornet — with pian h
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10 CHAPTER VI. SAM TAKES ACTION TO BLOCK DOWNEY GRAB. Mr. Downey Grab saw the finish of his show when the — eurtain rose on the first act of his piece “The Lights of a ‘Great City.” When that wouldn’t pull a house. it was “good night.” He counted $1.60 in the auditorium, and his contract en- titled him to sixty-five per cent. of that, or $1.04, Some people wouldn’t have had the nerve to ask for it, but Mr, Grab wasn’t built that way. “T suppose you'd like a return date,” said proprietor Fox, sarcastically, when the manager looked in at the box-office at half-past eight. The witticism was lost on Mr. Grab, He suggested a settlement and pocketed the $1.04. | Then he went to the hotel to get his suitcase. He needed it, he told the hotel mau, to put the might’s receipts in. The confiding boniface had no suspicion that he wanted to get if out of the house, because he had announced that the company would remain at his house all night and take the 8:10 accommodation in the morning. Downey Grab had learned that a train for Motley Junc- tion stopped at Plainfield at 12:15 a. m. He made up his mind to take it, _ He knew that Sam had arranged with an expressman to take the scenery and props to the station immediately after the show, so they would be in readiness for the 8:10 a. m. accommodation, He meant to haye them put.on the 12:15 train instead. In the meantime he deposited his suitcase in the empty box-office and went upstairs to see how “The Lights of a Great City” was progressing. He found there had been some additions to the audience since he left, but hé’could not tell whether they had aga or not, as proprietor Hox was not in sight. There were worse companies on the road than sheer Grab’s—much worse—and it was the fact that the village had been buncoed the week previous by an aggregation “of talent that would have been sweeter on cold storage that _. kept the inhabitants away from the opera house that night. “Mr. Grab will have to go down into his jeans for the hotel bill,” said Sam to Micky after the curtain had fallen on Act Two, and the boys were setting the stage for Act Three, . 5 Fa _ “Begorra, that’s what he will,” replied the Irish Jad. “That is, if he intends to go on with the show.” “Go on with the show!” exclaimed Sam. “Why wouldn’t he go on with it?” _ “Well, yez know we haven’t been pullin’ much money; for the last tin nights, and after sich a frost as we’ve got to- maith: he mia fale that a frish start was ge than et 1d Hothiv’ he eisht do would surprise me, bones #, Bat it would cost him something to take the company And do yez imagi ne he would do that pr dt ee ‘| the act of lowering the Brooklyn Bridge drop, , | money ¢ _ | Some actors will woe for nixt to nothin’ ad: ‘yez give thi int eed game of blarney, and the ae will take a lon “MILLIONS IN [T.” “Sure it’s easy to see that yez are grane to the business — yet.” “What do you mean, Micky?” asked Sam, pausing in “Tt mane—but let me whisper it in your ear. If Mister Downey Grab intinds to quit now he'll take no one out of the place wid him unless it’s yersilf and me.” “No one but us?” exclaimed Sam, in surprise, “Whist! Not so loud, or it’s a riot yez’ll have on the stage. The only raison he’ll tale us is bekase he couldn’t get the scenery and props off widout our hilp.” “And what about the company ?” “Sure they'll be stranded and will have to take pot | luck.” “Do you mean to say he’ll desert them?” “What. does he care for thim? The woods are full of actors.” “But he owes most of them a large part of their salaries.” “Faith, that doesn’t worry him at all.” Ft would be an outrage to leave them without doing the best he could by them.” | “Whin you’vye been on the road awhile longer you'll learn that the manager only does the best for Number One, and that’s himsilf.” “That kind of. a manager is a swindler,” cried Sam, in- ~ dignantly. “That's what he is, but what are yez goin’ to do about rrade “Do you really believe that Mr. Grab would do such a thing as that?” “As he’s done it siveral times before he’s likely to do it ag’in. Did yez iver know a leopard to change his spots?” “Well, he won’t play’ that game on this company if [ can’ stop him,” said Sam in a decided tone. “How will yez stop him? We've got to take the baggage j to the station after the show to have it there in readiness for the 8:10 train in the mornin’. A train bound for the Junction, where we played last night, will stop at a quarter. past twilve. If Mr. Grab is goin’ to skip we'll find him at the station waitin’ for that train. He’l) tell us that the show is busted, and that we’re goin’ back to Chicago. Tf yez ask about the company he'll tell yez he’s given thim — tickets to come on in the mornin’. How are yez goin’ to — dispute his word? He may take us hack to Chicago or he — may drop us at the Junction—just as it suits him. All he’s — lookin’ out for is to get the scenery and props back wid him, so he’ll have thim ready for the nixt idee: am he takes — out. » “How can he take out a new company if he can’t go on with ht one?” aay “He'll advertise for a backer, separate him from two Ot 4 three enced dollars, and that'll be enough to get him OM agin.’ v2 “Does he divide with the eR ie if the show makes A 929 teva “faith I couldn’t say, for I niver heard that. ote Grab iver made any money on the road. . He’ll kape his show out as long as he makes. expinses, barrin’ salarie
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“MILEIONS IN TT” oe gat ee ee chance on the strength of board, lodgin’ and dlavelin’ ex- _ pinses.” “T don’t believe that any of our people, outside of Unger, has much more than the price of a clean shave in their pockets. They expect Mr. Grab to cough up a few dollars all around in the: morning.” “What, on the house we’ve had to-night,” grinned Micky. “They expected a good house.” “Their expictations haven’t panned out.” “Which is tough. If Mr. Grab leaves them stranded here how will they get out of the village?” “ Ask me somethin’ asy, begorra. Thim that can’t ride must walk.” “Why, it’s twenty miles alone to the Junction.” “Tf it was fifty they’d be up ag’in it just the same.” Sam was about to reply, but the stamping of the small - boys at the back of the hall for the play to go on became 80 insistent that Johnson, who was stage manager, told the young property man to hoist the curtain. As the close of the show the wagon hired to carry the box of scenes and the two trunks to the station was in readi- “ness outside to receive them. _ Ina very short time Sam and Micky had taken down and rolled up the two cloths used in the drama, and folded up the set pieces. _ The curtain was hoisted: on an empty and darkened auditorium, and the scenes and set pieces replaced in the box. By that time the costumes, wigs, beards, and other arti- e cles were ready for packing. ' Sam turned the job over to his assistant and stopped ~ Unger as he was leaving the hall. “Look here, Charley, there is a suspicion in my mind _ that Mr. Grab intends to take the 12:15 accommodation for “Motley Junction,” he said. “You know what that means. - Before I have the baggage taken to the station I wish you’d _ find out whether the manager is at the hotel or not. If - you can’t find him it will be a sure bet he’s gone to the _ station and intends to skip. In that case we must find out where the justice lives, go to his house and get him to issue an attachment against the scenery and props. That. will block Grab’s game to carry them away with him. Then -maybe we can manage some way to go on with the show ~ ourselves.” : “You're a good fellow, -Sharpley, to give me tic tip even if it amounts to nothing. In any case forewarned is forearmed. If Grab skips, possession of the scenery and props will give us a chance to proceed on the commonwealth ‘os Maybe we'll be able to keep out, even if we only - make expenses.” “Well, hurry now, for there’s no time to lose. The ex- - pressman is waiting,” said Sam. | Unger’ rushed off to the hotel, only a few doors away. _ “He soon found out that the manager was not about, nor was he in his room. He also. learned from the proprietor that Downey Grab had taken his suitcase to the opera house to pit the night’s receipts in. ; “Did he say that wwas what he wanted to use it for?”| The justice saw that the boys ghd stranger and asked. the comedian. es sag) Lgthien — with some ou. the Se ay La “you: That settled the case in Unger’s mind, — He hurried back to the hall. “The old guy intends to shake us,” he said to Sam, ’ “Hold the baggage and send the expressman away till morning. I’ll-go out- and swear out an attachment. The justice lives about four blocks from here.” “Wait, and [’ll go with you. I’ve got a very important matter to see the justice about myself,” said Sam. The expressman was dismissed and then Sam and Unger started for the home of the justice, after seeing the hall locked up by the usher. After some trouble they located the house and pounded out, and an impatient voice dembnded to know what was wanted at that unseemly hour. Before Unger could explain Sam shouted: “We want to see you about a big robbery that was com- mitted in the village this afternoon.” “A big robbery!” cried the magistrate, in astonishment. “Whose house was robbed?” “Come down and I'll explain.” The justice shut the window and hastened to dress him-_ self, “Say, Sharpley, what kind of a game did you give the justice?” asked Unger. “Is that the way you ak you’d get him downstairs?” , “Tt’s no game at all. A robbery was committed. * “How do you know?” asked the surprised comedian. “T haven’t heard a word about it. If such a thing had been pulled off here the village would have been in a fer ment over it, and we’d have heard about it.” “T don’t know anything about that. All I know is that when I woke up around five, on Board that canal-boat where you and Robinson carried me——” “How do you know that Robinson and me carried you there?” grinned Unger. “Tt was an easy guess, for it was like you two to play such a prank. As I was saying, when I woke up I heard voices and saw two rough chaps inspecting a bag full of plunder which could only have come from some well-to-do person in this neighborhood.” — “The dickens you say!” ejaculated the comedian, quite - astonished. . “T heard them say they had made a fine haul, and in- tended taking the stuff to Chicago.” i) “Well?” said Unger, curiously. “T watched them, and saw them hide the bag i in a hollow tree, then they went into the village to get their supper. As soon as they were gone I removed the bag from the tree and hid it somewhere else, where I judge it still i is. That ; is the story I have to tell the justice.” t At that moment the door — and the justice stood in the doorway. : DOWN EY GRAB TAKES HIS DEPARTURE, on the door till a window was raised, a man’s head thrust —
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te ut “MILLIONS IN IT.” “My name is Samuel Sharpley, and my companion’s is Charles Unger. We are members of the dramatic, company which performed at the opera house this evening,” said Sam. The theatrical profession did not seem td appeal favor- ably to the justice. “Am I to understand that the robbery to which you re- ferred was committed on a member of your company?” he . asked in a frigid tone. “No, sir; some residence in this neighborhood He been looted of valuables worth fully $5,000.” erties belonging to the show. us from two to three weeks salary, and as we have evidence “Five thousand dollars!” ejaculated the magistrate, clearly astonished. “Yes, sir.” “How came you to hear of this robbery? I have heard nothing about it, and I would naturally be one of the first ‘to learn about such a thing. When did this robbery hap- pen?” “T eouldn’t tell you, but judge some time before five this’ afternoon.” — “Before five, and it is now nearly midnight, Excuse me, "young man, if I say that it seems ridiculous that a robbery could have ‘happened in this village this afternoon and yet not have been reported up to this hour,” said the justice, ina tone of dishelief, “T admit’ that, particularly as it is a heavy robbery. I should have thought that everybody would have heard of it by this time.” “When and how did you learn about this alleged rob-|. bery ?” “T found it out about five o’clock, but the particulars -ear’t be told in. a minute.” “Why have you delayed in reporting the facts to the con- stable ?” | “Because my duties as property man of the company pre- vented me from doing so until after the show. Before I tell you my story, Mr. Unger, here, wishes you to get an attaghment against a case of scenery and a trunk of prop- The manager owes all of that he intends to leave us stranded here to-night, be- - cause business has been unsatisfactory, we propose to pro- tect ourselves as far as we can,” said Sam. ~ “Come around to my office in the morning and I will hear the case.” “The manager is going to. take the 12:15 train, ‘aud _ though I have had the box and trunk we wish to levy on locked up in the hall, Mr. Grab might succeed in getting "possession of them before we could bring the case before you in the morning. I think that in justice to the people who are entitled to recover even a small part of what is | aue them, that ye should try and protect them.” Well, I will isstie an order on the proprietor of the opera house forbidding him to let the articles in question out of “his possession until the matter has been decided ‘at my office nthe morning. Walk in, please.” The justice let Sam and the comedian into shis library and pointed to seats. He « drew a printed blank out. ofa pigeon-hole i in his desk} him. Phat’s his plan ag sure as you live,” said Unger. “ft ed it out in cena with: Sam’s answers to his “Handing them a testament, he said: “You both swear that the facts herein set forth are the truth 2?” Sam and Unger answered “yes.” “You serve that papef on Mr. Fox,” said the justice, after signing it. He handed it to Sam. “You take this, Charley, hunt up the prota of the hall and give it to him,” said"Sam. “I’ve got to tell the justice about the robbery.” The magistrate gave Unger directions about finding Fox’s house, and then the comedian took his leave. Sam, alone with the magistrate, told him the particulars about the stolen goods. The justice, whose hame was Steele, could not but put faith in his story. The proof of the pudding, however, is in the eating, so he determined to investigate it’at once. He aroused his gardener, and had him put the horse to the light wagon, and taking Sam and the man with him, Steele drove to the head of the creek where the canal-boat. was moored. After pointing out the hollow tree where the burglars had left the bag, Sam led them to the hole where he had hidden it. The/bag was found there, and a brief examination of its contents assured the justice that a robbery had indeed been committed, It was loaded on the wagon and conveyed to the magis- trate’s home. After Sam had been directed to appear at Steele’s office at nine in the morning, he started for the hotel, where he ~ found Unger, Micky and a servant of the hotel waiting for him. “Grab has turned up,’ > said Unger. ; “Then he didn’t take Oe 12:15 for the Junction?” re- plied Sam. “Begorra he didn’t wk to go widout the scenery ana props,” said Micky. “Whin you and Unger went to:see the justice I walked to the station, and there was Mister Downey Grab, as large as life, wid his grip ‘in his hand, waitin’ for the wagin to show up wid the stuff. I watched him from the corner of the buildin’, and as time passed I e’uwd see he was gettin’ unasy. Finally the train came © along and he made no attimpt. to get aboard.’ After it pulled out, he handed his grip to the agent to lock up in — the office and thin he started back for the village. 2 es asked the agent if the manager had bought any tickets for the Junction, and he said he had purchased three, so he intinded to take yez and mesilf that far, at any rate.” “He went to his room, I suppose?” said Sam to wager; 4s “Yes, after taking several drinks.” i “What do you suppose he intends to do now?” : “He left a call for six o’clock for himself and you and Micky. He’ll get you to hustle the baggage to the station — | before breakfast. Then he’ll send you two back to the cone to get your breakfast, and in the meanwhile he'll connect — with the early accommodation, which T’ye found stops here at 7:40, for the Junction, and he'll take his property with — “Did you serve that paper on n Mr, Fox! o asked Sam. “Yes, ” nee ; ; 5
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i “Then how will Mr. Grab be able to get his property to the station in the morning in time for the 7:40?” ; “J forgot about that. He won’t be able to.” f Sam told the hotel servant, who was waiting for them to S to their rooms, to rub out the call for himself and icky. | When this was done all hands went upstairs. Sam and Micky were awakened by a great pounding on Eee door at fifteen minutes after six. “What's that?” growled the Irish lad, sleepily. Bang—bang—bang! - “Hello, there, what do you want?” demanded Sam, not ae awake. f “Get up,” cried the voice of Manager Grab. “Go chase yourself,” replied Sam, lying down again. “Get up. It’s time to get the baggage to the station,” said Grab. “Thineget it there yersilf, begorra,” said Micky. “Get up, do you hear?” | “Vd be dafe if I didn’t hear,” mumbled Micky to him- self, paying no further attention to the manager, who after banging some more went away. | Mr. Grab, seeing that he couldn’t arouse his property man and Micky, determined to get the baggage to the station /himself, but to do this he knew he would have to secure the | co-operation of the proprietor of the opera house. He found out where Mr. Fox lived from the hostler of the “hotel, and hastened to his house. The express agent, who was an early riser, was in his yard doing something. | Having been told by Unger that the manager intended to take the 12:15 train the night before, he was somewhat sur- ‘y Prised to see him that morning. _ As Downey Grab had no time to lose, he came to the ‘point at once—he wanted Fox to open the opera house so he | could get the long black box and the property trunk as soon as the expressman arrived. “Sorry,” replied Fox; “but you can’t have them.” i “Can’t have my property!” exclaimed the manager. 4 s* No: on me which directs me to hold the box and trunk until further notice.” ’ Downey Grah was paralyzed. : hotel had attached his property to make sure of being paid. | figured on paying the hotel man. ; He saw he couldn’t get his property, so, turning on his el, he walked away. ae he owed the hotel against the value of his scenery d props, and though the difference was in favor of the 4 atter, it was not large enough to induce the foxy manager to ) pay out a bunch of good money, of which his supply 4 as rather limited. ie. ‘So. he reluctantly decided to abandon ‘the scenery and ‘ srops, as well as his company. _ He went into a restaurant, had some breakfast, and hen alked to the station, J » persuaded the agent to take tab: the three tickets to ‘ anetion and, with some addition of cosh, give him | «MILLIONS IN IT.” hah ata An order, signed by the justice, has been served He jumped to the conclusion that the proprietor of the g_ This was a. heavy blow to the spheric for he se not his way back to ein: Street, he balanced what. ‘ Then’ he boarded the 7:40 train and shook the ‘dust a Plainfield from his feet. CHAPTER VIII. SAM GETS A REWARD. Sam and Micky slept on till half-past seven, and joined the company in the dining-room for breakfast. Unger had said nothing as yet to his brother actors about the manager’s purpose of leaving them stranded in the village. He wasn’t sure yet what course of action Downey Grab would take when he found that his plans to get his DPOHERY had failed. The manager, of co#rse, was not present, as he was then at the station waiting for the 7:40 accommodation. The company, outside of Unger and the boys, expected to take the 8:10 accommodation Darien, the next town on their route. They had all brought their stilteades from their rooms, and as soon as they finished breakfast they walked outside to take the *bus for the station. Then Unger called them all to one end of the veranda and broke the news to them. While he was doing this the proprietor was ee fot ‘Downey Grab to get his bill settled. Of course he couldn’t find him, for Mr. Grab was by that time on his way to Chicago, so he tackled Sam, as the He produced his bill and handed it to the young property man, l Sam looked it over, noted the amount due, and handed it back. ; “Y’m not the treasurer,” he said. face. i the door at the opera house,” returned Sam. he has taken his pe varat es this ere and left the com- pany stranded here.” money. manager down, was a bunch of skins. “Hold on,” objected Sam. “We're not to pian, There more in salary than you are for accommodation.” back to Chicago. doggedly. “If you had trunks P’d hold them. I might — ‘have known you were no good when I found out that thee all. had only suitcases.” He walked Dk in t very 1 bad rumor and a friends, sets ued 19° most important person next to the manager in his opinion. © “But I don’t see the oped anywhere,” said the honi-. “T haven’t seen him since os evening, when he was on “7 suspect. | The hotel man had a fit at the possiblity of losing his He declared that the Downey Gab Stock Co., Ae the He explained to the hotel man that Mr, Grab owed most. : of his people three full weeks: salary, ‘and that there wasn’t money enough in the crowd to take ‘them a third of the ey ois “Well, you can’t remain in my hotel,” said the fonts ee {is hardly a person connected with the show that isn’t out.
