 | AFFECTING INCIDENT. Saratoga in 1901 |  |
AFFECTING INCIDENT.
When the bell tolls there is a general rush to the balcony, and
when the age begins to be struck the betting commences.
The sexton strikes 1—2—3—4—5—6—7—8—9—10: then
comes a long pause.
“I'll bet the age is over thirty,” says Mr. Hunter.
“I'll t-t-take it!” shout Mr. Traverse and a dozen others.
Everybody gets excited, and, for the time being, the balcony
becomes like the Fifth Avenue bar-room, after a Wall street smash
up
The bell tolls out the second 1—2—3—4—5—6—7—8—9—
10;—11—12—13—14—15—16—17—18—19—20;—then five
more.
“T-T-tw-twenty-f-five,” shouts Mr. Traverse, who pays his
money and goes on to tell his “parrot story” for the nine hundred
and fifty-sixth time.
The hotel again relaxes into its accustomed mournfulness—
the old bachelors fall asleep over the slow dolies, cross husbands
rush upstairs to scold their wives, and the old maids convene
to hear committee reports on incomes and pedigrees and read
Mr. Perkins' faithful account of the previous day's festivities.
Yes, we all went to
the Circus,—the swell
fellows, the aristocratic
young ladies from
the Clarendon, and
the jolly old Catholic
priests from the American.
The sixteen Catholic priests were the light of the entertainment.
Between scenes, they spent their time talking about the
infallibility of the Pope, and looking at our group of aristocratic
young ladies from the Clarendon.
Two of them attempted a flirtation, but Wm. Traverse got in
between them and the ladies, and became a wall of protect on.
The Protestant clergymen generally behaved well. They
occupied front seats, with benches full of Sabbath-school
children, and good-looking young ladies. Their behavior, as I
remarked before, was generally good, and reflected credit on
the theological institutions from which they were graduated.
When D. Castello entered the arena the eye of every clergyman
was upon him. They were looking for religious jokes to
enliven their sermons.
“I have been in every profession of life,” said D. Castello. “I
have been a carpenter, a mason, a shipbuilder and a whaler.”
“You a seafaring man?” exclaimed the man with the eagle
eye in the centre; “where were you ever a whaler?”
“Why, I used to cruise around nights and come home and
whale the children in the morning,” remarked D. C.
Seventeen Catholic priests leaned forward on their seats and
laughed. They were soon joined by eleven of the Protestant
clergymen, and there was one united laugh, as if there was no
religious barrier between them. Some laughed tenor, some in
bass, but it sounded well, and I thought I should like to introduce
them all to our Clarendon young ladies, and give them one nice
square religious hour of enjoyment. Dr. Corey said he would be
responsible for the Protestants. But I did not introduce them.
| AFFECTING INCIDENT. Saratoga in 1901 | |