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Page 31
The Reverend Mr. Withholder had organized a series of Biblical
tableaux at Skinnerstown for the benefit of his church.
Illustrations were to be given of "Rebecca at the Well," "The
Finding of Moses," "Joseph and his Brethren;" but Rocky Canyon was
more particularly excited by the announcement that Polly Harkness
would personate "Jephthah's Daughter." On the evening of the
performance, however, it was found that this tableau had been
withdrawn and another substituted, for reasons not given. Rocky
Canyon, naturally indignant at this omission to represent native
talent, indulged in a hundred wild surmises. But it was generally
believed that Jack Filgee's revengeful animosity to the Reverend
Mr. Withholder was at the bottom of it. Jack, as usual, smiled
inanely, but nothing was to be got from him. It was not until a
few days later, when another incident crowned the climax of these
mysteries, that a full disclosure came from his lips.
One morning a flaming poster was displayed at Rocky Canyon, with a
charming picture of the "Sacramento Pet" in the briefest of skirts,
disporting with a tambourine before a goat garlanded with flowers,
who bore, however, an undoubted likeness to Billy. The text in
enormous letters, and bristling with points of admiration, stated
that the "Pet" would appear as "Esmeralda," assisted by a performing
goat, especially trained by the gifted actress. The goat would
dance, play cards, and perform those tricks of magic familiar to the
readers of Victor Hugo's beautiful story of the "Hunchback of Notre
Dame," and finally knock down and overthrow the designing seducer,
Captain Phoebus. The marvelous spectacle would be produced under
the patronage of the Hon. Colonel Starbottle and the Mayor of
Skinnerstown.
As all Rocky Canyon gathered open-mouthed around the poster, Jack
demurely joined the group. Every eye was turned upon him.
"It don't look as if yer Polly was in THIS show, any more than she
was in the tablows," said one, trying to conceal his curiosity
under a slight sneer. "She don't seem to be doin' any dancin'!"
"She never DID any dancin'," said Jack, with a smile.
"Never DID! Then what was all these yarns about her dancin' up at
the pass?"
"It was the Sacramento Pet who did all the dancin'; Polly only LENT
the goat. Ye see, the Pet kinder took a shine to Billy arter he
bowled Starbottle over thet day at the hotel, and she thought she
might teach him tricks. So she DID, doing all her teachin' and
stage-rehearsin' up there at the pass, so's to be outer sight, and
keep this thing dark. She bribed Polly to lend her the goat and
keep her secret, and Polly never let on a word to anybody but me."
"Then it was the Pet that Yuba Bill saw dancin' from the coach?"
"Yes."
"And that yer artist from New York painted as an 'Imp and Satire'?"
"Yes."
"Then that's how Polly didn't show up in them tablows at
Skinnerstown? It was Withholder who kinder smelt a rat, eh? and
found out it was only a theayter gal all along that did the
dancin'?"
"Well, you see," said Jack, with affected hesitation, "thet's
another yarn. I don't know mebbe ez I oughter tell it. Et ain't
got anything to do with this advertisement o' the Pet, and might be
rough on old man Withholder! Ye mustn't ask me, boys."
But there was that in his eye, and above all in this lazy
procrastination of the true humorist when he is approaching his
climax, which rendered the crowd clamorous and unappeasable. They
WOULD have the story!
Seeing which, Jack leaned back against a rock with great gravity,
put his hands in his pockets, looked discontentedly at the ground,
and began: "You see, boys, old Parson Withholder had heard all
these yarns about Polly and thet trick-goat, and he kinder reckoned
that she might do for some one of his tablows. So he axed her if
she'd mind standin' with the goat and a tambourine for Jephthah's
Daughter, at about the time when old Jeph comes home, sailin' in
and vowin' he'll kill the first thing he sees,--jest as it is in
the Bible story. Well, Polly didn't like to say it wasn't HER that
performed with the goat, but the Pet, for thet would give the Pet
dead away; so Polly agrees to come thar with the goat and rehearse
the tablow. Well, Polly's thar, a little shy; and Billy,--you bet
HE'S all there, and ready for the fun; but the darned fool who
plays Jephthah ain't worth shucks, and when HE comes in he does
nothin' but grin at Polly and seem skeert at the goat. This makes
old Withholder jest wild, and at last he goes on the platform
hisself to show them how the thing oughter be done. So he comes
bustlin' and prancin' in, and ketches sight o' Polly dancin' in
with the goat to welcome him; and then he clasps his hands--so--and
drops on his knees, and hangs down his head--so--and sez, 'Me
chyld! me vow! Oh, heavens!' But jest then Billy--who's gettin'
rather tired o' all this foolishness--kinder slues round on his
hind legs, and ketches sight o' the parson!" Jack paused a moment,
and thrusting his hands still deeper in his pockets, said lazily,
"I don't know if you fellers have noticed how much old Withholder
looks like Billy?"
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