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y 4 language to express the sentiments they felt toward the recreant manager. The three actresses were as outspoken as the rest. If they could have laid their hands on Downey Grab at that moment they would have made him bald. “What's to be done?” asked Johnson, in deep bass tones. “Continue the tour on our own hook,” said Unger. “On what? Grab has doubtless carried off the scenery and props.” a “No he hasn’t. Sharpley put me wise last night to the manager’s purpose and so I’ve attached the stuff.” “You did!” cried the company, in chorus. “J did, at Sharpley’s suggestion. I tell you, my pro- fessional friends, that boy has stood by us like a little major, and he is entitled to our thanks.” Sam was immediately voted a brick. “Tt’s going on to nine, Unger,” said Sam. “We must move on to the office of the justice. #Come along, Micky.” The whole company decided to accompany them. As they were afraid to leave their suitcases at the hotel they carried them along, and as a result they attracted con- - siderable attention as they passed down Main Street. They would have attracted notice anyway because of their profession. All hands filed into the office of the magistrate and took possession of the seats, followed by as many villagers as could crowd in. In a short time Justice Steele appeared. He took up the attachment case, heard the testimony of the witnesses—about half the company-—after Sam and Unger had stated the facts, and decided that the company, as a whole, was entitled to levy on any property belonging to Downey Grab that was in sight. Sam told the justice how much in the aggregate Grab owed his people, and then, prompted by Unger, estimated the value of the scenery and props. It fell considerably below their claims, so the magistrate signed an order turning the black box and the trunk of props over to the plaintiffs. The proprietor of the hotel got wind of the proceedings, and rushed into the office with his claim, and a plea for at- tachment, too; but he was too late. The fed lcmaats individually or collectively, owed him ~ nothing, and as they had captured all the visible assets of} the show there was nothing for him to levy on. ‘He retired more disgruntled than ever, swearing that the next troupe of actors that wanted to stop at his place would have to pay in advance or hunt for accommodations elsewhere, i At ‘that moment an excited man rushed ae the office and told the papice that the residence of Lawyer Benton, the richest, man ‘in the village, had been robbed while the _ family was away the previous day at Darien. _ “Tell Mr. Benton to call here and see me. You may also. tell him that his stolen property hag been recovered and i at my house. The thieves, however, have not been ar- far, though the constables are out looking for | Justice ‘Steele. “Young man,” added the btless he will wish to. reward you the matte i “MILLIONS IN IT.” ming to Sam, “I advise you to wait here till] The menfbers of the stranded stock company, Unger and the boys excepted, looked their surprise. Being ignorant of Sam’s connection with the stolen prop- erty, they could not understand what he had done to entitle him to any reward. Unger beckoned them out into the street and put them — wise to the matter, then he suggested that they return to— the hotel and stay there for dinner at any rate, proposing that all hands chip in to the extent of their resources, and that he would make wp whatever difference there was in the — landlord’s charge. : This suited the company, for they didn’t know what else — to do, so back they went to the hotel, and Unger tackled — the landlord, made terms with him, collected the amount — and paid it over in advance, as was necessary under the cir- : cumstances. Sam and Micky rernained at the office of the justice. In the course of half an hour an aytomobile stopped at the door and lawyer Benton walked in. 9 After saluting the justice, he said: “My man reported to me that the silver service, jewelry and other articles stolen from my house has heen re- covered.” : “That is a fact, Mr. Benton, and I congratulate you on your good fortune in getting them back. This young man, — whose name js Sharpley, is entitled to your thanks in the | matter. According to his story, the thieves would have carried your cane to Chicago but for him. He will explain everything to you,” said the magistrate. “Yl be glad to hear your story, young man,” said the lawyer. 4 Sam told it in a few words, — : “Upon my word, that was a clever ruse of yours,” said Lawyer Benton to Sam. “TI feel under the greatest obliga- tion to you. The property stolen was worth a great, deal more than $5,000. You shall not find me ungrateful. I wouldn’t. have lost that silver service for twice its value, — for it was made in France over 100 years ago for my grand- father, and has been in the family ever since. You a have my property at your house, Mr. Steele?” “Yes, sir. We will go there i Pll hand it over r to you,” * said the justice. “Thank you. Now, young man, you seem to he a stranger | in this village,” said the lawyer, looking at Sam. “Tam. I came here with the theatrical company whieh showed in the opera house last night. I am likely to re main here several hours at least, with the company, as th manager, owing to bad business, has left us all in the Turek » —in outer words stranded, with barely enough funds to, pay our way.” ee ee “Tndeed. Phat j is a bad buginess for you all. ‘é Pee “Yes, sit; it’s pretty tough on us.” eS oe “At least you shall have no cause to suffer. ike care of you. Are you an actor?” , “No, sir. I’m the property man and business sage This is my assistant, an Free.” at the hotel, where T ‘suppose your. c Hee is a If you are ge Mr. es we w. ill ae Ld
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The party boarded the auto and were soon at the tagis-| trate s home. "Lawyer Benton examined the contents of thé bag and said that, as far as he could see, moma taken;from his house was there. The bag was placed in the auto, gos started for the Benton residence. Sam went along, The boy was introduced by the lawyer to his family, , consisting of his wife, a pretty seventeen-year old daughter and a young son, as the person to whom they were indebted for the recovery of their property. Sam was regarded with a great deal of consideration. Nothing was said about his connection with the theatrical | profession. The lawyer took him into his library and told him that he thought his services were worth $1,000, and he proposed ~ to give him that sum. _ .Sam was rather dazed by the amount. He managed to say that he thought the lawyer was _ treating him better than he deserved. “Not at all,” replied Mr. Benton. “TI will take you to the bank presently and draw it for you.” The lawyer then inquired about Sam’s connection with _ the company, and asked him what kind of an aggregation it was. Sam told him how he came to join Downey Grab’s outfit, ‘which was solely for the purpose of learning how to run a company himself, as his ambition was to become a theatrical “manager. © here’s millions in it,” he said, “if you can put out an attraction that will hit the public. I intend to be a success- ful manager some day, but, of course, I have to begin’ at the - bottom of the ladder and ‘climb. ee “There is certainly money in the ‘theatrical business if one has ‘the ability to make it a success, just as there is a for- tune in any other large enterprise for the man who is built ‘the right way,” said the lawyer. “You look smart, and if you are fitted for the theatrical business I see no reason why you should not succeed. The thousand dollars I shall resently turn over to you may be the nucleus from which “ you ‘will carve a fortune, but it will all depend on your- self, Now I am also inclined to do something for these people who have been thrown over by their manager. You say you had no house last night.” ’ €No, sir. It was an awful frost,” said Sam. “Well, I will use my influence to get you up a benefit at e opera house.” _ “They would appreciate your kindness very ouch. The majority of them have no money at all, and would have to walk out of the village unless I came to their aid, which, of course, I would do. I would allow none of them to suffer Pas Jong as I had a cent,” said Sam, earnestly. a Yow could put on the same. piece that you played last night, since as you had a poor audience it would be as new to the people : as eas else. What was the name of the play? ©The fights of a Great City,” replied Sam. “It’s a irring melodrama. We have three other pieces in our Meee eed ee een aa ieee a Ce a a i aa ea DE ¢ town, changing th nightly. “MILLIONS IN IT.” epertory. We use them when we play three nights in a|me, which I think they might do as they wor : Peshaps: the Raine here! hold ua aes only for ~ 5 would prefer a rural draina. called ‘Down on the Farm.’ ” “You ean suit yourselves. We have a very good one Have. a talk with the com- pany, and then call at my office on Main Street—anybody will tell you where it is—before half-past four, and 1 will go into the benefit with you.” 2 “All right, Mr. Benton, but there’s no doubt but the company will accept your proposition joyfully, for they — need the money,” said Sam. Sam was iny ited to remain at the lawyer’s house for an - early lunch, after which Mr. Benton took him to the bank in his auto and handed him the $1,000. CHAPTER IX. THE STARTLING IDEA OF MILLIONS IN IT. Sam found the company holding a symposium on the hotel veranda, and he laid before them ims proposition of’ the proposed ‘benefit, Needless to say that the offer was accepted by acclama- tion, and the Thespians voted the lawyer a brick and en- titled to their most grateful thanks. Sam said that he would attend to all the arrangements with Mr. Benton, and that he did not doubt but they would have a. good house. “Tt can’t take place before to-morrow night, and in the meanwhile how are we going to fix things with the landlord i here?” asked Johnson. “Don’t worry about that,” replied Sam. “I’m going to talk to him now. Tf he kicks P’ll refer him to Mr. Benton.” Sam went inside and interviewed the boniface. When he heard that Mr. Benton was going to engineer a benefit for the stranded people be became -quite affable, for the lawyer was the most important person in Plainfield. | All he wanted was some assurance of the fact. “ “Pl see that you get it, Mr, Thompson, » said Sam. “In fact, if the benefit is a good one we may pay half of the bill that the manager jumped, though we are in no ia Te sponsible for it.” The prospect of recovering half of his loss put the land- lord in excellent humor, and his grouch against the protes- sionals disappeared entirely. “Did yez get somethin’ from the lawyer for savin’ his property ?” asked Micky, when Sam left the landlord. “Yes; he acted quite liberal with me. He is a perfect gentleman, » said Sam. Ae “How much did yez get! pP - “Td rather not say, Micky; but it was more than T ex- — pected.” “T s’pose we'll get enough out of the benefit to give us a lift. Now that we have the scenery and props the people are figurin’ on runnin’ the show on the commonwealth plan, 3 with yez as actin’ manager,” said Macky. “ “T have a different plan: 2 “Whet-is it?” : oe “Tf the company will a the desnety a rope a ri Ton the
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‘ 16 ; GaSe ert -™manager, and be responsible for everything, including salary, from this time out.” “Do yez think it'll pay yez to take the risk? Thim rail- roads ate up a lot of the profits. I heard Downey Grab say wanst that if it wasn’t for transportation charges and hotel expinses he’d make a fortune. “T have no doubt he would make money. It’s easy enough to cheat the company out of their salaries, but you can’t get tick from the railroads or the boarding houses. My idea is to do away with the railroads and the boarding- houses so oe the company will have a surer chance for their money.” “Do away wid the railroads and boardin’-houses!” ex- claimed: Micky in a tone of astonishment. “How would yez cover your route, and how would we ate and slape?” } “Don’t you worry. We wouldn’t have to walk, and we'd ‘have three square meals and a bed apiece,” said Sam, con- _ fidently, “Begorra, then it’s a magician yez are. happy times for the profession. whole year around at that rate.” “Well, Vl let you into my secret later on. lions in it, and I’ve got more ideas than one,” “Faith, if yez can do as yez say yez must be a b’y of ideas.” Sam and Micky returned to the professionals, who were now fully decided on continuing the tour on their own hook with Sam as the manager. | The expected benefit ought to furnish them with enough _ funds to give them all the start they wanted. - Sam butted in and told them that he was going to run the ‘show himself, on his own responsibility, if they agreed to sign with him at about the same salaries Grab had promised, but failed to pay them. “We wouldn’t mind having you for our angel, Sharpley, - but where is your money coming from?” asked Robinson. “The lawyer has backed me,” answered Sam. “The dickens he has!” exclaimed all in.one voice, much astonished. © “But! the understanding is that you are to present me Thim would be We could stay out the There’s mil- with the’ scenery and props, in return for which V’ll guaran- tee that the ghost will walk every Monday afternoon, unless business gets so bad that no money is taken in at all, which I hardly think will be the case,” said Sam. ~ “We'll go with you,” said J ohnson, Beta 2 do you say, ladies and gents ?” There wasn’t a note of dissent. Salaries, low but sure, were preferable to the precarious | commonwealth plan, which guaranteed nothing. “The full particulars of the new season I’ll disclose to niet “you after the benefit. They will rather surprise you, but I _ think your chances of remaining out under my arrange- ments will be better than under a dozen managers like Grab,” said) Sam: Pg! We don’t said Polonius Kerr, f ' “Grab be blessed ! He’ $a regular barnacle. . vis want to hear any more about him,” ‘MILLIONS IN IT.” Mr. Benton said he had already spoken to a number 0 his, friends’and acquaintances, and they had agreed to come with their families, Fox, at his request, had consented to loan the hall at th bare cost of running it for the night. Half the village would hear about the benefit befere tha bills were out, so that only a moderate amount of adver= tising would be necessary. ® As soon as the benefit matter had been settled Sam aske the lawyer wit the canal-boat in the creek belonged to. “To me,” said Mr. Benton. “Are you using it?” “No. I have no use for it. nobody wanted it.” “What will you take for it?” f “Who wants it?” ea sey, do. 2. S “You!” exclaimed the surprised degen: SEVReR Satine, - ee |: “What use can you make of her?” Ae “T'll tell you. My plan is to fit the hold up with dees ; ing and eating accommodations for the company, which is, going out in a few days under my management, and on the deck I intend to build a small stage at one end, using the) rest of the deck as far as the house cabin for the auditorium, which I shall enclose with a roof and sides of canvas to protect the audience from the weather,” said Sam. “That. is the first one of several ideas I have for making a ae ; out of the theatrical business.” Mr. Benton sat back in his chair and stared at the vot ot “Upon my word, that is quite an original idea of me A | to conduct a marine theatre, but the question is, will 4 pay?” he said, ‘ “TJ feel sure that it will. I will be able to do away. etl railroad transportation to a cohsiderable extent, also hotel) and boarding-hotse charges. I can get the people to work) for lower salaries by furnishing them with board and resi-) dence. It is a novel idea and will appeal to the company at! the start, and if the idea does not grow upon them I shall) be surprised. We can be a sort of happy family. We can) keep out all year around, thus affording permanent employ- ment to people who ordinarily are lucky if they are work- ing half the time. The chances are all in favor of the ab getting their money, whereas under the management of such | rascals ag ene se Grab they received more promises ‘than! lucre.” “That’s all very well, Sharpley, but you will be obliged | to tour only the waterways of the States hereabouts.” “Not necessarily. After we get on our feet we can, after playing a river town, tour the immediate neighborhood. by short rail trips, or even by wagon, leaving the boat anchored till our return in charge of a watchman. While on the! boat I will save the customary thirty-five per cent. that _ T’ve tried to sell it, but proprietors of opera houses ask, I hee get the ig re: ceipts, see?” ie ay “Do you think Hecalie ed patronize a marine sient af “Why not. They will do it if only for ee ae
