AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR.
Al's ride home after his queer adventure was an uneventful one. He was
glad enough to reach the solitude of his own room. Although his body was
tired, his mind seemed abnormally active, and for at least two hours he
lay tossing sleeplessly on his bed, reviewing not only the exciting
events of the day, but much of his past life.
We have thus far said nothing of our hero's past, nor shall we now; we
will let him tell the story himself, as he did the next morning when he
visited the mayor's office.
Ten o'clock was the time Mr. Anderson had appointed for their interview,
but Al was off hand a little before that hour. Mr. Wattles had told him
that he must leave Boomville for the next town at noon, and he knew he
had no time to waste.
The mayor received him cordially.
"I'm delighted to see you, my dear young friend," was his greeting, as
he grasped the boy's hand. "We had a grand success last night, did we
not? And it was all due to your efforts. If it had not been for your
persistency Mrs. Anderson would not have appeared."
"Then you are not sorry that she played, sir?" questioned Al, somewhat
surprised at the mayor's enthusiasm.
"Sorry? Not a bit of it! Why, it was one of the grandest triumphs in the
history of the American stage."
Al had his own opinion on that point, but he did not express it; he only
said:
"The audience seemed to be very much pleased with Mrs. Anderson's work."
"Pleased! Of course they were pleased. How could they help it? As for
myself, I was as much delighted as I was surprised. I have given my
consent to Mrs. Anderson's second appearance to-night."
"Indeed, sir?"
"Yes. Mr. Wattles came to me and, in the most respectful manner, asked
the favor. You see, the woman who has been playing the part was so
angered by my wife's success that she refused to appear. I could do
nothing but yield, especially as Mr. Wattles assures me that there was a
widespread feeling of disappointment on the part of those who were
unable to gain admission last night. Mr. Wattles, my lad, considers Mrs.
Anderson one of the greatest geniuses on the American stage; he told me
so this morning."
Al could not help thinking that the "foxy" manager was overdoing the
thing a little; but he did not express any opinion. In fact, Mr.
Anderson did not give him a chance to do so, for he went on as soon as
he had caught his breath:
"But never mind about all that now. Some day you will doubtless remember
with pride that you assisted at the debut of Mrs. Anderson; but let us
now talk of yourself."
"We might find a more interesting subject, sir," suggested Al.
"It is like your modesty to say so, but I cannot agree with you. Now, my
lad, I have taken a great interest in you, and I am going to do what I
can to help you along in the world. What do you most need now, Mr.
Allston?"
"Good health, sir," laughed Al; "or, rather, a continuance of it. I have
about everything else I want."
"Well, I am about to offer you something that you haven't got."
"What is that, sir?"
"A position under the city government, a position with very little work
and a good salary. It has never been held by anyone as young as you
before, but I haven't the slightest doubt that you will be able to
discharge its duties satisfactorily. In fact, it is almost a sinecure."
"You are very kind, sir," said Al, as the mayor paused, "but I cannot
accept the position."
"Eh? You cannot? Why not?"
"For two reasons, sir."
"What are they?"
"One is that the position you are kind enough to offer to me is not the
kind I am looking for. I am not looking for an easy berth. I want a
place where there will be plenty to do."
The mayor stared at the boy incredulously.
"Well," he said, "you are an original. And what is your other reason for
refusing?"
"It is that I have a good place now, sir."
"Ah, indeed? What is it?"
"Mr. Wattles has engaged me as advance agent for his company."
Mr. Anderson's face clouded.
"And you would rather travel with a show than have an easy, respectable
position here at home?"
"I would, sir."
"Well, that is a matter of taste. I should prefer the berth I have just
offered you."
"I hope you are not offended, Mr. Anderson?" said Al, a little
diffidently.
"Offended! No, no, my boy; but I think you are making a mistake."
"The end will show, sir."
"Yes, yes, the end will show. Well, I can't help feeling an interest in
you, not only because you rescued my child, but because you seem to me
to be a rather unusual lad. Do you mind answering me a few questions?
Believe me, I shall not ask them out of mere idle curiosity."
"Ask as many as you like, sir."
"Do you live in Boomville?"
"A little way out of the town, sir."
"Are your parents living?"
"Only my mother."
"And your father--has he been dead long?"
"He died before I was born, sir."
"Can it be that your father was John Allston?"
"That was his name, sir."
"Why, good gracious!" exclaimed the mayor, with a new interest, "I knew
him. It was years ago, and we were never intimate, but I had a speaking
acquaintance with him. Let me see, was there not something peculiar
about the manner of his death? I remember hearing something said about
it at the time, but it was so long ago that I cannot remember just what
it was."
"People said, sir," replied Al, "and I guess they were right, that my
father died of a broken heart."
"I remember now!" interrupted Mr. Anderson. "His child, your sister, was
stolen. Her loss was such a blow to him that he only survived the shock
a few months."
"Yes, sir; that is true."
"It is a sad story. Was your sister never found?"
"No, sir."
"Nor any clew to the mystery gained?"
"Nothing of any importance, sir. It was suspected that her nurse had
something to do with the affair, and she was shadowed for a long time.
But nothing was ever learned."
"I can sympathize with your poor father and mother, my boy," said the
mayor, with more emotion than Al had seen him manifest before. "I can
understand his feelings. But the depth of a mother's love is something
we of the grosser sex cannot ever quite comprehend. I suppose your
mother has never entirely recovered from the blow."
"She never has, Mr. Anderson; and it is in the hope that I may help her
to do so that I have taken this engagement with Mr. Wattles' company."