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head…gear； from which soared a bunch of tall peacock feathers。
'Oh； Jack； what a head…dress for a Duke！' laughed Margery； 'no wonder
they banished you。 Did you offend the court hatter？'
Phil said that at all events nobody could mistake him for anything
but a fool； in his 'Touchstone' costume； and so he was jest…er going
to be contented。
Scott Burton was arranging Pancho's toilette for the wrestling…match；
and meanwhile trying to raise his drooping spirits； and Rosalind was
vainly endeavouring to make Adam's beard of grey moss stay on。
While these antics were going on behind the scenes； the audience was
seated on the knoll； making merry over the written programmes； which
had been a surprise of Geoff's； and read as follows：…
THE PRINCESS' THEATRE。
July 10th； 188…。
APPEARANCE THE GREATEST DRAMATIC COMPANY ON EARTH （FACT）。
THE COOLEST THEATRE IN THE WORLD。
A Royal Galaxy and Boyaxy of Artists in the play of
AS YOU LIKE IT；
By William Shakespeare； or Lord Bacon。
CAST。
'Alas！ unmindful of their doom； the little victims play；
No sense have they of ills to come； or cares beyond to…day。'
ROSALIND The Lady Bell…Pepper。
（Her greatest creation。）
CELIA The Countess Paulina。
PHOEBE The Duchess of Sweet Marjoram。
AUDREY A talented Incognita of the Court。
ORLANDO Hennery Irving Salvini Strong。
（Late from the Blank Theatre； Oil City。）
ADAM Dr。 Paul Winship。
（By kind permission of his manager；
Mrs。 T。 W。）
BANISHED DUKE ｝
SYLVIUS ｝ Lord John Howard ｝ Lightning
TOUCHSTONE ｝ ｝ Change Artists。
JACQUE ｝ Duke of Noble ｝
（N。B。The Duke of Noble has played
the 'fool' five million times。）
OLIVER Mr。 Scott Burton。
（Specially engaged。）
CHARLES THE WRESTLER Pancho Muldoon Sullivan。
（His first appearance。）
The Comb Orchestra will play the Music of the Future。
The Usher will pass pop…corn between the Acts。 Beds may be ordered
at 10。30。
The scene between Adam and Orlando went off with good effect； and
when Celia and Rosalind came through the trees in an affectionate
attitude； and Celia's blithe voice broke the stillness with； 'I pray
thee； Rosalind； sweet my coz； be merry；' there was a hearty burst of
applause which almost frightened them into silence。
At the end of the first act everybody was delighted； the stage…
manager； carpenter； scene…shifter； costumier； and all the stars were
called successively before the curtain。
Hop Yet declared it was 'all the same good as China theatre'； and
every one agreed to that criticism without a dissenting voice。
To be sure； there was an utter absence of stage…management； and all
the 'traditions' were remarkable for their absence； but I fancy that
the spirits of Siddons and Kemble； Macready and Garrick； looked down
with kind approval upon these earnest young actors as they recited
the matchless old words； moving to and fro in the quaint setting of
trees and moonlight； with an orchestra of cooing doves and murmuring
zephyrs。
The forest scenes were intended to be the features of the evening；
and in these the young people fairly surpassed themselves。 Any one
who had seen Neilson in her doublet and 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 these
three brilliant stars in the theatrical firmament might have envied
this little Rosalind the dewy youth and freshness that so triumphed
over all deficiencies of costume。
Margery's camping…dress of grey； shortened to the knee； served for
its basis。 Round the skirt and belt and sleeves were broad bands of
laurel…leaf trimming。 She wore a pair of Margery's long grey
stockings and Laura'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 bright wavy hair was perched a cunning flat
cap of leaves； and； as she entered with Polly； leaning on her
manzanita staff； and sighing； 'Oh Jupiter； how weary are my spirits！'
one could not wish a lovelier stage picture。
And so the play went on； with varying fortunes。 Margery was
frightened to death； and persisted in taking Touchstone's speeches
right 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 clothes of Sylvius。 But nothing could damp the dramatic fire of