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“MILLIONS IN It. ae . eh oe “How do you propose to sail your boat from one point to » another? You can’t always find a tug.” | “T shall charter a tug for an sede time, and keep it with me. I dare say VAL be able to find a small one at Darien that will suit the purpose.” “Tt will cost you something to build your stage and other- wise fit the canal-boat up. I suppose you will use the deck cabin for a cook house and your own private quarters?” “Thats my idea. At the start I shall persuade the women to do the cooking by turn—it will tickle them for awhile. I'll hire a good carpenter, and talk the actors into helping him do the work, under his directions. It will be recreation for them, for it won't last long enough to dampen _ their enthusiasm in the enterprise. I, will needa scene painter to furnish the proscenium and the drop curtain, as well as to touch up the cloths we have, perhaps paint one or two fresh ones. In fact I propose to maké use of my people is a play that appeals to every one. Don’t miss this Oppor- tunity of seeing a play that will live in your memories for manyea day. Dowt on the Farm’ is a gem—a True Story — of Human Hearts. The cast is a strong one, embracing the — entire company. Prices 10, 20, 30 cents. Reserved oe 5 on sale at Brown’s drug. and Carter’s stationery stores.” Sam and Micky spent the best part of the morningybilling the village for the benefit. They found that most of the ‘people knew about it already, for the news had flown from mouth to mouth. — The bills, however, told them the particulars, and as a pastoral drama had not visited that place in many moons — they felt a strong desire to witness “Down on the Farm.” — After dinner, the two boys, with a few bills in their . clothes, started for the suburbs to circulate them among the farmers and their hired hands, i Unger and Robinson went.on the same errand in the to help me out, as the scheme ought to be to their advantage} opposite direction, while the rest of the masculine per- as well as my own,” said Sam. Before the boy ‘had finished unfolding his plans, the lawyer, who had a leaning towards the drama,. became somewhat enthused over the idea, too, He told Sam that if he ran short of funds in getting his ‘marine theatue started. he would loan him enough to see - him through. + Sam thanked him, but said he hoped to tae able to pull through without a Toa. - “Darien is a large town, and I intend to ie the com- pany a week there while we are fitting up the boat, which _ I shall have towed down there the day after to-morrow if ~ you will sell the boat cheap.” . “You can have the boat for nothing, Sharpley, and _ welcome. I see no prospect of selling it except for firewood, _ If you can turn it to the use you are thinking of why take it. _, It will save you the cost of buying another elsewhere.” “That is very kind of you, Mr. Benton, and I appreciate _* your generosity very much. Everything counts at the start, and even with the boat as a gift.it will take about all of the Hah, 000, and most of what I expect to pull in at Darien during next week, to get under way.” Pah “T should judge it will; but if you need more don’t fail to. wire me and [ will see that you get Sereret you may / need.” That ended the interview. . The lawyer went off home in his auto while Sam returned he the hotel, after stopping at the Clarion office and handing in csoeY for the benefit printing. ' pix 3 7 t CHAPTER X. ie b SAM GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS. “next morning, read:, “Tonight at the opera house. benefit will be tendered to the members of the late Dowtiey. Geb Stock Co., who are stranded in the village. : The]. committee 4 in charge of the affair has selected the beauti- ( rawing crowded. pale yale sek ‘distribute the bills among such of the: oe population as Ai The pills for the benefit, which were delivered at seven they could, reach, ire ful pastoral drama of “Down on the Farm’ for representa- Then he uttered a howl, tore) the bill into pieces and This drama. thas been played by various companies | anode at the bi ‘ : ug out the United States: ‘for more than 3,000 nights, ie formers went out on the north and south, sides of Plainfield. All had a common interest in drumming up a big house. On their way, Sam and Micky came in sight of the canal- boat in the. creek, and the former thought it a good chance to look the boat over. : He told Micky all about his scheme of a marine theatre, and the Trish lad was quite taken with the idea, “Begorra, it’s a great head yez have, Sam,” he said. .: “Sure our people will fale as happy as clams at low tide. No hustlin’ to catch a train after the show, wid a walk to the boardin’-house at the nixt stoppin’ place in prospect. All they’ll have to do will’be to slape, and ate, and dress for - the show, and draw their salaries on Monday afternoon. Faith, i'l he a regular pienic for this, so it will.” The boys went ‘all over the boat, and Sam explained where the bunks for the men would be placed, and where _| those for the three women would go, with a dividing parti- tion between with a door. “The two sleeping-rooms will answer for dressing-rooms as well, and they’ll be right under the stage, with a ladder apiece to reach it through a trap opening,” said Sam. “Aft of the sleeping quarters will be the dining-room, provided — with a long stationary table, with a bench on either side in _ place of chairs. ‘The main hatch will have to be done away with and boarded over, as it will come about in the center of the auditorium. T’ll have a small hatch made in the floor of the deck cabin, with a flight of stairs so that the ~ dishes and food can be carried down that way. And Ill have the hold lighted and ventilated with a dozen small | windows cut in the sides just under the deck. At night we'll use lamps to illuminate the whole boat.” Sete They spent some time on the boat, and then they left to sy As they were aiming for a certain Aidbonge itioy saw Under the auspices of|in the near distance, they spied a very countrified ak _ My, George’ Benton and leading citizens of Plainfield aj coming toward them with an axe over his shoulder. ‘They stopped him and ganded him a bill of the show. The farmer looked at it curiously.) . He read in big letters: “To-night at the Opa, enon .
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SS sf —— “Sam was asuihes at the farmer’s sundae “What's the matter? Why did you destroy that play- * bill?” he asked. _ The ruralite swung his axe-handle menacingly. “Get out of my way, you play-actors, or [ll bu’st your heads open,” he cried. “He’s as amad as a Mareh ioaae said Micky. “The con- stables ought to be here to take charge of him or he'll be after doin” some wan an injury.” With an angry roar the farmer tried to carry out his threat, Sam grabbed the axe by the handle, while Micky seized . the hayseed around the waist from behind, The boys found the husky chap a mighty hard proposition to handle. Fortunately for them two horsemen hove in sight at that moment, The newcomers rode hastily upon the scene, dismounted and interfered in the struggle. They were the Hea constable of Plainfield and one of his assistants, “What's the trouble?” asked Constable White. are you fighting with these boys, Pettigrew?” “Sure the man is plum crazy, sor,” said Micky. “Play actors!” cried the farmer, pointing his finger at them. | Sam explained the situation. ; The constable laughed. “Why “The sight of an actor or a play bill has the same effect. on Pettigrew as a red flag on a bull,” he said. “Why does it?” asked Sam. “Is he off his base?” “T think he is, a little. Four actors stopped at his farm all last summer, and never paid him a cent after the first -) week. They told him that they were big actors from Chi- cago, and that they expected money from there every day. In the end they decamped, leaving two cheap trunks filled _ with stones behind. Since then nobody dares mention an actor to hiyn, for it would end in a row.” » “Oh!” said Sam. “Well, we’re not actors. We’re just _ distributing the bills for the benefit at the opera house _ to-night. The farmer’s attack on us was unwarranted. We could have him arrested, but I guess we'll let him go this time if he apologizes.” The farmer, somewhat mollified by Sam’s statement, _ made an apology and continued on his way, leaving the con- stable and his assistant with the boys. ‘The village guardian asked Sam if he was the boy who re- covered Lawyer Benton’s stolen property from the thieves. Sam admitted that he was, and gave the constable all of _ the facts. _ Then he and Micky continued on their way. ~The stranded company had a rousing benefit that eve- ning, the opera house being filled to its capacity. Even at that the total receipts only amounted to $115, Z on account of the low prices of ‘admission. Professor Smith donated his ¢prvices, and in addition to dental music hug the drama. | to the sympathies and is devoid of clap-trap; “Ten Nights shing the music between the acts, played. ail the inci- cd Seo night. “MILLIONS IN IT.” That earned him another recall, and he performed “The’ Mocking Bird,” with variations, « The audience, who appreciated-his artistic performance, wave him a regular ovation, and he had to show himself twice again before the performance was allowed to proceed. The expenses of the show were small, and when the net receipts were divided evenly, each person got about $10. 1 That wasn’t a whole lot, but it was more than some of them had since the second week of the tour. | Next morning Sam called them together and explained. his plan to them. He asked them if they were willing to embark in it. | They were, but wanted to know what he was going to de- duct for board and bunk, “Two dollars a week each for sleeping accommodations,” replied Sam. “As for eating, the most satisfactory way will be to make mess charges. I will purchase all that is — nécessary in the way of good wholesome food and other things, keeping a regular book account of the same. At the end of each week ‘the account will be added up and each person on board will be assessed pro rata to settle it. That will reduce the cost of board to a fair and equitable stand- ~ ard. The ladies of the company can volunteer to act as cook by turns, or we will hire one. In the latter“case her wages will have to be met by an extra assessment.” The ladies declared they would do the cooking to gaye money, “How long will it take you to get started?” asked ‘Rota son. Eee * About a week,” replied Sam. “And we'll have to lay off during that time?” “Not if I can secure the opera house in Darien I am_ going there by the ten o’clock train to make arrangements for at least three nights if possible. As it is a‘manufactur- — ing town of some size I think we ought to do well.” “When do you expect to get back—to-night?” asked Unger. Fg “Possibly; if not I'll return to-morrow.” Sam went on to Darien, twelve miles away, alone. = Before he went he and Micky took the full measurements — of the canal-boat, and he carried the figures with him. — When he reached Darien the first thing he did was to Re call on the proprietor of the opera house. vai He introduced himself as he manager of Sharpley’s Stock Co. . baat The owner of the opera house told him that he had the whole of the next week open, and could give agi any pets e or nights he wanted. . «Thursday, Friday and Saturday are the best nights for a good show,” he said. “Saturday matinee always draws, too, if the bill is such as will attract ladies and beresc : What have you got to offer?” #P “We have four plays: ‘Lights of a Great City? a city melodrama ; “Down on the Farm,” a rural play that appeals i in a Bar-room,’ and an old fayorite, and “The Girl of ae Gulch’, a wild west drama.” “They ought to draw here, if you have a good soe 1 . for three nights and a matinee, starting Thursday with the | city melodrama, following it with “Ten Nights,’ putting drama 3 {on the rural play at the matinee, and the Western aid best cat beets aeht As),
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“MILLIONS IN IT.” for you'll catch the factory people, and they like something strong,” said the proprietor. “T’ll guarantee that my company is above the average,” said Sam. “I suppose all managers say the same thing.” “They certainly do. We've got to take them as they come, in the intervals between shows of acknowledged merit, or keep the house dark. I can’t afford to be too particular, especially at this time, when three dates in succession were cancelled on me—two of them Al shows that were to play one night this week and two next. The other, which I know nothing about, went to pieces last Monday at Dex- ter, from which circumstances [ apprehend we did not lose a great deal. Under these conditions you are sure to do _business next week if your people and plays are half-way mods “T’m glad to hear it. Ill fill in Thursday to Saturday of next week at sixty-five per cent. What is. the seating eapacity of the house?” “Nearly 600, but 100 more can find standing room with- out blocking the aisles, which the law. forbids.” _ Sam asked a lot of questions, and among other things __ he learned that the proprietor furnished an orchestra of ” three pieces, which could be supplemented by mutual ar- tangement; titat his stock of scenery consisted of . eight sets, comprising a garden, wood, landscape, street, dungeon, cottage, parlor and a salon with large entrance, which could - be backed either with the garden or the parlor cloth; that the house was lighted throughout with electricity ; that 4 there were two real dressing-rooms under the stage; and that he furnished one stage helper. The boy also learned that there were two papers in the _ town, one of which, the Times, came out every other day, and ‘the other once a week, and that the proprietor of the operashouse owned the bill-posting boards. ‘ hat ‘paper’ have you?” asked the proprietor. Sam had to admit.that he had no printing at all, and then _ explained that the former manager of the show had skipped ~ hack to Chicago, and he had taken charge of the company ~ himself and was starting anew. ~ fe “Last: night we plaved to the capacity of the Plainfield opera house, and the people are resting till [ can open up a _ new route, » he said. The proprietor looked rather glum at that, for it didn’t - speak well for the show, and he inight have refused to take Sam on but for the fact that he was hard up for an at- traction. . _“T dare say J can get out what printing is required at an office here,” went on Sam. “I can pay for the best.” “Yes, you can do that. I shall want four stands, 15 ioe sheets, 50 1-shects, 50 one-half sheets, besides the usual : small bills, and I ought to have 75 lithos, but of course you can’t furnish them. ll go half on the newspapers.” “Vl put out a wagon, with a painted frame-work, and _ our band inside. That ought to advertise the show well,” _ said Sam. ee “That will be fet vate. You can ‘send it gars the ees streets and the business streets, and at night through the residential section.” “Say, as you tell me Saturday night of this sick is open, ry what's the matter with our opening at the matinee with en Nights’ and. putting « on neg a Great City” in the ping? The house : = return-on Thursday, Friday and eeeey of next ; vee with a change of bill.” “That’s all right, provided you give a good show on Saturday, otherwise there will be no use of you Bs ra next week,” “Pll take the risk, It will be an advantage to you to see what kind of company I have.” ‘ “All right, but it will take extra printing in case I agree © to the other dates.” “That's right. It will pay.” The matter was duly arranged, and Sam hastened off to the largest printing plant in town and left his. order, - paying a bonus to have it all turned out by morning. aaa He ordered some cards to be printed that sferar00ns as he itttended to call at the newspaper offices as soon as possi-— ble. While waiting: for them he went down to the river front rand inquired about a tug. He found there were two, one of which was laid up for lack of work, and which would answer his purpose. He arranged with the owner to go down to the creek and bring the canal-boat to Darien, together with his coms pany, all their effects and the baggage. eer He then telegraphed instructions to Micky. After that he returned to the printing office and got his cards, He visited the newspaper offices and saw the dramatic — editors of each, and talked his show up. Then he arranged for an advertisement in each, By that time it was after five, so he went to a hens hotel and registered... & rand. they decided on a a subject, between “the CHAPTER XI. THE OPENING OF SAM'S MARINE THEATRE. , The ‘paper’ was promptly delivered at the opera house. by nine next morning, and the proprietor called on his poster to put it out, This expense was to be charged up against the show. Sam looked up a carpenter and builder, gave him the dimensions of the canal-boat, told him what he wanted done, and asked him to estimate on the job. — i He called on two other carpenters, submitted his pares cations, and requested a bid from each. . Then he called on the proprietor of the opera hoiise, who carried on a hardware store under the theatre, which was on _ the second floor, and after a short talk about the show in _ hand, asked him if there was a scene painter in town, a Yes, the man who painted some of my scenery has.a house-painting shop around the corner. thing in the scenic line he'll do it up in good soe and cheap for cash,” said the proprietor. “T’ll go around and see him,” said Sam, and he aia He told the painter what he wanted done, and the - man said he could do it all right, and, anything else in m thee theatrical painting line. ave Sam gave him the dimensions of the canvas ‘that was. to be used for the proscenium—thres pieces, to he put. together later on the framework... ‘ He also furnished him with the_size of the Aarop-eurtan, Tf-you want any-
