THE COUNTRY BOY 111 



are really needed. So sister and I went with- 

 out Siwy. We had good seats, the third row in 

 the balcony. We said to each other when we 

 ffot there — it was a matinee — that we bet 

 it was a good show for every seat was taken. 

 It started off kinder quiet for an opera and 

 without music, which we thought was strange, 

 but about the middle of the first act the main 

 lady fell head over heels in love with a fine, big, 

 strapping fellow and it was fine to watch. 

 Presently some old man showed up, the father 

 of the young man, and it appears that Clara 

 Morris had been in love before somewhere and 

 that seemed to spoil the game. About this 

 time we got to snuffling some and finally Adda 

 broke down and cried aloud, and as she came 

 by me I broke down too. I know it must have 

 been bad for other people near us, for some of 

 them got out and left, but we wept right on 

 just the same, and it is awkward crying in the 

 theatre without a handkerchief. I tried to 

 check it between the first and second acts while 

 the orchestra was playing and I told sister that 

 I thought the old man with white hair would 

 finally let them marry ; but she sobbed and said 

 in a loud voice she didn't believe he would, as he 



