THB COURIER
15
what in the Dickens is the Willowton
Indies June Society," said Mcllrath,
-but the Woman's club? You can call
it society if you want to, but what's
the difference? And your wife has
i been president of it for a year and
you said last night it had been the
pleasantest year of your married life.
The truth Is, Brown, that little wife
of yours switches your freight around
like a train dispatcher and you don't
know any more than a carload of baled
hay when you are to be side-tracked
or what port you are billed for. So,
you didn't know you were speaking to
the Woman's club? Jehosophat! that's
rich," roared Mcllrath, doubling him
self up with delight. The laugh was
on Brown. "We all smoke in this
crowd," said Holland. "The devil you
do!" snarled Brown, and struck out
for his office. Brown was mad he was
boiling mad. He address a Woman's
club the t thought made him burn
with indignation from head to foot
but he had he surely had and that
great big I and remarkably small you
feeling tha't Mr. Brown had always had
when contemplating his wife's or any
other woman's mental ability, had
come very near being jarred loose. He
would never let on to his wife, but
what he knew it was a club all the
time, but he would make her feel that
he was not to be trifled with; that she
could not play him such tricks with
impunity. While he would not say
anything she should feel his displeas
ure. The children were home from
school and dinner was all ready when
he came in at noon. Mrs. Brown had
seen him coming with his hands thrust
into his pockets, and she knew he was
not in the best of humor. He said
nothing to any one, but took his seat
at the table. There was a perceptible
gloom in -the atmosphere and silence
reigned supreme until dinner was half
over, when Mr. Brown remarked in a
dead level tone of voice: "Well, we
had a fine time at the club last night."
At the word club Mrs. Brown's heart
contracted, but there was not a quiver
of an eyelid to betray her fear. "Yes.
we did," she said. "I was real proud of
you, George. I did not know you could
do so well at public speaking. Mrs.
Clark was in here this morning to
bring us some of the cake and cream
that was left" "Oh, good," inter
rupted Willie, "Can we have it for din
ner?" "'Course we can," said Nellie.
"It will melt if we don't." "And she
, said," continued Mrs. Brown, "that
F- her husband thinks you are just the
man this district wants for senator
as you are such a fluent speaker." For
just one second Mr. Brown had a men
tal view of a lumbering freight train
loaded with baled hay being switched
onto a side-track, but it was more
pleasant to contemplate Mr. Clark's
idea of the senatorship for he held
the same opinion on that subject Jim
mie cried, "O, say pa, Gemmie Burns
said his father laughed all the morn
ing at the stories you told last night
and he is going to send right off after
Riley's books. The cake and ice cream
were brought on and Mr. Brown told
over for the benefit of the children the
story that had so amused the progeni
tor of Thomas Burns. Mrs. Brown
said she heard that morning that Lucy
Thompson was to be married next
week to Mr. Williams and there was to
be a large wedding, and she heard
they were to be Invited, and they
would have to look around for a wed
ding present. Club was not mentioned
again. Mr. Brown started back to his
office he could not quite figure out
how it had all happened. His wife
was deuced smart. There was no ques-
tion about that, and, of course, he
would watch to see that she did not
get careless about things around home
or neglect the children. What a suc
cess she had made of her society or
club or whatever you call it! But, then,
he had drawn the constitution. Here
a brilliant thought struck him, and
the rift that had been made in his self
complacency closed up so tightly that
the crack was not visible to the naked
eye. Of course that's the solution of
the whole question, thought he plain
as the nose on your face why had he
not seen It before Environment was
the whole thing. What was it his wife
was reading the other night about the
mimicry of nature? How animals and
birds took on the color of their sur
roundings. If the plumage of the
birds of the Great Desert is strikingly
like the soil of their home and all its
animals, from hens and gazelles to
locusts wear the tawny color of the
desert sand. If the lizzard takes on the
color of its back ground, the polar
bear and Arctic birds are white like
the snow, and so on, what's the matter
with a natural law working in an in
tellectual as well as physical way? Of
course that was the key to the whole
situation. His wife had become brainy
by living with him! Certainly,
thought Brown; clear case, right along
the lines of evolution modification by
environment, sure and his thumbs
sougth the armholes of his vest, his
expansive chest swelled with pride into
a fine front, and Richard was him
self again.
THEATRIGAb.
THE OLIVER.
The success of Ernest Seton Thomp
son on the lecture platform has been
phenomenal. During the past season
he has spoken twice a day in order to
comply with the demand for his ser
vices. Everywhere crowded houses
have welcomed him, and alwayp, on
afternoon occasions, the greater portion
of the audience has been children. The
charm of Seton-Thompson's art ia in its
simplicity, its novelty and the flavor of
the forest which he imparts to all his
descriptive work. Whether he is ana
1 zing the tracks of the hare, iniitatiDg
the cballenga to battle of the bull elk,
or repeating the mocking bark of the
pin gopher, he is all the time carrying
bis audience farther back from the foot
bills into the Rockies and getting them
nearer to the true life of Ximrod. The
wole human family is bis public, be
cause every human being loves wild
anilals.
The people of Lincoln will have a
chance to hear him at the Oliver Thea
tre this afternoon and evening.