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N aples, with Vesuvius i in the distance, and the town in the background. "The most important object was to be a fishing-smack, in a the middle foreground, with several gaudy-looking sailors on her; the whole brilliantly lighted up with sunset effects. . Sam paid him a suitable deposit and then went down to the office of the tug owner to see if he had sent the tug to ’ the creek. The tug had gone... Then Sam made arrangements with an expressman for ‘so many hours continuous service as soon as he could get the framework built, and the canvas ee job he had also, . given to the painter. Bo a “MILLIONS IN IT? spent the afternoon in driving pane with the bass: and” snare drummer. In the meantime Sam had viloted the carpenter abet to the canal- boat, and they went over the plans again, which required some alteration, The stage was to overlap the bows of the boat a few feet on either side, and was to have a depth of ten feet inside the curtain or proscenium line, in front of which it was to {extend two feet more. The opening was to be nearly the full width of the boat, ’ and ten feet high, and there would be three feet of space in the flies for hanging the scenery. . The customary grooves, were to be provided for im the: - He got the address of a cheap beastie Rok from the proprictor of\the opera house, called there and arranged for _ keep of the company as soon’ as they arrived. -. Then he went to his hotel for lunch, and found the estimates of the three carpenters awaiting him. ‘He went over them carefully, while at the table, and finally selected the lowest bidder. After lunch he called on him and made a contract with him. He walked around and inspected some of the posting, all of which was up. He felt like a real -manager as he gazed on the big bills which informed the public that Sharpley’s Stock Company, from Chicago, would play “Ten Nights in a Bar-room” _ at the matinee, and “Lights. of a Great City” in the evening, De at Lowe’s Opera House, on the following day. The tri-weekly paper, which came out that afternoon, commented favorably on the Sharpley Stock Co. For lack of afthentic information, and in consideration of the advertisement, the editor had accepted Sam’s flatter- ing tale of his show, and printed it. aA The Weekly Blade would be out next morning, and Sam f had no doubt he would receive a etna ar as: notice ee thats | ‘ As a matter of fact he did. morning on the canal-boat, The baggage was sent to the opera house and the com- pany to the boarding- house, At nine o’clock the express wagon appeared i in front of the opera house, with its large tr ‘ansparency roughly lettered | . - in red and black, as follows, on both sides, and the rear POCREb 12% “Matinee, ‘two p. m., “Ten Nights in a Barroom.’—This eve- dp ‘ama of city life. cia ee Prices, 10, 20 and 30 cents.”| The : their instruments, _ supple- ith ; a bass: and state ig icaare combined, got in, Micky, the company, and the baggage arrived early neat ' ce - entas Opera House—Sharpley’ s ‘Stock Company— supper in ‘good spirits. ning at Bight, Lights of a Great City—A Thrilling Melo- fot hig louse hat tienthg. for e eight. ever, knowing they would have to stand at ad ba ck | house, or along the side walls. wings, and when completed it promised to be quite a practi- - eal. little theatre. Sam returned to the hotel for lunch, and then went di. rectly to the opera house. Already there was a line of small thot! and some girls’, respectably attired, waiting for the box office to open.’ — The proprietor supplied both a box clerk and a door ~ tender, and all Sam had to do was to stand on the door anes keep watch for his own ‘interests, _ The company had already arrived and were petting ready. Sam’ had tipped them off to do their best, as everything depended on the show given that afternoon and evening. ' 4 Modern costumes being mostly used in both pieces, their’ small stock sufficed to see them through. Micky and the regular stage hand were able to do alll ‘ie, : work, so there was no cause for Sam to worry himself about.- that. aes Stage manager Johnson would see » that everything: went c right. i The opera house was well filled when ‘the overture ee * and the ladies and- young people were titers in in en- couraging numbers. ne: When the curtain rose on the first act there was 8 not an ‘ empty seat left. At the close of the first act Sam went to the box office to count the house. * His share amounted to $91, which he received. Between the third and fourth act he treated the audience to his cornet solo, and, as usual, scored a hit. The company gave a good pertommarite of “Ten Nights in a Barroom,” and the spectators were satisfied they, had got the worth of their money. . The actors went hack to the la for the He was not disappointed. The sign S. R. 0, (standing room only) war mt out e- “People continued to buy general sdasegon ‘ele a ees vaaiebee $102 from. the Co yaye as: his si
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ut on his book he properly deducted the amount from his Teceipts. L The actors were not under regular contract with him yet, and would not be until his marine theatre began its ‘watery tour. ‘They were to pay their own board and receive pay only por the preformances in which they took part. 'Sam got his other three dates for the following week, i on Monday he got out fresh printing, and arranged for the paper he intended to use on his water route. He engaged the expressman for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and had a new transparency lettered, _ The band was to accompany it as before, During the week Sam passed most of his time on the ‘eanal-boat keeping the carpenters and painters on the hustle, and by Friday the marine theatre was finished. As the: entire exterior of the boat had to be painted, and he hold thoroughly cleaned and whitewashed, he put all ie male memberé*of the show at work doing ik beginning m Monday. -For this service he agreed to pay them the same as if they formed on the first three nights. The Lights of a Great City” was repeated on Thureday to a full ‘house. en Nights ina ex enen”, enjoyed good business on ay night. Down on the Farm” filled the theatre at the Saturday natinee, and “The Girl of Golden Gulch” drew another packed house in the evening. — The four performances brought Sam in $375, wat a tal of $568 for the six. : fter settling all expenses for the six ¢ shows, fnaiedling even. ~ days’ salary to his company, at the Downey Grab ate, | he found he had made a profit of $200. ~ Seats for about 300 people had been put aboard the boat, on Sunday morning everything was ready for the er of the company to their new quarters, e Times printed an interesting story of the marine atre on Wednesday, and that. attracted many people to wharf where the canal-boat was moored in the hands he carpenters and painters. reporter of the Saturday Blade phokeneeanat the ly completed theatre on Friday afternoon, and a half- e reproduction of it apes next morning in the paper, another story. \ rought quite a crowd on Sunday morning. termined to take advantage of it, and he put up a ouncing that a special performance would be given ernoon—admission. 10, 20 and 30 cents. as sorry now that he. had not advertised a show in le, but the idea had not struck him in time. ver, whatever was taken in would be clear gain, even} ‘only a slim attendance. — that a performance would be given at the new the morning, and as a result so many people could not all be admitted, at ine a de box ea he had] ee - @\FILLIONS IN IT” : Sieh era SeereNas ieeh do it?” was circulated around by those who visited |, 21° < Between these there was an olio which commenced with a) Sam’s cornet solo, with piano accompaniment. Then followed a vaudeville sketch given by Charley — Unger and the soubrette, after which several of the other Ke performers gave recitations and a scene from one of — Shakespeare’s plays. Altogether the first performance on the marine theatre was a big success. The scene painter was engaged on three new scenes, and as it would take the whole of the coming week to finish them, and touch up the old ones, Sam decided to advertise another performance for Wednesday night, He announced that “Down on the Farm” would ‘be re- peated, and the play drew a full house, at least fifty people being obliged to stand. He took in $85. He had no opera house owner to divide with now, con- sequently the gross receipts went into his pocket. Sam Sharpley’s “Marine Theatre” thus started under very encouraging auspices. / * CHAPTER XII. THE MARINE THEATRE ON ITS ROUTE. “Begorra, if yéz kin draw the people like yez did on Sunday and last night yez will do mighty well, Um thinkin’,” said Micky, on Thursday morning. “Yes, I did very well, but I can’t Pea to always have a full house,” said Sam. “Oh, I dunno. — Faith, tas is a set novelty, and ri bet people will come to the boat that might not goto the Are yez goin’ to give another show on Satur- opera house. day night?” “Td like to, but there’s a big attraction at Lowe’s theatre rc on Saturday—a New York company in ‘The Girl and the — Curl.’ We've done this town pretty well, and I don’t know that they will stand for any more from us, suas med as I have nothing new to offer.” ° “Where do yez open nixt?” “At Leesville, ten miles down the river. I’m on taking the boat down theré for a show on Saturday — night. The scenery we are waiting for can be sent to us fiat { i by rail next week. We don’t need it for “Down on the Farm,’ so I could put that on the bill for Saturday night.” “That would be just the thing, begorra. Sam called on the owner of the tugboat and told him. | the marine temple of the drama down to Leesville. ) After dinner, leaving the boat in charge of Micky, he took the train for the next town, with a bundle of small printing, " ‘for “he didn’t believe that’ the proprietor of the Trgesville opera house would rent him his billboards. - : Reaching his destination, he registered at one of the. it hotels for the night, and started out to learn. what, af any : attraction he would be up against on Saturday. The germs showed him that a eT omps at tga that his contract would begin next day when he was to tow. er: Why don’t hie si
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8 He hired an expressman for Saturday, and gave a painter - an order for a transparency reading as follows: - “Sharpley’s Stock Co.—At the New Marine Theatre, Taylor’s Wharf—Matinee to-day at two: “Down on the Farm’—to-night at eight: ‘Girl ‘of Golden Gulch.’— Popular Prices 10, 20 and 30 cents. Change of bill for Sunday matinee and night.” “Then he telegraphed Micky to bring on the show and make fast to Taylor’s wharf, where he had secured dockage. Leesville had two weekly newspapers, one of which eame — out on Saturday. Next morning he went to the office of that paper and in- serted an advertisement, saw the editor and talked up his show. Then he hired a stout boy to help him with a pastepot and a bunch of single-sheet posters which read: “'T'o-night —Sharpley’s Stock Company.—At the Marine Theatre on the river front—Popular Prices 10, 20, 30 cents.” Over the word “To-night” he put a paster reading: “Saturday and Sunday afternoon at Two, Hvening at eight,” and at the bottom, “Taylor’s Wharf.” He slapped these up all over town where he ¢ould find a vacant and suitable spot, and they attracted a lot of atten- tion, He missed his dinner at the hotel, as he didn’t: finish till - about four o’clock, but a restaurant furnished him with a + méal as soon as he was done. Then he went down to the wharf and found that his float- ing show had just arrived. Quite a bunch of curious people had gone down to Tay- lor’s wharf to see what the marine theatre was, and were in time to see the tug bring it down the river with the band playing at intervals and the streamers labeled “Sharpley’s Stock Co.” and the “Marine Theatre,” flying fore and aft. The crowd on the wharf increased as the music drew the people to the water front. - Micky put out a big sign which informed everybody that a dramatic show would be given on:the following afternoon and evening, and also on Sunday. Spectators kept coming to the wharf, and as it grew dark >) the’ J apanese lanterns suspended from stem to stern were lighted, just as if a show was on. “The floating theatre was advertised around the town by everybody who had been down at the wharf. It was a new idea in theatricals, and the people were _ curious to visit it. er Py th They could go to the opera house any time there was an attraction there, but the marine theatre would only be in Leesville over Saturday and Sunday. _ Another crowd of idlers was on hand in the morning. The express wagon came down there to get the band, as after which it paraded the principal streets. The advance agent for the repertory show that was to | give the matinee and evening performance at the opera house visited the wharf about the time the wagon started. He inquired vod the manager, al Sam was pointed out, me 7% ; to. him. Are you Mr. Shaislay' ?” he sled “That's my name,” said Sam. * é “My name is Nick Whiffle. I’m advance agent for the our ie a plays the opera, house this bh wile Juctantly obliged to turn them away. hand you. f Ky “MILLIONS IN IT.” - ee oe “Glad to know. you, Mr. Whifile. Step aboard.” The advance agent accepted the invitation, for he was curious to see what the marine theatre amounted to. The auditorium was covered in with canvas, and ven- tilated like a circus tent. Three hundred folding camp-chairs, with backs, faced the | stage, with an aisle in the center. The stanch supports that held up the canvas were painted white and decorated with small flags, and to each was se-— cured a lamp with a reflector. The curtain was up, showing the setting of the first act of | “Down on the Farm,” which was to be given at the matinee, | Everything was bright, clean and attractive. “Upon my word, you have a nobby little theatre,” the: . agent was obliged to admit. “But I don’t see how you can — do much business down on the river front when you have ; opposition at the opera house.” “Maybe you'll see this afternoon.._I give a matinee at : two, and so does your company. You have had all the ad- vantage of the boardings and earlier posting, but I’ve done — my best to advertise my show since I came to town Thurs-~ day night. This theatre is a novelty and ought to draw. Besides I have a good company. ‘'They’re actors, not ham- fatters.” ER “You board your people on shore, don’t you?” mee te “No, The hold of the boat is fitted up as living ried ments, sleeping and dressing-rooms.’ ahr! “Ts this your own scheme?” pe “Tt is—one of my ideas for the =e of making a million in the show business.” “A million in the show business, eh?” seiiiad the oP vance man. “Why not? There’s millions in it. It only needs a per gon with ideas to dig it out.” “Tt takes something besides ideas—money and nerve.” “Half of the traveling managers. depend wholly on the latter.” 4 The agent grinned. : “T hope you'll have a igi this afternoon, but i'm afraid we'll keep the crowd away from you,” he said, “Tm not worrying about that. T think fae marine thea- ter will get its share.” — Nar The advance agent didn’t believe it. His company had a New York attraction, and he was. oe the opinion that no other show could buck against it StlCs ” cesstully. Sam treated him, and then they parted. oh: a The ladies of the marine show had dinner ready Ee the express wagon brought the male contingent back from the parade at half past twelve. — Before dinner was over a crowd began to collect on tt wharf, which grew rapidly with numerous accessions. Women ide children were in the majority. Sam began selling tickets at a quarter-past one, and the people fairly stormed the portable box office on the wharf. At twenty minutes of two every seat in the house vas taken, and the 8, R. O. sign was displayed. va o Finally even standing room was at a Weg nc every available place having been taken. Ladies and children were still \ agatha and Sam “was Sire coat As it was a warn day, and fans were in rec
