iculty, flung by Gus. They clawed and held onto him. The long
step-ladder was rocking like a slender tree in a gale. One cat left the
hands of Gus, alighting with all four feet on Sweeny's neck, with a
spring that sent it out over the heads of the orchestra to the fourth or
fifth row in the parquet. The cat left its marks on Sweeny's neck and
the scars are there today as plain as twenty-seven years ago. As Gus
flung the second cat the exertion was too much for him. He followed on
the step-ladder, overturning Brother Gardner and the stove. Three dogs
pounced upon Gus as he rolled over and over on the floor. Three of the
largest dogs had followed the first cat over the heads of the orchestra,
and a stampede of the audience was in progress, the dogs and cats under
the feet of men and women, who were jumping on chairs or rushing towards
the exits. The curtain went down without the humorous dialogue that
usually terminated the scene.

"Mr. President: I moves you, sir, dat no member ob dis club hyaraftuh be
admitted wid more'n three dogs."

Alfred put his shoulder to the wheel wherever and whenever a push or a
pull was required. Night after night, he assisted the stage hands in
hustling effects from the theatre to the train. On one occasion the
train was scheduled to leave in a very short time after the curtain
fell. Alfred, without changing his stage clothes, busied himself
assisting the stage hands. Gus, the property man, flung Alfred's
clothing into his trunk, not observing they were his street apparel
instead of stage costumes. The trunk was sent to the depot. When Alfred
prepared to follow he was minus everything except a large pair of
shoes, thin pants, long stockings and undershirt. There was no time to
be lost; grabbing up a large piece of carpet, Alfred wound it around
himself and started for the depot on a run.

Doc Quigley, Arthur Rigby and several of the company stationed
themselves along his route to the depot, hiding in the shadows of
doorways. One after another shouted: "Good-bye, Al, good-bye old boy.
You've got the best show ever. Come back again. Your show's great."

[Illustration: "Good-bye Al, Old Boy"]

"All right boys, good-bye. I'll be with you next season," shouted the
hustling minstrel as he sped for the train. Alfred was completely
deceived. He imagined the compliments were coming from the towns-people.

The German property man, whose mistake was responsible for Alfred's
grotesque appearance, w