The comedy event of the season at the
Oliver Theatre is the appearance on
Monday evening of Harry Corson Clark,
who is well remembered here from the
hit he scored last season in "What Hap
pened to Jones.'' He is supported by a
New York company in a brand new
farce entitled "What Did Tompkins
Do?" Mr. Clark has scored a hit of
huge propoitione in his latest attempt.
His performance is the very top notch
of comic effort. No money has not
been spared upon the beautiful stage
settings, the handsome women who sup
port bin: atd their beautiful and artts
tic gowns they wear. There are a doz
en Parisian creations which alone rep
resent a small fortune.
Sale of seals now going on.
THE FUXKE.
The street parade by Rusco and Hoi
land's Big Minstrel Festival is superior
to anything by a smaller organization.
This season they will eclipse all former
attempts and the public will have a free
treat at one P. M. today. This is not a
stereotyped parade. They give an en
tire new departure, gaudy entertaining,
and laughable, well worth our time to
see. The Big Minstrel Festival will
appear at the Funke Opera House to
day only, matinee and night, Saturday,
April (ith.
One of the most interesting theatrical
events of the season is the engagement
of that talented young comedian, Mr.
George II. Howard and the sprightl
soubrette. Miss Flora Dorset, with their
own company of Dramatic and Vaude
ville artists, at the Funke Opera House
all next week, commencing Monday,
April Sth. As an opening bill the com
pany presents Jessie Mae Hall's greatest
success entitled "The Princes of
Patches'' with Miss Dorset in the title
role and Mr. Howard in his original
character of Weary Wiggles. As usual
with popular priced attractions, a lady
will be admitted free on opening night
if accompanied by a person with a paid
30 or f0 cent reserved seat ticket, if
reserved prior to 7 o'clock Monday eve
nirg. The advance sale will open Sat
urday morning. Strocg vaudeville be
tween acts, not a single act duplicated
during the entire engagement.
orvrvKR
CNOBK TUB IIIRKCTiO.X OF
0. T. CRAWFORD S F.. ZEHRUNG
Corner 13th and P. Plum 3.M
TODAY
MAOMEE
and NIGHT
Children's Day -The Great Friend of Wild Animals,
Ernest Seton - Thompson-
Two of His Great Illustrated Lectures.
"PerMonallty of Wild .rXrftlYcil" Saturday after
noon, April (. 'Wild AnlmalM I Have Known"-
Saturday evening, April G.
Since October last, over 80000 children and T.'i.OOO grownups havo attended
these lectures, seen Mr. Seton-Thompson's hoautiful animal picturos, pnd hsurd
the wonderful stories of his experience with them.
All tlie Clillctren o ,lnooln arc Invited
to come and bring their parents, teachers and friends. They will see their Ani
mal Facrites. The Springfield Fox. Mollie Cottontail, Libo and his Mate, Little
Johnry. The Great Hears and many other Animals and Birds in his book.
Prices Matinee, children 25c, adults 50c, an' seat in the
house, except boxes. Box seats $1.00, children half price.
Only boxes reserved at matinee, Evening- prices 25c to $1.00,
children 50c an' seat. Seats now on sale.
MONDAY NIGHT, APRIL 8.
A ROYAIv FKAST OF IUJV.
The popular and versatile In his newest and Latest
Comedian Hit
11 V WM
Pretty Girls, Catchy Music, Stunning Gowns, Handsome Settings; supporting
company of exceptional excellence. A Most Triumphant success.
Prices 25c, 50c, 75c and $1.00. Seats now on sale.
UNDER THE DIRECTION OK
0. T. CRAWFORD AND F. C. ZEHRUHG
COR. O AND TWELFTH. IMIONKHM
TA n A V MATINEE
1 VJUf I arici KIGHT
A Sensational triumph! A Mammoth Attraction! The Mightiest of tho
Mighty!
RUSCO AND HOLLAND'S
(Successors to Richards Sc Pringle)
BIG MINSTREL FESTIVAL,
Monumental as a Monument! Gigantic as a Giant! Colossal as a Colossus! Pleas
urable Surprise of Prime Magnitude! Cannon Shots from the Minstrel King!
A princely etTort by the reigning monarchs of minstrel caterers to His Koyal High
nesp, The American Public. A Superlatively Great and Incomparably iiig Min
strel Festival. A company without an equal in the whole world of minstrelsy.
Pree Street Porncle rcillr.
Prices Matinee, 10c to 25c: evening-, 15c to 50c.
O JVisrlvtas, Matinee Saturday
Bes:inis: Monday, April 8.
First appearance in this
city of the versatile
Comedian,
MN
f
B.
IS
And the charming
soubrette,
no
I
(
a
(
n
l Jessie Mae Hall's Southern
Romance,
' Tiik Pkinoes ok Pvtchks.
Edwin Arden's great success,
EAGLES NEST.
I The new 4-act comedy drama,
J THE LITTLE GYPSY.
f George B. Howard's American
Play
ItHE WININXGIIAND.or
THE SHADOW OF CRIME.
The ever popular drama,
And their great company of
dramatic and vaudeville
artists, presenting
the following
plays:
THE TWO ORPHANS.
OUT U HTIUCC ( Lizzio Evans' Success.
Ml. Mfl I INtt FOGG'S FERRY.
i William A. Brady's success,
OLD GLORY.
Vaudeville between the acts. Seats now on sale. Ladies
free Monday as usual. Prices 10c, 20c, 30c and 50c.