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his audience a coo! sail w hile the show went on. = He communicated with the man in charge of the tug. + The banked fire was started up, and by the time the first act was’on the marine Show was under way down the “river. The sail was an excepenied luxury, and the shine | were delighted with it. ' The show at the opera house in the meantime had a very lim attendance. _ Some of the people turned away from the marine theatre went there late, but altogether it looked like a frost. ' Sam took in nearly $100, and he got every cent of it. _ The boat returned to the wharf before the last act was finished and was made fast again. After supper the band played for awhile, and by seven here was a rapidly accumulating mob on the dock all wait- At fifteen mintites to eight Sam. had sold as many admis- lons as he oh for every seat, sia and corner of the The opera house had a very poor Saturday night crowd. hen it came to a showdown the marine theatre had pered the patronage. CHAPTER XIII. DOWN THE ILLINOIS. kor cake cys to baie say We certainly are. If I turned one person away I’ve ed a hundred at both shows.” “Sure thim as was turned away kin come to-morrow.’ ee great many of them were people who probably do not patronize a show on Sunday.” Thin they will lose a trate. I'll bet lots of people who Idn’t.go to the opera house on Sunday would visit the . Ii’s just like a to a Island at New ae 2 “MILLIONS “eenccived the idea of casting off from the wharf, and giving} a long time to reach’ that. \ IN IT” < on our route, and they have towns and villages on them, Can’t we take thim in? above St, Louis can’t we go all the way up that? down ag’in to the Missouri. back. And thin on down the Mississippi to New Orleans. And back to the Arkansas. And after doin’ that. we kin go East over the Ohio clear to Pinnsylvania. Sure, Sani, me b’y, the waterways of the country is your oyster. yez have to do is to nurse a good thing. Begorra yez was right whin yez said there’s millions in it.” “*T see you’ve got the ae down pretty fine, Micky,’ e Jawhed Sami. “Faith Ihave, If yez ae the company over all that geonnd by rail, how much a yez think it would cost yez?” “A whole lot of money.” “Yez kin gamble on that and win ivery time. transportation charges that knock out the small shows whin they. mate wid poor business.” “And suppose we meet with a Ra streak of poor busi- ness? “T don’t belave we will. Ags long as we kin pay for the. -|tug and git enough to ate we kin kape on the moyg Sal- aries kin wait whin the money ain’t comin’ in.” “But a moment ago you agreed that there was millions in it, so don’t talk about the ghost not walking regularly.” . “There isn’t much doubt but it will walk on Monday.” — At that moment the soubrette came up and asked Sam 93 And whin we strike the Mississippi _ And thin | And-all the way out that and - All ~ It’s the : There are lots of small rivers. ; = <8 and Micky why they didn’t come to the deck cabin and . . get the coffee and sandwiches that were ready there. “Everybody is through, i you two,” she said. “Come on.” ; So they went to ites of the light midnight repast. The marine theatre was packed next day at both perform- ances and Sam took in nearly $200 more. The show had evidently caught on. Many of the people wlio had: witnessed the performance ’| the day before were there again, because a change of bill had been announced. “Ten Nights in a Bar-room”.was given in the afternoon, and “Lights of a Great City” at night. \ rs fi 4 The boat remained at the wharf, and probably some peo- eas ple were disappointed, as they joked for a sail; but the show was going to leave town in the morning for "Streater, so Sam saw no use in burning extra coal. ; His contract with the owner of the tug was a certain sum per day, which included the wages af the engineer and two f men. eh The cost of running her above shat fell on Sam alsg, as. af the boy thought it amore economical arrangement for him a than to pay a lump sum to the owner, who was certaim to” figure the margin in his own: fayors;.~ <- ~ : he S Sam and his company were asleep. when the tug men, in accordance with their orders, unmoored the floating theatre and started on down the Illinois with heres’. Sam was on deck when they approached Streator. It was quite a town, and from what the young manager ‘That's $1, 000 in a ae Won't that pay|had heard about it he expected to do good business there, 3 vve been to in fittin’? up the boat?” |if counter attractions didn’t knock him Dida 67 ais rh a year.” Boy nig egy eue: brought the boat alongside oh he baal = ed y P on the Tilinois| but. eh ‘was not made fast, ee Sam had f tele ghts, 2 4 pie 2.)
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ve ty 1 _ boat. 24 Monday being a poor show night, Sam decided to open up on Tuesday with a matinee. There was nothing at the opera house till Wednesday night, and the posters ee that it was some alleged Chicago success. Sam got out his bills with Micky? 8 help and then sent his band out in the wagon. He counted more on that than all the rest of his billing put together, He had already written to Lawyer Benton, detailing re- sults up to that point, which he felt proud of. When the lawyer got his letter he decided to go on to Streator by rail and take a look at the marine theatre. He arrived about noon, Tuesday, and Sam was surprised to see him step on board the boat. “Ts this really my canal-boat, or rather the one I pre- sented to you, Sharpley?” the lawyer inquired, after they had shaken hands, “Yes, sir; this is the boat that lay in the creek at Plain- ville when I got possession of her,” replied Sam. “You've made a great change in it.” 4 ae it made a great change to transform it into a floating theatre and boarding-house combined.” “When I came to think your scheme over critically I ve al doubts if you could work your ideas out.” e Well, you see I have. Come, let me show you over the Most of my people are away on the band-wagon, as I call it, advertising the show. We give a matinee this afternoon, and a regular performance to-night. We repeat the same to-morrow if the prospects look encouraging enough. Then we'll move on to Phoenix, for four per- formances is about all I think this town will stand.” Sam took the lawyer all over the boat, and Mr. Benton declared that Sam’s ingenious arrangements truly surprised him. One of the actresses was setting the table for the half-past powelve dinner and Sam pressed Mr. Benton to stay and dine’ with them. “We can’t offer you hotel feed, sir, but you will ge an idea that we don’t live bad. In fact our feeding arrange- ments, which are on the mess plan, will give cards and spades _ -to the boarding-houses along the road that cheap actors have to patronize. I assure you that we are a perfectly con- tented family, and though we are not working on the com- monwealth plan, all my people pitch in just the sam¢ and help me all they can. They are satisfied to know that _ salaries will be paid regularly every Monday as long as _ there’s a shot in the locker. ‘they’re not up against a Downey Grab.” They fully understand that The lawyer accepted the invitation to eat with the com- pany, and shortly afterward the actors arrived wath fine oh _ Sam had a fair house that afternoon, taking in isis $50. ‘He explained to Mr. Benton, who stayed to the show, that he had had double the number at his first six performances. “T expect a larger audience to-night, Se I aor to do well also to-morrow,” he said. - “Pm glad ‘that you appear to be making ¢ a success of your : re,” said the lawyer. “If there’s millions i in it T trust} your share of the money.” ee “MILLIONS IN LE to write regularly so that he would know how he was s getting on and then took his leave, That night Sam had a good house, nearly every sent being taken, The house programmes announced that the bill would be changed on the following day. On the following morning the wagon with the io paraded the streets again, and Sam had a good atlonaaees at both shows. . eat The young manager continued to do well as the boat pro: — gressed down the Illinois River. He abandoned his idea of making side trips by rail tc ¢ towns near the river as he would lose time in making ar: rangements with managers of opera houses and in advertis: ing the show; besides it was better to stick to his marine theatre than to give up the customary percentage. He made trips up some of the larger tributaries of the stream when he thought it would pay, and it generally ae more or less. . At last the marine theatre, after a successful run of many weeks, entered the Mississippi just above the town-of Graf- ton, which had a population of about 1,000, and was made fast to the principal dock. CHAPTER XT 4 EARLY MORNING INTRUDERS. By this time Sam had quite a bunch of money, snd eS : safety was a source of uneasiness to him, as he had no bee to put it except in a tin bix he had bought at Dexter. Several times he had been on'the point of purchasing ie, small safe, but owing to the rush of foie: on. his hands | he had put it off. He kept the tin box hidden in a locker of the ae ; cabin, and as the three women were in or around there most of the time, for they still continued to officiate as. cooks, had confidence enough in them to believe sesh it was, per- fectly safe. ra As there wasn’t a week so far that he hadn’t added wit thing to his profits, and some weeks it amounted to con- siderable, his pile had steadily grown langer, until now, as we said, it was quite large. . ; As the company, with the exception ot Micky, leit ‘elke hold well forward, he had no protection. at night, when’ lying is alongside a wharf, but the revolver he had hought a; general assistant, avho was two years younger than himselt ia. _. They hauled into Grafton late on a Wednesday afterno ai and Micky immediately went ashore to purchase groceri ( and the meat needed for the evening and morning mea _ ‘The leading lady furnished him with a list of the isto : required, and Sam gave him a bill to pay for the goods, — The converted canal-boat attracted attention. along a: water front at Gratton, just as S it a at erat tow stopped at. achieved this Po The show advertised itself nish a little because {a floating playhouse, and the band ‘inside the ‘did the oN Los ‘Sam ae out. ness
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kMILLIONS DY? Se ee Hsaeon with the average show, chiefly because it hadn’t eae, as a rule, to do its work. If they reached a town in the forenoon they played there that night, and sometimes started with a matinee at two. *. atid such circumstances it was almost a waste of energy _ “and printing to bill,the place except superficially. _ Sam noticed several suspiciously rough characters loung- Ing about on the Grafton wharf when he went ashore to see about dockage fees and to attend to other matters con- ’ nected with the show. . The man who owned the wharf was at his office, and Sam came to terms with him. st Standing outside the door he noticed a small safe, about two feet and a half, high, and proportionately wide and deep, such as sell new for about $50. _ There was a “For pg Sign on it, and the words “In- quire within.” ~ “How much do You wath for that safe outeides ?” he asked the man. “Twenty dollars,” was the reply. “Ts it in good condition?” “First class. Ill let you look at it.” Phe man took him outside and opened the safe. ' As far as Sam could see it appeared to be all right, i “Pl. give you $15 for it, delivered on board my hoat,” said Sam. oe he let you have it for that if you'll take HL ANeY your- self.” ; SueNG,? said Sam, “T won't buy a safe unless it’s de- ‘Livered. ‘The man finally agreed to dake the safe if San was - willing. to pay another dollar. ff ‘Sam said he wouldn’t stand on a dollar if the man cau v have it put on board at once. The owner consented; and the deal was made, a Sam got back to the boat the So was in the deck ot ‘Diare it had been left. \ The first thing the boy manager did was to. arrange a new combination of his own, ‘and se his money box and | account books up in it. nds. ‘So, yez have got a safe at last” ita Micky. Be cdehe ut some fine night whin we were both aslape. Now rez kin fale asy in your mind about your money, for it ld take more dep a thafe or Bey to carry off that hefty Only ; a burglar with the proper tools and e with safes See into it,” said Sam. ‘or the first time in some weeks the felt easy about his | {stale a march on us. ided it badly. It’s mesilf has been. afraid ye’d be} on the boat. somethin’. widout wakin’ me up.” At that moment the soubrette called them to supper, so their conversation came to an end for the time being. — While they were all at supper many curious people came down to the wharf to look at the floating theatre. Micky had placed a billboard outside which announced’ that the stirring Western play, “The Girl of Golden Gulch,” would be performed on the following evening, with a matinee at two, and a bunch of people gathered around it to study the information in the gathering darkness. Thien they looked at the boat, and many wondered how a real play could be performed on board of her. “Say, mister, is that a floatin’ opera house you have there?” a spectator asked Sam when he appeared at the gangway entrance. “Yes, sir,” replied the young manager. “Then you have a stage, and scenery, just like they have at theatres?” “We surely have. yourself.” Sam told Micky to light a couple of lamps at the wings so the man could see that there was no fake about the stage. As soon as Micky had done so Sam invited the rest of the crowd to take a look, too, for he knew they would tell all about what they had seen and that would prove an adver- tisement for the show. The crowd was satisfied there was no flim-flam about the theatre and they made many inquiries about the play. Sam puffed wp the drama and the crowd went away to carry the news to their friends and acquaintances, A few loungers remained and Sam noticed that) two of them were particularly hard-looking characters. He called “Micky’s attention to them and his assistant agreed that they would stand «watching. In the course of an hour, however, they went away, after the rest had departed, and the wharf remained silent and , | deserted. Step on board and you can see for Vl bet H0 chap could get through thim bolts a: “They’re gone at last,” said Sam; “but I wouldn’t be sur- - prised if they came back in the early hours of morning and ventured on board to see what they could re oP. Theyre og oee were decidedly suspicious.” “Thin we'd better kape a watch. It irae an b let thim They. might try to ran away wid some _ of the sates, if nothin’ else.” “T ought to hire a regular watchman and take him along It doesn’t pay to take chances. Some evil- disposed person might come aboard and set fire to the stage y and put me out of Dieses for awhile.” “Rhat’s right. will do,” IS Micky, Yez niver kin tell what some people. So it was decided that they should stand a ia ses watch ; f alternately until morning—something oa Sam, had not considered necessary before. They cast lots to see who should take the first spell, ail ey -|it fell to Micky, so Sam turned in for two hours, 9 Micky aroused him at one'o “clock, and informed him that |nothing had ‘happened. a Sam, with his revolver i
