“I’m sure he would make a very good actor,” said his mother, who would have been equally sure that he would make a good president of the United States.
The night was fine, and the town Opera House was crowded to its capacity. There was a buzz and whispering as Joe and his party entered and made their way to their reserved seats near the center of the house, for Riverside regarded the famous pitcher as one of its greatest assets. He had given the quiet little village a fame that it would never have had otherwise. In the words of Sol Cramer, the hotel keeper and village oracle, Joe had “put Riverside on the map.”
There were three or four sketches and vaudeville 10 turns before Altman, who, of course, was the chief attraction as far as Joe and his folks were concerned, came on the stage. He had a clever skit in which baseball “gags” and “patter” were the chief ingredients, and as he was a natural humorist his act went “big” in the phrase of the profession. Knowing that Joe lived in Riverside and would probably be in the audience, Altman adroitly introduced his name in one of his anecdotes, and was rewarded by a storm of applause which clearly showed how Joe stood in his home town.
“You own this town, Joe,” laughed Jim, who was seated between him and Clara—Jim could be depended on these days never to be farther away from Clara than he could help.
“Yes,” mocked Clara. “Any time he runs for poundkeeper he’s sure to be elected.”
Joe was about to make some laughing retort, when his quick eye caught sight of something that made the flush fade from his face and his heart lose a beat.
From the wing at the left of the stage a tiny wisp of smoke was stealing.
Like lightning, his quick brain sensed the situation. The house was old and would burn like tinder. There were only the two exits—one on each side of the hall. And the place was crowded—and his mother was there—and Clara! 11
His plan was formed in an instant. He must reach a narrow corridor, by which, out of sight of the audience, he could gain the back of the stage and stamp out whatever it was that was making that smoke.
He rose to slip out, but at that moment a big bulk of a man sitting two seats ahead of him jumped to his feet with a yell.