A Summer in a Canyon: A California Story

East to we

is like

eing mounted

the world be

ctures, fa

black to

ce be kep

fair of

e a more extended notice than it has yet received,

tudied it in Dr. Winship's Shakespeare class the preceding winter, but they were actually d

e when played out of doors by dim candle-light, but this will be just as rom

an very strongly, feeling that the garish light of day would be bad for the makesh

re the performance. 'You have some of the hardest work done already, and can just devote yourselves to

costumes besides; and the trouble is, that three or four of them will have to be made to-morrow, after Laura comes with the t

e and have one consultation, and then we'll let you

s ran towards the scene of action. 'It's the o

te the stage, which is exactly the thing for audience seats; then we have a semicircular background of trees and a flat place for the stage, which is perfe

ducal interior, or whatever it

little embarrass

t the interior in front of those trees. It can be all fixed befor

can't have any Adam's cottage. We talked it ove

cally. 'Then allow me to remark that you t

meekly. 'Could you deign, as spokesman of th

be sure, it's a good distance to the left, but let the audience screw round in their seats when they hear

eoff. 'We bow to you

ns for the Fourth of July; they have just saved us from utt

aimed Polly, clasping her hands in anticipation. 'How man

f the ladder where he was at work. 'And look at my arrange

e trees, for stage seats; and make me some kind of a thing on the

rocks,' sug

ity. 'I am black and blue already from practising my faint, a

row of care, soothes lacerated feelings, and 'ushes the 'owl of hinfancy,'

second cousin), have you a secret contract to advertise a v

o be doing anything; fix a stump for me to sit

u stumped once in my life. Shall we have

e awkward stumbling over stiff billows of carpet. Let's sweep the grou

in our parts,' remarked Phil, hidin

ughed Polly, 'or you may b

e irrepressible Jack, whose wit was very apt to be of a slangy

is to be made of three sheets hung over a line, and the two sides will be f

d to be artistic. 'Imagine a ducal palace, in the year so many hundre

he 'nakkeronisms,' or whatever the word is. I have got to wear an old w

n back from the k

old him he would only be on the stage two minutes, and would not have to speak a word, but ju

gery. 'Fans, parasols, flowers, and leaves, with the ma

frey, slyly. 'Say, Polly, omit the cold cream for o

care of my own complexion, if you will allow me. As

t us go to the tent and sew. It is nothing but non

day, and transformed their tent into a mammoth dressmaki

away, and now the fatal moment had arriv

, as if that were not enough, who should drive up at the last moment but the family from the neighbouring milk ranch, and beg to be allowed the ple

ll, for audience seats; it was a brilliant moonlight night, and the stage assumed a

in and artistically pasted over with bouquets from the cretonne trunk covers, in imitation of flowered satin; under this she wore a short blue lawn sk

d; and with a flat coronet of wild roses and another great bunch at he

t too lovely-isn't she,

occupied in making herself absurdly beautiful as Audrey. 'Of course

e it in this glass. Well, the next one fits better, and I h

capital knack at hair-dressin

ok like a court dress; but she looked as fresh and radiant as a rose in it, for the candle-light obliterated every freckle,

one up" look, and have I succeeded? and shall I wear any flowers with this lace surplice? and what on earth shall I do with my hands? they're so black they will cast a gloom

ry nice, and your neck looks lovely with that lace handkerchief. As for flowers, wh

rn locks. 'Seems to me this is a mutual admiration society, isn't

owers, and you can take it, as to have something in your hand to play with. You look nicer than any Ph?be I ever saw, that's a fact. And now, hurrah! we're

od deal of merriment and some honest admiration. Geoff looked very odd without his eyeglasses

ys had determined not to wear their ordinary clothes, no matter what happened; so Jack had donned one of Hop Yet's blue blouses f

admire his appearance as the Duke, on account of a magnificent du

' laughed Margery; 'no wonder they banis

him for anything but a fool, in his 'Touchstone' c

h, and meanwhile trying to raise his drooping spirits; and Rosalind

e was seated on the knoll, making merry over the written progra

NCESS'

10th,

the Greatest D

rth (

Theatre in

d Boyaxy of Artis

U LIK

hakespeare,

a

f their doom, the

f ills to come, or c

sa

epper. (Her gre

e

ntess P

h

s of Sweet

dr

Incognita o

la

Strong. (Late from the

d

kind permission of h

d Duke

John

g Change

tone /

of

e has played the 'fool

iv

rton. (Speci

s the

ullivan. (His fi

a will play the M

orn between the Acts. Bed

trees in an affectionate attitude, and Celia's blithe voice broke the stillness with, 'I pray thee, Rosalin

stage-manager, carpenter, scene-shifter, costumier, and a

as China theatre'; and every one agreed t

e spirits of Siddons and Kemble, Macready and Garrick, looked down with kind approval upon these earnest young actors as they recited the m

nd hose of silver-grey, Modjeska in her shades of blue, and Ada Cavendish in her lovely suit of green, might have thought Bell's patched-up dress a sorry mixture; yet thes

a's dainty bronze Newport ties. A soft grey chudda shawl of Aunt Truth's was folded into a mantle to swing from the shoulder, its fringes being caught up out of sight, and a laurel-leaf trimming added. On her brigh

t out of his mouth, much to his discomfiture. Adam's beard refused to stay on; so did the moustache of the Banished Duke, and the c

lsions over Touchstone's jokes, and the stage business of the Banished Duke; for it is un

y on the 'regular' stage; but Jack somewhat destroyed her hopes by affirming that her nose and hair woul