the players； nor destroy the enthusiasm of the sympathetic audience。
Dicky sat in the dress…circle； wrapped in blankets； and laughed
himself nearly into convulsions over Touchstone's jokes； and the
stage business of the Banished Duke； for it is unnecessary to state
that Jack was not strictly Shakespearean in his treatment of the
part。
As for Polly； she enjoyed being Celia with all her might； and
declared her intention of going immediately on the 'regular' stage；
but Jack somewhat destroyed her hopes by affirming that her nose and
hair wouldn't be just the thing on the metropolitan boards； although
they might pass muster in a backwoods theatre。
'Hello！ What's this？' exclaimed Philip； one morning。 'A visitor？
Yesno！ Why； it's Senor Don Manuel Felipe Hilario Noriega coming up
the canyon！ He's got a loaded team； too！ I wonder if Uncle Doc is
expecting anything。'
The swarthy gentleman with the long name emerged from one cloud of
dust and disappeared in another； until he neared the gate where
Philip and Polly were standing。
Philip opened the gate； and received a bow of thanks which would have
made Manuel's reputation at a Spanish court。
'Going up to camp？'
'Si； senor。'
'Those things for us？'
'Si； senor。'
'What are they？'
'Si； senor。'
'Exactly！ Well； are there any letters？'
'Si； senor。' Whereupon he drew one from his gorgeously…decorated
leather belt。
Philip reached for it； and Polly leaned over his shoulder； devoured
with curiosity。
'It's for Aunt Truth；' she said； 'andyes； I am sure it is Mrs。
Howard's writing； and if it is'
Hereupon； as Manuel spoke no English； and neither Philip nor Polly
could make inquiries in Spanish； Polly darted to the cart in her
usual meteoric style； put one foot on the hub of a wheel and climbed
to the top like a squirrel； snatched off 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 faster than you can。' And before the vestige
of an idea had penetrated Philip's head； nothing could be seen of
Polly but a pair of twinkling heels and the gleam of a curly head
that caught every ray of the sun and turned it into ruddier gold。
It was a dusty； rocky path； and up…hill at that； but Polly； who was
nothing if not ardent； never slackened her pace； but dashed along
until she came in sight of the camp； where she expended her last
breath in one shrill shriek for Aunt Truth。
It was responded to promptly。 Indeed； it was the sort of shriek that
always commands instantaneous attention； and Aunt Truth came out of
her tent prepared to receive tragic news。 Bell followed； and the
entire family would have done the same had they been in camp。
Polly thrust the letter into Mrs。 Winship's hand； and sank down
exhausted； exclaiming； breathlessly； 'There's a mattressand a tent…
…coming up the canyon。 It's Elsie's； I know。 Philip is down at the
gatewith the cartbut I came ahead。 Phew！ but it's warm！'
'What！' cried Bell； joyfully。 'Elsie at the gate！ It can't be
true！' And she darted like an arrow through the trees。
'Come back！ come back！' screamed Polly。
'Elsie is not at the gate。 Don S。 D。 M。 F。 H。 N。 is there with a
team loaded down with things。 Isn't it from Mrs。 Howard； Aunt
Truth？'
'Yes； it is。 Written this morning from Tacitas Rancho。 Why； how is
this？ Let me see！'
TACITAS RANCHO； Monday morning。
Dear Truth；You will be surprised to receive a letter from me；
written from Tacitas。 But here we are； Elsie and I； and； what is
better； we are on our way to you。
（'I knew it！' exclaimed the girls。）
Elsie has been growing steadily better for three weeks。 The fever
seems to have disappeared entirely； and the troublesome cough is so
much lessened that she sleeps all night without waking。 The doctor
says that the camp…life will be the very best thing for her now； and
will probably complete her recovery。
（'Oh； joy； joy！' cried the girls。）
I need not say how gladly we followed this special prescription of
our kind doctor's； nor add that we started at once。
（'Oh； Aunt Truth； there is nobody within a mile of the camp； can't I；
PLEASE can't I turn one little hand…spring； just one little lady…like
one？' pleaded Polly； dancing on one foot and chewing her sun…bonnet
string。
'No； dea