men in thar," and he jerked his head towards the
audience, "there's men in thar with three hundred dollars in thar
pockets right now. Don't you think you're in a poverty-struck place. Our
people have all got money." Thrusting his hands deep into his pockets,
jingling keys and coins.

"I mean the tickets do not represent fifty dollars so far. I'm in good
and deep and you are the cause of it."

"I find nothing to do business with. I ask you as a last request to
watch the door for me. You leave the door and every jay will walk in."

"Oh no, they won't," interrupted Mr. Hall-man. "They won't get in this
hall without paying."

"Why, what in thunder is to hinder them? The whole town could walk in
without paying one cent."

[Illustration: He Waved the Key]

"I'll be durned if they could," ejaculated Mr. Hall-man, and he waved
the key of the door triumphantly at Alfred. The man had actually locked
the door. When opened, there were some dozen seeking admission. Many
left in disgust.

There was a bill for lights of glass, and numerous drinks at the bar
presented to Alfred. The glass he settled for, informing the hotel man
he did not pay bar-bills. The barkeeper could not recognize any one of
the performers in their street attire.

He assured Alfred "the hull pack of niggers with you jus' drank and
drank and only a few paid. The bill don't amount to much, so far as enny
one of the men is concerned; but one gal, one nigger gal, jus' treated
right and left. If we could get what she owes, I'd let the rest go." The
barkeeper referred to Harry Bulger.

Alfred's great desire was to present his minstrel show in his old home
town, Brownsville. The stage in Jeffries' Hall was too small to
accommodate the minstrels. Therefore, one of Alfred's boyhood friends,
Levi Waggoner, arranged to play the minstrels in the skating rink. Levi
was one of the boys who had stood by the old town through all its
changes and become one of its substantial citizens. Awake to every
business opportunity, he had not only seated the floor space of the rink
but builded circus seats against the rear wall.

Alfred was not in the old town an hour until it became imperative that
he should seek protection from his friends. He delegated one of the
company, one who was noted for his staying qualities, to represent him.
Every man met, no matter how old, claimed to be a schoolboy friend of
Alfred's. "There goes another old friend of Alf's" became a by-word long