Why, it's Se?or Don Manuel Felipe Hilario Noriega coming up the ca?on!

one cloud of dust and disappeared in another, until he

bow of thanks which would have made M

up to

se?

things

se?

are

se?

l, are there

drew one from his gorgeous

Polly leaned over his shoul

'and-yes, I am sure it is Mrs.

a corner of the canvas cover, and cried triumphantly, 'I knew it! Elsie is coming! Here's a tent, and some mattresses and pillows. Hurry! Help me down, quick! Oh, slow-coach! Keep out of the way and I'll jump! Give me the letter. I can run

ot ardent, never slackened her pace, but dashed along until she came in sight of

stantaneous attention; and Aunt Truth came out of her tent prepared to receive tragic n

, breathlessly, 'There's a mattress-and a tent-coming up the ca?on. It's Elsie's, I k

t the gate! It can't be true!' And she

ome back!' sc

. N. is there with a team loaded down with t

rning from Tacitas Rancho. W

ncho, Mond

from me, written from Tacitas. But here we are, Elsi

!' exclaime

and the troublesome cough is so much lessened that she sleeps all night without waking. The doctor say

joy!' cried

his special prescription of our kind do

lease can't I turn one little hand-spring, just one little lady-like on

n't! Keep quiet a

story of a sudden ill turn would keep us at home; and I think ver

ey exceedingly well, but I would not take any risks, and s

hurried quite so

ngings ahead to-day, so that Jack may g

ered; and of course I've told Elsie nothing

Gin is not quite a success as a cook, but he can at least wash dishes, wait at table, and help Hop Yet in various ways;

can keep my child after all! The weary burden of dread is lifted off my heart, and I feel young a

ur attach

t Ho

few words, and Polly and Bell threw themselves in

must find somebody to help Philip unload the team. Papa and the boys have gone fishing, and Laura and M

n, turned up her sleeves as if washing were th

s sparkling with excitement, 'first and

olly? It is scarcely ten o'clock, and everybody wou

pened to Dicky,' said Bell, 'and th

of twelve? We can't do a thing without the boys, and they may not come home until midnight unless we do

Bell. 'Now Philip and Pancho can set it up whenever they choose. And isn't it fortunate that we three stayed a

lly tooth and nail, as she alternated trembling clutches

e stroke of Philip's knife accomplished more than all her ill-directed effort. At length the bundle of awning cloth st

pretty broken stripes, and the edge is cut in lovely scollops a

out to join th

They've sent it all made, in three pieces. What fun! We'll h

, depositing a huge bundle on the ground near t

aimed Bell. 'Well! Mrs. Howar

the horn!' teased th

a Shaker rocking-chair,' called Philip; 'gues

looking-glass if they were only going

or do anything nice, will you let us use all that new white mosquito-netting? Bell says that it has

ng else that you can find. There! I hear Dicky's v

swarm of tents, and looked up the

pt an unfortunate frog or two. The girls had discovered that he was in the habit of crowding the cover tightly over the pail and keeping his victims shut up for twenty-four hours, after which, he said, they were nice and tame-s

t could possibly happen!' call

ery in a second, nobody knew wh

o wait until day after to-morrow, and then your gues

er delight. 'Mrs. Howard says she is really and truly better. Oh, if Elsie Howard in bed is the loveliest,

n ill since you kne

entirely if she lived in a milder climate; so Mrs. Howard left home and everybody she cared for, and brought Elsie to Santa Barbara. Papa has

he pr

, 'she is like an ang

eres

o be too feeble for the subject; 'Elsie is more interestin

pul

her anybody can be popular who is always in bed; but if it's popular to be adored by ever

ourite with boys

ar, and naturally she has not seen many people; but, if you want a boy's opinion, just ask Philip or Geoffrey. I assure you, Laura, after you

going to bed,' rema

wer in one hand, the other under her cheek, her hair straying over the pillow (O for hair

nk goodness in itself is always so very interesting; if Elsie had freckles and a snub nose'-('Don't

ve to be ever so good, nobody ever would look for a halo round my head. Now, is it my turned-up nos

said Margery; 'that is too dif

shining with anticipation. 'Now I'll have as many as seven or 'leven frogs a

d be heard from the carpenter-shop, and Pancho was already laying the tent floor in a small, open, sunny place, where the low boughs of a single

had! and after all, the boys insisted on going where Dr. Winship wouldn't allow us to follow, so that we

ink of that lovely pool with the fores

e of it and shall look like a perfect fright for a week. I

ng four miles in high-heeled shoe

nd if they are, I don't care to look li

ty little common-sense boot. 'Sir Walter Raleigh would never have allowed me to walk on his velvet cloak with t

the hair,'

e done? The Royal Feet must not be wet. "Go round the puddle? Prit, me Lud, 'Od's body! Forsooth! Certainly not! Remove the puddle!" she says haughtily to her subjects. They are just about to do so, when out from behind a neighbouring chaparral bush stalks a beautiful young prince with coal-black hair and rose-red cheeks. He wears a rich velvet cloak, glittering with embroidery. He sees not her crown, her hair outshines it; he sees not her sceptre, her tiny hand conceals it; he sees

, as Mrs. Winship wiped the tears of merriment from her eyes, Polly

o-netting because Dr. Winship has the key of the st

to the oak-tree where the horn hung and blew all the stre

; 'that was an escape-valve, and I shall be l