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¥ He ts, S “MILLIONS a Serer “In fact there were lots of chances for a person to get on ‘the boat in a clandestine way. Sam’s two-hour spell had almost elapsed without any- thing occurring, and he was beginning ‘to think that the marine theatre would not be molested, when he saw two shadowy figures slouching toward the boat. _ “By George! Here come two men now, and their errand can’t be an honest one, for they have no right here at this “hour,” muttered the young manager. -He‘watehed them through a narrow opening in the side ‘of the canvas door. ; They paused at the edge of the wharf and listened. The gang-plank, with its protected sides, had been taken on board, but it was a simple matter for a fairly active per- con to step across the two feet of space which lay between | the stringer of the wharf, pull the canvas door aside after cutting the cords that held it, and then spring on the deck of the craft. That is exactly what the rascals decided on doing, as Sam, who was prepared for them, supposed they would do. Confident that the coast was clear, one of the men stretched his left leg out, and gaining a foothold on the edge of the boat, put out his hand to see how the canvas was held in place. “As he bent forward, straddling the watery two feet, Sam shoved the muzzle of his navy revolver in his face, and said, in resolute tones, “Skip |” - Taken completely by surprise, the rascal started back, lost his hold and shot down between the boat and the wharf, _ like a deinon vanishing through a stage trap in a spectacular play, hitting the water with a loud splash, and going under. CHAPTER XV. CONGLUSION. His companion had not observed the cause with led to “his discomfiture, and supposed his associate’s foot had slipped and thus precipitated him into the river. - He uttered an exclamation of disgust and looked dovin into the water. But Sam woke him up by fiting his revolver so close to his head that he uttered a how! and fell hack on the wharf, thinking he had been shot. When he found that he had not been touched, he _ serambled to his feet and beat a hasty retreat, leaving his pal to his fate. That individual rose, blowing lake a grampus, grabbed a convenient pile and hung on. The water was too deep for His to toriell hottom, and he oe not swim, 9. * ~ He was afraid to climb up lest the person with the re- ee teas should fire at him as he had done at his companion. The report of the weapon had aroused Micky, and he} ~ came running out of the deck” cabin with a club in his hand. He ‘immeiiately jumped at the aachasict that the site os “Where are “yer, Sam 2?” he Gtied: out. “Here I am, Micky,” sepia Sam, ee had been watch- the water 2 carried away over $100 above his expenses. WHO SOLVED iT » are always in print. If you cannot obtain ones” “A pair of rascals who tried to steal on board,” answered Sam. “One has run away and the other is down in the’ water, clinging to a pile. Look at him.” Micky. poked his head out and could just see the outline | of the half-immersed man, " At that moment a night watchman in the ere came running down the wharf. : Sam called to him and explained the circumstances. Micky got a rope and threw it down to the rascal. ey “Catch hold, ye thafe of the wurruld, and we'll pull yen up. see When Sam and Micky got him up to a level with the stringer, the watchman seized him by the collar and cers him up the balance of the way. : a Sam asked the watchman to take him to the atatign=| ; house, promising to make a charge against the man in the morning. v In the course of the morning Sam appeared at the magis- ts trate’s court and made his complaint against the prisoner. _ The man denied that he and his pal intended to board the vessel for an unlawful purpose, declaring that they were drunk and did not know what they were about. rey The watchman testified that the fellow seemed to be per fectly sober, and Sam said the same thing. As the fellow had really not got aboard the boat fe magistrate sentenced him to thirty-five days in the county i workhouse, and that ended the matter. The company showed that afternoon and evening to two. es fair-sized houses considering the size of the town, and Sam ak The boat then started up the Mississippi. It is not our purpose to follow the marine theatre further, 2 as our space will noi permit. We will simply say that Sam followed the route which Micky had, in general terms, outlined, and the novelty oP the show made it a big financial success to the ae meee . ager. Altogether they were out two years by the tind ‘they reached Pittsburgh, via. the long Ohio, and Sam had a ai stack of yellow bills i in his safe, enough to build a mighty fine new floating theatre, with its own motive power, electric ; i lighting and up-to-date accommodations far his company, ae for he was resolved to continue the business that way am 3 still leave a balance to run his show. The new floating theatre, had a seating eapacity » x00 : seats and standing-room for 150 more. With this outfit Sam and his enterprise retraced their | way back over the Ohio to the Mississippi, and for years the — young manager did a land office business, and from last ac counts in the theatrical papers he was still running the show that had demonstrated there was “Millions in tia Next week’s issue will contain oPAE MYSTERY. o) A MINING CHART, AND THE Bone STREET 6 )" ‘SPECIAL NOTICE :—All hia. ae of this or want from any. ee ok the ptiee postage pea ee ae | to FRA ISHER, 24 U NSQU RE o>
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Jemurs. — the turning process. _ Climates. 28 _ Fame and Fortune Weekly ‘NEW YORK, AUGUST | 18, 1911. TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS nee Single Copies.......... 5066 Caddowsdaktcsesepdebcvecevsceceses .05 Cents One Copy Three Months. eves, .65 Cents One Copy Six peraas sone $125 One Copy One Year... 000 2.50 : Postage ; Free. HOW TO SEND MONBY—At ourrisk send P. O. Money Order, Check, or Registered Letter; remittances in any other way are at your risk. We accept Postage Stamps the same as cash, When sending silver wrap the Coin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cutting the envel- ope. Write your name and address plainly. Address letters to Sin 7 President gn Seng kvl f Frank Tousey, Publisher 24 Union Sq., New York GOOD STORIES. 2 The longest fence in the world is to be constructed between the United States and Mexico. It will extend from El Paso, Tex., to the Pacific coast, a distance of 1,100 miles. The pur- pose is to make the boundary between the United States and Mexico. The fence will be built of barbed wire. _ Chicago is now the largest piano producing center in the world, turning out annually more than 100,000 instruments, which are shipped all over the. world. Manila alone within the last two years has taken over 1,100 pianos. Mexico, until toe present troubles overtook that republic, took more than 6,000 pianos annually from Chicago, and Central and South America, especially the Argentine Republic, have been great consumers of Chicago pianos. Up to a few years ago Germany sent all the instruments that were shipped to those countries. But the German woods in the cases would not stand the It was Milwaukee that first discovered this and sent trade emissaries to the far away lands. What holds good of the piano also holds good of band instru- ments. Chicago sells approximately 100,000 pianos a year, aggrog sting in value about $50,000,000, which is about one- third of the extine pioene of the nation. A scientist has consttneted an ‘ingenious model to show why a cat in falling invariably alights on its feet. This model, roughly speaking, consists of a cardboard cylinder wherein are stuck four rods to serve for legs, together with a tail devised on similar principles. The jobject of the experiment is to show that a feline’s peculiar faculty depends on the rotation of its tail with sufficient vigor. This faculty is ‘one specially ‘developed by climbing and leaping animals, such as members of the cat/tribe, monkeys, squirrels, rats, and most As mentioned, the tail plays an important part in According to the investigator all tree- inhabiting monkeys have long tails, and there is not the slightest doubt that these tails are of great aid to all climbers in enabling them to turn. in the air. ‘The tail also serves as Y a balancer, as evidenced in the case of a squirrel, which may be seen walking along a tightly stretohed wire» or string,|— swinging. its tail from side to side much after the manner of a Hght-rope Mpa as esate himself with a pole. i f 7 eas FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. | whole of it. Within a few], _ years Chicago has built up a large export trade in this line. tine “Ab, me honeys,” he answered, “I would not be afther bai | I recently worked Up. Another story of treasure aso from renee It is said th shipped them or to whom they have been sent, but that the i terrible old lady must have had vastly greater wealth than this is certain enough. During the occupation of Peking by the allied troops. the treasure was concealed, and although. some of it was found and looted the bulk of it was undis- turbed. Tse Hsi was supposed to be the richest woman in the world. She had a positive genius for graft that would fill a politician with hopeless envy. The average yearly value of her birthday gifts—gifts are an expression of courtesy—was something like $10,000,000, and she sat at the receipt of cus- toms as unblushingly as a tax collector whenever special favors ~ and appointments were to be bought and sold. On one occa-— sion the Chinese government made a grant of $15,000,000 for f the expense of the navy, but the ingenious Tse Hsi got the She built a new and gorgeous palace for herself, and to silence any possible critics she marked one of the gates _ with the words, “Admiralty Office.” a JOKES aND JESTS. “And so you have a little baby at your house. Is it a boy or a girl?” asked a neighbor. “Mamma thinks it’s a boy, but I believe it'll turn out a girl. It’s always crying about noth- — ing,” answered the little boy. ; wetts gt “Did you hear about Hawkins getting smothered ‘ine chiar j morning’s mail?” “Gracious, no! How did it happen?” - “He { advertised for the names of persons contemplating the pur-. in chase of a bicycle.” ‘ “This book on swimming is very useful in sudden emergen~ y cies,” said Mr, Ireland. “Is it?” “I should say so. If yoware. drowning turn to page one hundred ‘and three and (you ‘YW see — how to save yourself.” : rape Mrs. Elderly (taking politely-proffered seat in Cochiligt car) —Thank you, my little man. Did your mother tell you O be always give up your seat to ladies? Polite Boy—No’m, net 1 f ladies—only old ladies. “Excuse me, sir, but ibis without luggage must pay in advance,” said the hotel clerk. “All right. I'll be back in a — moment, ” the guest answered. ne are you going?” Tee ie going to buy a trunk.”. a 3 heah yo’ Gigheotdene wif Sam Washin’ton’s dun a off.” “Yaas; dat man got too fresh wif his. jokin’ Ze Ie dun! 88 é him toe bring some cold cream for my complexshun, an ¢ sent me a box of eevee cream,” , A poor Irishman offered an old saucepan for sale children gathered around him and asked why he par ed ing with it but ‘for a little money to ie eng, t dey tte] (his M i “You are charged with sacihie saheneiea weapons,” : all a mistake, your Honor. You see, I had a pair of. old a ee that I shoved into my pocket to illustrate a very clev pun I eat the: boys to. talising about we A | augh T ‘any out ‘the ol Dito - a, ‘ al” “pj ; “4t] pty ae
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. 29 THE MATE’S REWARD / By Kit Clyde % The crimson light of the rising sun fell upon the sea as ‘Mary Burlville, the captain’s pretty daughter, came up from the cabin of the merchant ship “Cameron,” becalmed off the coast of Peru. : } The girl had just completed her morning toilet, and there | was one youthful sailor aboard who fancied he had never seen a lovelier object than this young woman of seventeen. The sailor alluded to was Thomas Rollins, a fine-looking, ~ intelligent seaman of twenty, who now stood at the wheel. For an instant Mary glanced towards him, and blushed as She bade him good-morning, then she had walked to the rail “and fixed her gaze upon an old whalé-ship which was in plain sight, nUt a league off the quarter. _ Rollins had politely responded to her salutation, then a sda look had fallen on his manly face. , ier In brief, the young fellow loved the captain’s daughter, but he could have entertained no hope of ever making her his wife, even had he known that his affection was returned. _ The girl and he were born in the same village, where, for awhile, they had been playmates’ in childhood. ; . They were separated by the captain’s moving to a distant seaport town. “f A few years later the failure of his father in business mp “aad induced the boy to undertake a sea-voyage. 5 He continued to pursue the calling of a sailor, and finally as ‘meeting Captain Burlville, he had shipped aboard his vessel. - Burlville, however, had at once discouraged any renewal of the old friendship between his daughter'and Rollins. - “f have nothing against you, of course,” he said to the latter; “but as you and she are now man and woman, it is etter that you should keep apart, as you would never be more to each other than mere acquaintances,” : When he also gaye his instructions to Mary on the same subject, she pouted and wept, for she had always liked Rollins as a little boy, and she had not failed to notice that v he was now grown to be a sturdy, handsome young fellow, ~ with frank, pleasant manners that pleased her, \ “I think you very unreasonable, papa,” she sobbed, “It is because he is a foremast hand that you object. ‘to him.” oe ““An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,’ ” fon Burlville. “I would not have you fall in love and A Ty ‘any one less than a mate, or a captain, who would : de able. to provide for you better than a poor foremast hand. Be “why not make Rollins a mate, then?” said Mary, looking shyly through her tears. “Well, well; he may become an officer in time, but he has Ss way to rors up. True, he is very clever as it is, and S$ he has a knowledge of: navigation, he would perhaps a good mate.” — j y don’t you promote him, if that it the case?” i “In the first place, because ‘there is no vacancy here. Then, ‘don’ t believe in lifting a young fellow ‘up’ toa eae ag a, I tee nm SA : he: said ee | performing his duties than the other sailors, he, the captain, might take him for his mate in course of time. Now, as the girl looked over the rail on this bright TODS: ing, she thought of her father’s promise. It was a pleasant thought in her, and her blooming cheeks: were dimpled. with smiles, while her dark eyes shone like stars. All at once, between the craft aboard of which she stood and the whaler, she noticed a number of térked jets or spouts shooting up from the sea. “There blows!” cried the father, who had just emerged from _ the cabin. “That whaler will soon have her boats down. Upon my word, I should like to go near those oil-hunters and see the sport.” Bven ‘as he spoke, four boats were dropped’ alongside of the stranger, and they were soon heading towards the speuts. “TJ must see the fun,” said the skipper, “and I shall go. Lower away the dingey,’’ he said. “I want three good men to go with me.” He selected 'the three who were to ¢0, among them Rollins, who had just been relieved,at the wheel. i The boat was soon down, with the skipper pf the ‘tiller and the oarsmen in their places. “Give way!” cried the captain. The boat made good progress towards the ‘whales, which were now slowly heading seaward. The sailors from the other ship were pulling with might and main after the huge fish, whose dark humps were occa- sionally lifted above the surface, as they moved along on their way. At last one of the sharp-pointed boats of the Giese was: within darting distance of a great monster, which had lagged a little behind the rest of the school. A tall, dark man, in a guernsey and blue trousers, Tose in the bow of his boat, harpoon in hand. . For an instant the weapon was poised, to be hurled the sea moment with unerring aim. It was buried to the socket in the whale, whose, flukes were seen whisking to and fro through the white gheats f spray that hid the boat. “They are fast,” remarked Captain Burlville, who with his men—the latter now resting on their oars, about sixty fathoms from their ship—was an interesting spectator of the scene, : From-her father’s craft Mary had also seen the man strike the whale. “Rabu. fab,” elie aakde With Rumler, “an eke. placed: Heth oe little hands over her eyes. All at once she heard Wild shouts. | Looking in the direction of the noise, ‘she perceived iat <i the fast boat, dragged by the whale, which had sounded (gone down), was heading straight toward the dingey in which were her parent and three oarsmen. The whale-boat, its crew cheering and yelling like mad- men,. seemed to cleave the water With the swiftness of aa ALY: arrow, and it was soon not more than forty fathoms from =e the skipper and his companions. alarm, The ont | looked toward Fp Lig hire his head, and tn a “Oh, papa, jyou will be run into!” screamed Ma ‘in :
