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〃 and waved her wand； at which the 〃First Boy〃 in the pantomime said； 〃Go long； now； do； we know your tricks； you're Ellaline Terriss〃； and the clown said； 〃You're wrong； she's not； she's Mrs。 Seymour Hicks。〃 Then Letty Lind came on as Columbine in black tulle； and Arthur Roberts as the policeman； and Eddy Payne as the clown and Storey as Pantaloon。
The rest of it brought on everybody。 Sam Sothern played a 〃swell〃 and stole a fish。 Louis Freear； a housemaid； and all the leading men appeared as policemen。 No one had more than a line to speak which just gave the audience time to recognize him or her。 The composers and orchestra leaders came on as a German band； each playing an instrument； and they got half through the Washington Post before the policemen beat them off。 Then Marie Lloyd and all the Music Hall stars appeared as street girls and danced to the music of a hand…organ。 Hayden Coffin； Plunkett Greene and Ben Davies sang as street musicians and the clown beat them with stuffed bricks。 After that there was a revue of all the burlesques and comic operas； then the curtain was raised from the middle of the stage； and Nellie Farren was discovered seated at a table on a high stage with all the 〃legitimates〃 in frock…coats and walking dresses rising on benches around her。
The set was a beautiful wood scene well lighted。 Wyndham stood on one side of her； and he said the yell that went up when the curtain rose was worse than the rebel yell he had heard in battles。 In front of her； below the stage； were all the people who had taken part in the revue； forming a most interesting picture。 There was no one in the group who had not been known for a year by posters or photographs： Letty Lind as the Geisha； Arthur Roberts as Dandy Dan。 The French Girl and all the officers from The Geisha； the ballet girls from the pantomime； the bareback…riders from The Circus Girl； the Empire costumes and the monks from La Poupee； and all the Chinese and Japanese costumes from The Geisha。 Everybody on the stage cried and all the old rounders in the boxes cried。
It was really a wonderfully dramatic spectacle to see the clown and officers and Geisha girls weeping down their grease paint。 Nellie Farren's great song was one about a street Arab with the words： 〃Let me hold your； nag； sir； carry your little bag； sir； anything you please to givethank'ee； sir！〃 She used to close her hand； then open it and look at the palm； then touch her cap with a very wonderful smile； and laugh when she said； 〃Thank'ee； sir！〃 This song was reproduced for weeks before the benefit； and played all over London； and when the curtain rose on her； the orchestra struck into it and the people shouted as though it was the national anthem。 Wyndham made a very good address and so did Terry； then Wyndham said he would try to get her to speak。 She has lost the use of her hands and legs and can only walk with crutches； so he put his arm around her and her son lifted her from the other side and then brought her to her feet； both crying like children。 You could hear the people sobbing； it was so still。 She said； 〃Ladies and Gentleman；〃 looking at the stalls and boxes； then she turned her head to the people on the stage below her and said； 〃Brothers and Sisters；〃 then she stood looking for a long time at the gallery gods who had been waiting there twenty hours。 You could hear a long 〃Ah〃 from the gallery when she looked up there； and then a 〃hush〃 from all over it and there was absolute silence。 Then she smiled and raised her finger to her bonnet and said； 〃Thank'ee； sir；〃 and sank back in her chair。 It was the most dramatic thing I ever saw on a stage。 The orchestra struck up 〃Auld Lang Syne〃 and they gave three cheers on the stage and in the house。 The papers got out special editions； and said it was the greatest theatrical event there had ever been in London。 DICK。
CHAPTER XI
THE SPANISH…AMERICAN WAR
When the news reached Richard that the Spanish…American War seemed inevitable he returned at once to New York。 Here he spent a few days in arranging to act as correspondent for the New York Herald； the London Times； and Scribner's Magazine； and then started for Key West。
Off Key WestApril 24th； 1898。 On Board Smith； Herald Yacht。 DEAR MOTHER：
I wrote you such a cross gloomy letter that I must drop you another to make up for it。 Since I wrote that an hour ago we have received word that war is declared and I am now on board the Smith。 She is a really fine vessel as big as Benedict's yacht with plenty of deck room and big bunks。 I have everything I want on board and The Herald men are two old Press men so we are good friends。 If I had had another hour I believe I could have got a berth on the flag ship for Roosevelt telegraphed me the longest and strongest letter on the subject a man could write instructing the Admiral to take me on as I was writing history。 Chadwick seemed willing but then the signal to set sail came and we had to stampede。 All the ships have their sailing pennants up。 It is as calm as a mirror thank goodness but as hot as hell。 We expect to be off Havana tomorrow at sunset。 Then what we do no one knows。 The crew is on strike above and the mate is wrestling with them but as it seems to be only a question of a few dollars it will come out all right。 We expect to be back here on Sunday but may stay out later。 Don't worry if you don't hear。 It is grand to see the line of battleships five miles out like dogs in a leash puffing and straining。 Thank God they'll let them slip any minute now。 I don't know where 〃Stenie〃 is。 I am now going to take a nap while the smooth water lasts。
DICK。
Flagship New York Off Havana；
April 26； 1898。 DEAR FAMILY：
I left Key West on the morning of the 24th in the Dolphin with the idea of trying to get on board the flagship on the strength of Roosevelt's letter。 Stenie Bonsal got on just before she sailed； not as a correspondent； but as a magazine…writer for McClure's； who have given him a commission； and because he could act as interpreter。 I left the flagship the morning of the day I arrived。 The captain of the Dolphin apologized to his officers while we were at anchor in the harbor of Key West； because his was a 〃cabin〃 and not a 〃gun〃 ship； and because he had to deliver the mails at once on board the flagship and not turn out of his course for anything； no matter how tempting a prize it might appear to be。 He then proceeded to chase every sail and column of smoke on the horizon； so that the course was like a cat's cradle。 We first headed for a big steamer and sounded 〃general quarters。〃 It was fine to see the faces of the apprentices as they ran to get their cutlasses and revolvers； their eyes open and their hair on end； with the hope that they were to board a Spanish battleship。 But at the first gun she ran up an American flag； and on getting nearer we saw she was a Mallory steamer。 An hour later we chased another steamer； but she was already a prize； with a prize crew on board。 Then we had a chase for three hours at night； after what we believed was the Panama； but she ran away from us。 We fired three shells after her； and she still r