“The pretended author was called in, and when accused, readily admitted practicing the deceit, though he stoutly claimed it was only done for a joke, and that he would not have accepted the money prize. He has been reprimanded, and has departed with his stolen effort. I need hardly tell you his name, for most of you can already guess it.
“Of course, after that there was no difficulty in deciding on the farce that was plainly entitled to the prize; and I have great pleasure in announcing to you that the twenty-five dollars in gold, together with the congratulations of the judges, go to Richard Horner for his original black-face farce entitled When Erastus Came Home, which I trust all of you will have the pleasure of hearing in the town hall two weeks from tonight. I thank you.”
His last words were drowned in a roar of cheers that went up from the boys. Those who could reach Dick shook his hands unmercifully; others slapped him on the back, as they showered congratulations on him.
CHAPTER XXX
CONCLUSION
When the two weeks had elapsed, the town hall was crowded to its utmost capacity with one of the finest audiences that had ever been seen in Cliffwood. Of course, Uncle Silas, Grandpop Horner, Dick’s mother and little sister Susie were present to see how the boys who participated in the minstrels carried out their various parts, and Mr. Nocker also came, accompanied by his daughter-in-law.
The Y. M. C. A. boys had rehearsed faithfully, under the supervision of Mr. Holwell, who must have had a revival of his old-time interest when he coached the amateur performers.
Dick was one of the end-men, and Peg played the part of his rival at the other extremity of the line. If the jokes which ran through the first part of the entertainment caused considerable hilarity in the audience some of the credit was due to the ability shown by these two performers.
THE MUCH-TALKED-OF FARCE WOUND UP THE EVENING’S ENTERTAINMENT.
Then followed other features of the show, and in one of these Dick was enabled to display his really wonderful powers as an amateur ventriloquist, playing the banjo during the same turn quite cleverly.