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80 The creature was close to the dingey, beating the sea with his flukes and churning the foam with his paw. “Pull ahead!” shouted Buriville, aware of his danger. He directed the small craft away from the whale, his three oarsmen pulling vigorously. But before he was six fathoms from the animal the latter suddenly made straight for the little boat, his jaws wide open, his Sharp, saw-like fangs viciously revealed. _' “Take care there!” came warningly from the whalemen, still: more-than a hundred yards distant. Burlville did his best to escape his infuriated pursuer, but the leviathan gained rapidly upon him, and now, to avoid the great jaw, which was about to close upon the fragile stern of the light vessel, he sheered to one side. In an instant the enormous flukes, almost alongside of which this movement of the skipper had brought him, were raised high in the air and whirled directly over the dingey, upon which it appeared they were about to descend with a force which would have crushed the light planks to fragments. Seeing these fearful weapons of the mighty fish fanning the air above their heads, two of the oarsmen at once sprang into the sea, leaving Rollins and the captain still in the boat. ge “My father—oh, poor papa!” cried Mary, who now, very pale, leaned far over the rail of the ship, her hands clasped, her gaze riveted upon her parent, The latter was in a peculiarly perilous situation. A bight of the line whisking from the whale had caught about his waist, and Having no knife with him, he was unable to clear himself of the rope, which bad tightened about his body, holding him down between two thwarts, as the flukes ‘with a crash struck the sea, just missing the dingey. Rollins, who had been inclined to follow the example of his two shipmates when they jumped overboard, had con- trolled himself when he perceived the situation of his captain. With a quick movement of his oar he had caused the oat to shoot ahead, thus barely getting it out of reach of those ponderous flukes as they descended. Now he quickly drew the sheath-knife he wore in his belt, and springing to the skipper’s side, he with one blow severed the line that had caught about the waist of the im- periled man, and‘ which by this time pulled him half way over the gunnel. . There was a roaring, gurgling sound, a hissing mass of fon and spray, then a crunching, snapping noise, as the boat was crushed in the jaw of the whale. Rollins and the captain rolled over into the sea'on that side of the dingey opposite to the deadly fangs. i _. For several moments they were hidden in the sheets of flying spray from the gaze of Mary Burlyville, who had wit- nessed with joy and pride the gallant conduct of the young | man whom she had already secretly loved. _ Again she feared that after all they: might be lost—be ‘Ailled by the ‘monster | whose flukes were still beating the ocean, - Soon these fears were at rest, The great fish went down, under the foaming waters, and _ there. were her father and Rollins, now striking out for the rea boat, which was close at hand. es he s immers were picked up a minute later, to find the two who had previously Jusened from the dingey already en caught by the line, rains awaken the burns, which slept during the summer, | ing up to see if the arch color. ‘is visible, and ven if ‘there the attitude of hope cannot fail to -upl ft,. an en {2 riville. aia not reprimand ake tor ie knew that, aaa yhich a eld him /selousness 1 that the rainbow is, not far FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. He was, of course, very earnest in Lis praise of Rollins - for rescuing him from a terrible fate. Had not the young man so bravely remained in the boat and cut the rape by which the captain was caught, that per- son, even had he escaped the whale’s jaws, must have been dragged down with the monster when it dived. So grateful was the skipper that when he arrived aboanis and had embraced his daughter, he told his preserver that he might in the future take up his quarters in the cabin, where . he would employ him as his clerk, and that Mary and he might hereafter be as friendly with each other as they pleased, When at last the ship arrived home, the captain said to. his daughter— poe “I promised you I would promote Rollins. ‘Well, I suppose you would like to have me make him my first mate?” “Yes, papa,’ said Mary, blushing, as she laid her soft cheek against his arm, “and—and—ags he has proposed it, 1 would like to have him for my mate too.” As the eaptain had lately concluded not to object % any such proposition, he readily gave his consent, ee A { ‘ RAINBOW: LAND... ose) ee The West Highlands of Scotland may be called the home of the rainbow, for here you will see them at any time of the year, and in no other part of the world can they be seen in more perfect form and hue. On a wild autumn day, with the west or southwest wind blowing the clouds up across the sun, I have seen one rainbow follow another in quick succession. A perfect arch of. palpi- — tating eolor becomes suddenly visible and frames the ‘blue-_ black mountains, which sit hunched at the top of the loch, gathering the storms round their great shoulders and hurling: them down onto the foam-white waters; at other times the bow shimmers across the sullen sky with both its ends resting ‘en. the water, a veritable gateway into fairyland. Even when the rainbows are not visible in this “part | of the’ world it seems as if they had spilled their colors on the woods and ills. When the clouds lift and the belated sun shines. over mountain and loch the effect is almost as damzling a as. the rainbow itself, % In heather time the hills are wine-colored on their lower ti slopes, while their tops are a deep indigo- blue, standing o1 as hg in strong contrast to the clear pale sky. Nearer at hand there is every shade of color from warm amethyst is the soft bie igh i? ru of a purple plum. y me: Later in the year the hills are checkered with the pale sold % F of ripe grain, the req brown of withered heather, the rusty glow of bracken, and the still, vivid green of pasture fields, while the trees show every imaginable shade of hot color | seem to vie with each other in their efforts. to aN, the | proaching gloom of winter. ; beauty of rainbow land, are tinted with all the eaten of gray and green, and at sunset glow with colors which the hues of the rainbow. The leaves fall and spread brightness on the ground remorsefully; the passionate a the air is filled with the hoarse cry of many waters The dwellers in this rainbow land fall into the habit of 1c
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% MYSTERIOUS PLATE LIFTER.—Mado of = fine rubber, top with bulb on one end and inflator at other. Place it under a table cover, under plate or glass, and bulb is pressed underneath, object rises mysteriously; 49 ins. long. Price, 25¢., postpaid. JUMPING CARD.—A pretty little trick, easy to perform. Effect: A select- ed card returned to the feck jumps high into the air at the performer’s com- mand. Pack is held in one hand. Price of apparatus, with enough cards to per- form the trick, 10c, M, O'NEILL, 425 W. 56th St., N, Y, —— plated, | polished; it produces @ near-piercing sound; large sejler; illustration actual size. ¥ Price, 12¢., by mail. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y. PEVILINE’S WHISTLE.—Nickel MICROSCOPE.—By use of this wonderful little micro- scope you can magnify a drop of stagnant water until sects; is also useful for specting grain, pork, linen and numerous other articles. This little instrument does equally as good work as the best mi- croscopes and is invaluable to the household. Is made of best finished brass; size when closed one inch by two and a half inches. Price, 30e. L, SENARENS, 347 Winthrop St., Brooklyn, N. Y. et 4 + « ‘sa! MANY TOOL KEY RING. The wonder of the age. The greatest small tool in world. In this little instru- ment you have in combination seven useful tools embracing Key Ring, Pencil Sharpener, Nail Cutter and Cleaner, Watch Opener, Cigar Clipper, Letter Opener and Screw Driver. It is not a toy, but a useful ar- ticle, made of cutlery stecl, tempered and highly nickeled. Therefore will carry an edge the same as any pe of cut- lery. Ag a useful tool, nothing ‘ publi¢ to equal it. Price, 15 cents, mailed, postpaid. _, \ - WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y. HAPPY HOOLIGAN JOKER. With this joker in the lappel of your coat, you can make @ dead shot every time. Complete, with ruber ball and : ch tubing. (eee Price, 15 cents, “Sem by mall, postpaid. - Chas. Unger, 316 Union St., pacnomt igh N. J. c 7 cs the | has ever been offered to tha” | WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th 8t., N. ¥. | tik you ; see thousands of crawling in- | in=-} ——— CACHOO OR SNEEZING POWDER.— The greatest fun-maker of them all. A small amount of this powder, when blown in a room, wil] cause everyone to sneeze without anyone Knowing where it comes from. It is very light, will float in the air for some time, and penetrate every nook and corner of a room. It is perfectly harmless, _Cachoo is put up in bottles, and one bottle contains enough to be used from 10 to 16 times. Price by mail, 10c. each; 3 for 25e. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. a ROUGH AND READY LERS. These lively acrobats are handsomely decorated, with the U.S. flag and with gold and silver stars and hearts, Upon placing them upon any flat surface they at once in a most wonderful 5 a formance, climbing dod tumbling over each other and chasing each otner in every direction. as if the evil spirit was after them, causing roars of laughter froni the spectators. They actually appear imbui with life. What causes them to cut up such antics is a secret that may not be known even to the owner of the unruly subjects. If you want some genuine fun send fora set of our tumblers, f Price, per set, 26 cents ; mailed postpaid. A. A. WARFORD, 16 Hart St., Brooklyn, N. Y. THE GERMAN OC ARINO. A hand- some inet- al instru- ment, ne pede in D525 TON: ermany, Pig sate fo. . which pe- euliar but sweet music can be produced. Its odd shape, which resembles a torpedo boat, will attract much attention. We send instructions with each instrument, by the aid of which any one can in a short time play any tune and produce very sweet music on this odd looking instrument, Price 10 cents by mail postpaid. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥, DELUSION TRICK.—A magic litile box in three parts that is very mystifying to those not in the trick. A coin placed on a piece of paper disappears by dropping a nickel ring around it from the magic box. Made of hard wood two inches in diameter, Price, 12c. M. O'NEILL, 425-W. 56th St., N. ¥. THE JOKER’S CIGAR. The“ pi est l of ma 4 —— = “eory, center of cl 5 £ar about one- alf inch from end is a foun- tain of spark- lets. The mo- ment the fire reaches this fountain hundreds of sparks of fire burst forth in every direccion, to the as- ttonishment of the smoker. ‘The fire Is stago fire, and will not burn the skin or clothing. After the fireworks the victim can continue smoking the cigar to the end. ; 2% dozen, ce, 10 cents; 3 for 2 cents; 90 cents, mailed, postpaid. WOLEF NOVELTY Co., 29 W. 26th &t., N. Y. JAPANESE TRICK KNIFE.—You can show the knife and instantly draw it across your finger, apparently cutting deep into the flesh. The red blood appears on the blade of the knife, giving a startling effect to the spectators. The knife is removed and tho | finger is found in good condition. Quite an effective illusion. Price by mail, 10c¢. each. (eee | WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. © Good Luck Banks Price 10 Cenis Ornamental as well as nec Madeof highly nickeled brar mi it holds just One Doll: # When filled it opens itsci’. Remains locked until refillec. Can be used asa watchchar>. Money refunded if not eabis * ) L. SENARENS 347 WINTHEOP &7., BROOKLYN, N. ¥. ELECTRIC PUSH BUT: TON.—The base is made of maple, and the center piece of black walnut, the whole thing about 1% inches in diameter, with a met2l hook on the back so that it may be slipped over edge of. the vest pocket. Expose to view your New Electric Bell, when your friend will push the button expecting to hear it ring, As soon as he touches it, you will see some of the liveliest dancing you ever witnessed. The Electric Button is heavily charged and will give @ smart shock when the button is pushed. Price 10¢., by mail, postpaid. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥- THE GREAT FIRE EATER. A great Sensational Trick of the ! With tho Fire Kater in his em aaa any person can ecome a perfect salaman- der, apparently dreathi Jireandejecting thousan of brilliant sparks from his mouth, to the horror and consternation of all beholders, Harmless fun for all times, seasons and places. If you wish to roduce & decided sensa- , ion in your neighborhood don’t fail to procure one, We send the Mire Water with ail the materials, in a handsome box, the eever. of which is highly ornamented with illustrations in various colors. Price of all complete only 16 eents, or 4 boxes for 50 cents, mailed postpaid; ene dozen by express $1.20. N. B.—Full printed instructions for performing the trick on ay each, box, which also contains guflicient material for giving several exhibitions. FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th St., N. ¥. THE SURPRISE BOUQUET. ? The best practical mt joke of the season, 7S This beautiful button- hole bouquet is made of artificial flowers and leaves which so cle! resemble nat- ural flowers that not one person in a thou- sand would detect the difference. After SS . placing the bouquet im your button-hole you call the attention of & friend to its beauty and fragrance. He will naturally step forward and smell of it, when, to his utter aston ent, afine stream of water will be thrown into his face. Where the water come from is @ mystery, as you can have your hands a’ Lor side or behind you, and nottouch the bouquet many manner. You can give one dozen or more personsa shower bath without removing the bou- quet from your button-hole, and after the water is exhausted it can be immediately refilled without removing it from your coat. Cologne can be 1 in place of water when desired. We have many funny things in our stock, but nothing that excels this, Price, complete in a beautiful box, with fall 25 cents, or three ior 60 printed instructi conis; ‘by Tail post paid. Chas. Unger, 316 Union St., Jersey City, N. J. }
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} ‘ youn hand and suddenly state that _ ‘THE MAGIC DAGGER. ‘A wonderfnlillusion. To allappearance it isan i hich you can flourish around in ordinary dagger which y ee ee ave lived long enough and had better commit ‘suicide at the same time plunging the dagger up re hut into your breastor side, oryou can preten ata friend or acquaintance. Of course your iriend or yourself are not injured in the least, but the deception is perfect and will startle all who see it. ia Srice, 1.0 cents, or 3for 25 cents, by mail, post paid. €Ges. Unger, 316 Union St., Jersey City, N. J. TRICK PUZZLE PURSE.— The first at- tempt usually made to open it, is to press down the little knob in the centre of purse, when a small needle runs out and stabs them in the ‘finger, but does not open it, You can open it be- Z fore their eyes and still tiley will be unable to open it.) Price by mail, Postpaid, 25c. each, e FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th St., N. ¥. SNAKES IN THE GRASS. Something entirely new, consisting of six large cones, cach one nearly one inch in height, Upon lighting one of these cones with a match, you seé = ( d 2 St jomething similar to a 4th of July exhibition of works. Sparks fly in every direction, and as the cone burns down it throws ont and is surrounded with what appears to be eas. at the same time q snake uncoils himself from the burning cone, nd lazily stretches out in the grass, which at iast urns to ashes, but the snake remains as a curiosity onharmed, | ‘They are not at all dangerous, and can be set off in the parlor if placed on some metal sur _ face that will not burn, An ordinary dust pan answers the urpose nicely, — ‘Price of the six cones, packed in sawdust, in 6 strong wooden box, only 10 cents, 3 boxes for 25 cents 4 dozen boxes-75 cents, sent by mail post M, O'NEILL, 425 W. 56th St., N. ¥. COMICAL RUBBER STAMPS. A come lete set of "five grotes- que er eo e ei b in- consist of PSs mien naman. sd other \ laughable — | figures as shown in - pictures. Just out, and one of the most fascinat- ‘ziing puzzles on ‘the market. is to separate the best puzzle you have PATENTED: ever seen. You can’t leave it alone. Made of ir SA te metal, mail, postpaid. FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th 8t., N. Y¥. Ayvad’s Water-Wings 5a) PATH] Price 25 cents, Postpaid These watery igs take up no more room thana ocket-hankerchief. They welgh 8 ounces and sup- hort Sore 60 to 250 pounds. With a pairanyone can earn to swim or fiout. For use, you have only to wet them, blow them up, and press together the two Ting-marks under the’ mouthpiece. FRANK ROBINSON, 311 W. 44th St, N. ¥. ay MAGIC CARD BOX. & One of the best and cheapest tricks vor givin parlor or stage exhibitions. The trick is performe as follows: Yon request any two persons in your audience to each select a card from an ordinary pack of cards, you then produce a small handsome box made to imitate pebbled leather, which anyone may examine as closely as they will. Younow ask one of thetwo who have selected cards to place his orher eardinside the box, which being done, ‘the lid is shut, and the box placed on the table. You then state that you will cause the cards to disappear and upon opening the box the card has vanished and the box found empty. The other card is now placed in the box ; the tid is again closed and when the bex is opened the first card g toge as strangely As it went, Ovher tricks can performed in various ways. You may cause several cards to disappear after they are placed in the box, and then you can cause them all to Sinete at once. You may tear a card up, place itin the box, and on lifting the covet it will be found whole and entire. Im fact, nearly every trick of Peep and disappearance can be done with the Magic Card Box. peek j Full printed instructions by which anyone cas perform the different tricks sent with each box, Price 20 cents, by mail postpaid. € ; WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 Ww. 26th St., N.Y ‘ a aboard ae nea, eat the : When you |- Ww it ‘to your et nothing look of pain. 3 3 bh nil th the ith BEN ‘seit up, |. Pa jothing P “WILD WEST WEEKLY” 458 Young Wild West on the Wrontiet; or, Avietta and the Mexican Outlaws. ? 454 Young Wild West and “Three-Fingered Tom” ; or, The Toughest Man in Camp. 455 Young Wild West's Richest Pan-Out ; or, Arietta and the Hidden Cave. ‘ 456 Young Wild West and the Ropers; or, A Finish Fight on the Range, | - 457 Young Wild West Tralling the Express Thieves; or, Arietta’s Golden Reward. 458 Young Wild West Trimming the Tough: or, Making Music for a Dance. ~ 459 Young Wiid West’s Bandit Shake-Up ; or, Arietta’s Daring Deception. Bey 460 Young Wild West's Red Hot Fight; or, ‘ The Hidaigo’s Hidden Haunt. 461 Young Wild West's Lariat Swing; or, Arietta and the Broken Bridge. “THE LIBERTY BOYS OF ie fs fay. 546 The Liberty Boys and the Back woodsmen or, Joined with Brave Allies, 547 The Liberty Boys’ Hiding-Place ; Bafflllng Burgoyne. 548 The Liberty Boys with Morgan’s Rifle- men; or, Dick Slater’s Best Shot. — 549 The Liberty Boys as Privateers; or, The Taking of the “Reward.” 560 The Liberty Boys’ Redcoat Enemy; or, — Driving Howe from Boston. or, The Mystery of the Medical Colles ey ‘0 i 655 The Bradys’ Desperate Deal; a Slick Buneh. 656 The Bradys and the on, the Case wi ea. “WORK AND WIN” | 655 Fred: Fearnot’s Hard Pull; the Single 8 ulls. or, F ling Brass-Bound Chest ch Came Out of or, Winning : 4 551 The Nae Boys and Widow Moore; or, The Wight at Creek Bridge. 1) 552 The Liberty Boys Saving the Colors; or, Dick Slater's Brayést Deed. Fe! 553 The Liberty Boys’ Swamp Angéls; or, Out with Marion and His Men. a" 554 The Liberty Boys’ Young Spy; or, Learn- ing the Enemy's Plans. Sy 555 The Liberty Boys’ Runaway Battle; or, Foiling a Tory Plot. by . “SECRET SERVICE” I Seeoae eee! 649 The Bradys Working a “Blind”; ‘or, The t Secret of the Sealed Room. — eek 650 The Bradys and the Laundry Check: or, — A Dangerous Hunt in Chinatown. y 651 The Bradys on a Hot Trail; or, The Boy : . Who Hscaped from Sing Sing. ae \Cencess 652 The Bradys and the Conspirators; or, — The Case That Came Prom Mexico. — Lie 653 The Bradys After the Second Story Men; or, Tracking a Box of Treasure. Dad | 654 The Bradys and the Mad. Student; or, he sik 656 Fred Fearnot Among the Poor; or, The ; eh . Dark Side of Life. ie 657 Fred, Vearnot’s Three-Bagger; or, ‘The Hit That Won the Game. par: 658 Fred Fearnot’s Border Scouts; or, After Mexican Outlaws, pele (es, 659 Fred Fearnot’s Best Pitching; or, P : ting Them Right Over. Te 660 Fred Mearnot: and the Saloonkeeper; or, Working for Temperance. beg 661 Fred Fearnot's Ninth Inning Rally Turning Defeat into Victory. : ‘ 662 Fred Fearnot at New Bra; or, A Week. Among Old Friends. 7 BAL? 663 Fred Fearnot and the Caye Men; Lost in the Mountains. } “PLUCK AND LUCK” 682 The Steam Raft: or, Three Boys’ the Amazon. By Capt. Thos. H ; h 683 The Smartest Boy in Ne $ , Mi ing Everything Pay. By Allyn Drap 684 Pighsing for Greece: or, Three Yar Boys Against the Turks. By Gen. Jai G A, Gordon. i Pe tct ; 685 The Winning Nine; or, Batting Fortune. By H. K. Shacklefor 686 Lost Hope Mines; or, The Boy o Haunted Diamond Claim, - By a WMasnitts (5128 ; ee 687 A Paper of His Own: or, © Bright Became an Editor. B 688 The Tost. Schoolshi ney. t st Schoolship; or, n Afloat Minos nw : | Afloat. By Capt. os. 689 Wall Street Will; or, Winni ina Week. By A Retired a
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—L : — 283 In the Diamond Fields; or, The Boy Who Made a Great Fin : 957 ne a -LATEST ISSUES- 284 A Boy With Ginger; or, The Lad Who Won the Dolla 57 Up to Him; or, Running His Father’s Business... Story of Wall Street.) sa 258 nak er Bixby’; or, The Boy Who Was Up to the Minute. /o85 pick and His Chum; or, Making a Fortune for the Firm. eet Story.) 286 Out to Win; or, The Mystery of Safe Deposit Box No. 666. gop ee pee age ae ie ene oew, hie ede Wall Street Story.) hood of Gold; or, aring Wall Street Game. 287 Cast A in Iceland: The T re of ¢ 5 inet ee a: ; A Set he 7 Cast Away in Iceland; or, The Treasure of the Crater. 261 Express Boy; or, His Own Route to Fortune. 288 A Wall Street Hero; or, A Winning Tip on the Market. : olen Bonds; or, How Wall Street Will Made His Mark. 289 Winning a Fortune; or, The Boy ere of the Mill. Avorite of ate; or, After the Head Hunters’ Treasure. 290 Stock Broker Dick; or, The Boy Who Broke the Wall Str ; er of the Market; or, The Boy Who Cornered the Stock. (A Market. a ” tory of Wall Street.) 291 On the Job; or, Tom Taylor’s Lucky Venture. 7 ) Landing on His Feet; or, The Pluckiest ~Boy in the World. 292 The Lucky Seven; or, The Boys Who Won the Money. (A Wall” 6° $50,000 from a Nickel; or, The Boy Who Was Lucky in Stocks. |... y,rttect Story.) Born Lucky; or, From Miner to Millionaire. 293 Will, the Waif; or, From Bootblack to Merchant. Hal Holman’s Tip; or, Scooping the Wall Street Market. 294 Prince of the Curb; or, A College Boy in Wall Street. " + A Boy of Business; or, Hustling for the Dollars. 295 Wrecked in the Gulf; or, The Gold of the Old Buccaneers. } Smart as They Come; or, The Boss the Wall Street Messengers. | 296 The Rival Boy Brokers ; or, Out for Hyery Deal in Sight. Bee | A Pirate’s Treas.re; or, The Secret of the Three Wrecks. _Story of Wall Street.) 7 Johnny Jones & Co.: or, The Firm that Kept the Brokers Guess- | 297 Under the “Big Top"; or, From Acrobat to Manager. | ing. (A Wall Street Story.) 298 A Pair of Jacks; or, The Smartest Messengers in Wall Street. 273 Adrift in the City; or, The Fate of a Wait. 299 Brave Billy Bland; or, Hustling Up a Business. ‘ 274 A Little Stock Broker; or, The Boy with Money to Burn. (A] 300 Taking a Big Risk; or, ‘The Dime that Led to Riches. Wall Street Story.) 201 Clear Grit; or, The Office Boy Who Made Good. 275 Island No. 10; or, The Secret of the Sunken Gold Ship. 302 Dealing in Stocks; or, Saved by a Wall Street Ticker. 276 A Wall Street Nrrand Boy, and How He Made Money in Stocks. | 803 The Sailor's Secret ; or, The Treasure of Dead Man’s Rock. 277 Newsboy Partners; or, ‘The Little Money-Makers of the Battery. 304 Capturing the Coin; or, The Deals of a Boy Broker. (A Wi 278 A Box of Coin; or, The Old Broker’s Secret. (A Wall Street Story.) Rtreat Story.) he 6 279 Ralph, the Runaway; or, From Farm to Fortune. 5 On His Own Hook: or, Making a Losing Business Pay. Ad ad 6 Lucky Jim; or, $100,000 ¥rom Stocks. (A WallStreet Story.) , 7 ‘ Story.) 281 An Orphan Boy's Pluck; or, Winning Against Odds. 282 Long & Co., Boy Brokers; or, The Lucky Wall Street Firm. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps, by . . J FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 24 UNION SQUARE, N.Y. | IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS df of our weeklies and cannot procure them from newsdealers, they can be obtained from this office direct. Write out an fill in your Order and send it to us with the price of the weeklies you want and we will send them to you by return ma 1.) “Millions in It’; or, A Boy With Ideas A Winning Tip; or, Beating the Tricky Brokers. (A Wall Street é 3 j : ae 308 The Mystery of the Mining Chart, And the Wall Street Boy Who Sol It. \ 1 f 0 0 0 0 POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. ee FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, - - -) - - =) + = -~. = + 94 UNION SQUARE RS OoOuUR TEN-CENT HAND BOO FX No. 1. _ NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND No. 13. HOW TO DO IT; OR, BOOK OF | examples in electricity, hydraulics, magneti DREAM BOOK.—Containing the great oracle | ETIQUETTE.—It is a great life secret, and | optics, pneumatics, mechanics, etc. ie . of human destiny; also the true meaning of | one that every young man desires to know all No. 30. HOW TO COOK.—One of the m -. almost any kind of dreams, together with | about. There’s happiness in it. instructive books on cooking ever published. charms, ceremonies, and curious games of No. 14. HOW TO MAKE CANDY.—A com- | contains recipes for CoOISne meats, fish, @ cards. plete hand-book for making all kinds of candy, | and oysters; also pies, puddings, cakes a No. 2. HOW TO DO TRICKS.—The great | ice-cream, syrups, essences, etc., etc. kinds “of pastry, and a grand collect book of magic and card tricks, containing full No. 16. HOW TO KEEP A WINDOW GAR- recipes. instruction on all the leading card tricks of | DEN.—Containing full instructions for con- No. 31. HOW TO BECOME A SPEAKE) the day, also the most popular magical illu- | structing a window garden either in town or | Containing fourteen illustrations, x sions as performed by our leading magicians; | country, and the most approved methods for different positions requisite to become every boy should obtain a copy of this book. raising beautiful flowers at home. speaker, reader and elocutionist. Also No. OW TO FLIRT.—The arts and No. 18. HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL.— | ing gems from all the popular authors wiles rtation are fully explained by this | One of the brightest and most valuable little | and poetry. mi : little book. Besides the various methods of | books ever given to the world. Wverybody No, 33. HOW TO BEHAVE.—Containing t handkerchief, fan, glove, parasol, window and | wishes to know how to become beautiful, both rules and etiquette of good society an hat flirtation, it contains a full list of the | male and female. The secret is simple, and easiest and most approved methods of a language and sentiment of flowers. almost costless. ing to good advantage at parties, balls, No. 4. HOW TO DANCE is the title of No. 20. HOW TO ENTERTAIN AN EVEN- theatre, church, and in the drawing-roo this little book. It contains full instructions | ING PARTY.—A complete compendium of No. 34. HOW TO FENCE.—Containing fu in the art ‘of dancing, etiquette in the ball- | 8@mes, sports, card diversions, comic reci- | instruction for fencing and the ‘use of t room and at parties, how to dress, and full | tations, ete. suitable for parlor or drawing- | proadsword; also instruction in archery. directions for calling off in all popular square | 700m entertainment. It contains more for the seribed with twenty-one practical illustr: dances. money than any book published. giving the best positions in fencing. No. 56. HOW TO MAKE LOVE.—A complete No. 21. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH.—The No. 35. HOW TO PLAY GAMES.— guide to love, courtship and marriage, giving | ™ost complete hunting and fishing guide ever | pete and useful little book, containing sensible advice, rules and etiquette to be ob- | Published. It contains full instructions about | yujes and regulations of billiards, baga’ served, with many curious and interesting | SUNS, hunting dogs, traps, trapping and fish- | packgammon, croquet, dominoes, etc. things not generally known. pi together with description of game and No. 36. HOW TO SOLVE CONUNDRUM No. 6. HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE, | 4*- Containing all the leading conundrums of —Giving full instruction for the use of dumb No. 22. HOW TO DO SECOND SIGHT.— | day, amusing riddles, curious catches and wi bells, Indian clubs, parallel bars, horizontal | Heller’s second sight explained by his former sayings. ; ; bars and various other methods of developing | assistant, Fred Hunt, Jr. Explaining how the ; + ae a good, healthy muscle; containing over sixty | secret dialogues were carried on between the ep ene PM Pat a ODS Ee se illustrations. : magician and the boy on the stage; also BIVOSs nen aa women; it will each Poe hoc No. 8. HOW TO BECOME A SCIENTIST, | 211 the codes and signals. make almost anything around the house, suc —A useful and instructive book, giving a com- No. 23. HOW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS.— | as parlor ornaments, brackets, ci plete treatise on chemistry; also experiments | This little book gives the explanation to all Aeolian harps, and bird lime for catehing in ARE Ge ly ena TRB Cr ECE Coote. kinds of dreams, together with lucky and un- | birds, * try, an rections or making reworks, lucky days. © . : : Colored: fires and Bas oa Og. | cx eutt, HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST.— | pO Gicit HOW naerear inom, containing os io. 9. HOW TO BE {NTRILO- | Containing full instructions for @ ful and practical information in the treatm it QUIST.—By Harry Kennedy. [very intelli- mnastic sports and athletic exercises. Wm- any trea J gent boy reading this book of instructions can pacing Shineefive illustrations. By Professor | Of ordinary diseases ree eecan commo, master the art, and create any amount of fun | W. Macdonald. ree family. pee n Be and for himself and friends. It is the greatest No. 26. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND BUILD ve recipes for general complaints, _book ever published. A BOAT.—Fully illustrated. Full instructions pat eHow, TO. », RAISE DOGS, you e i i . | are given in this little book, together with in- 3EON v 1TS.—A useful and UO RS SA OR cet Se 2 IR te ag al structions on swimming and riding, companion structive book. Handsomely illustrate: defense made easy. Containing over thirty illustrations of guards, blows, and the differ- | Sports to boating. beter eal or og Big Sen is yi g cer. Ev To, 2 : i ) AD _ ; atc) ent positions of a good boxer.. Every boy No. 2%. ROW TO RECITE AND BOOK OF weasels, otter, rats, squirrels.and bird should obtain one of these useful and instruc- | RECITATIONS.—Containing the most popiilar how to cure skins. Copiously illustrated. — tive books, as it will teach you how to box | selections in use, comprising Dutch dialect, LM a My, without an instructor. French dialect, once and peoet dialect Pe a ol 8 pe peal ee oe < Q RIN 1-LE IRS, | pieces, together w many standard readings. MEN E .—Containing a g No. 11. HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS, | P'No. 28. HOW TO TELL FORTUNPS.—Every- | riety of the latest jokes used by the 4 —A st mplete little book, containing full , A “ difeobtonds Ter comeing Tbvactatteras ay Oats one is desirous of knowing what his future life famous end men. No amateur mi to use em, giving specimen letters for young | Will bring forth, whether happiness or misery, complete without this wonderful little atid) ota: wealth or poverty. You can tell by a glance _No. 42. THE BOYS OF NEW Y¢ No. 12. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO | 4 this little book. Buy one and be convinced. | spKAKHPR.—Containing a varied ADIES.—Giving instructions for stump speeches, Negro, Duteh.and I end men’s jokes. Just the thin amusement and amateur shows.