Frank Merriwell's Fame — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

14 TIP TOP WEEKLY. Frank braced himself. “Not a drop!” he spoke, sternly. “Well, curse his obstinacy!’ thought the actor. “I never saw such a fellow! But wait a little.” Some one proposed a toast. up. All but Merriwell. He looked up at them in a dazed way, All sprang as if not quite understanding what they were doing. “Ha! bee, our manager. A toast—a toast to Parker Folans- May he live long and make barrels of money with ‘John Smith,’ ” “Ye—ee—ee!’’ was the general shout. ‘‘What’s the matter with Merriwell?” asked - Lawrence, pointedly. “Does he decline to drink a toast to our manager?” “Come, old fellow,” whispered Lockwell, loud enough for all to. hear. “Don’t let them catch on. Of course, they will know that mere water would.not knock you out this way.” »And the words, spoken laughingly, as. if in jest, where heard by nearly-every one. Frank struggled unsteadily to his feet, holding onto the edge of the table. He picked up his glass and dropped it. It was broken on the table. plied with another glass. “Ha! ha!” he laughed, thickly. Sali right. Just a little tired, y know! Here’s to Park’ Folansbee.” He was conscious that everything was He.was quickly sup- wrong, but he could not conceive why it should be so. He looked all about in search of Elsie, finally locating her far, far away, ” as it seemed, at the further end of the table. There was a strange look on her face—a look He wanted to tell her that it was all right, but his tongue seemed to lie like of fear. a lump in his mouth. Hattie Harrison, who played the old wo- man’s part, was openly smoking a cigarette. Frank felt like rebuking her, for she was near Elsie, and he could hear Elsie coughing from the smoke. Lillian Bird was laughing. She had taken She be- gan to sing. Folansbee applauded with all more wine than was good for her. his might, crying: “That’s shtuff! Ev’rybody set down an’ let ’er shing!” Let ‘er go! ..Hooray! She sang the song about half through, and then fell to laughing so that she could not finish it. “Disgraceful!” thought Frank, hazily. “I'll get Elsie away at once.” But he did not stir. paralyzed. Somehow he seemed ‘“Ye—ee—ee!” shouted somebody. Whizz—a glass flew through the air. Crash! It shattered a mirror. “Rah!” shouted Folansbee. “I'll pay dam- ages! Ev’rybody have good time! ’Rah fer us!” Other glasses followed. A waiter protested. “Gentlemen and ladies,” he began. “Mistake,” muttered Frank dopily. “He dunno who’s talking to.” “Gentlemen and ladies,” said the waiter, “IT beg you will not break things. The pro- prietor “Shoot the proprietor!” cried Folansbee. “T’ll pay damages! I’ve got a good thing, an’ I’ll make a barrel of dough with Frank Merriwell and ‘John Smith.’ Get out, you menial craven! Let him have it, ev’rybody!” Others followed suit, and the waiter ran, being He fling a glass at the waiter. pelted till he disappeared from the room. Some one challenged Lilian Bird to do a skirt dace on the table. She accepted the challenge and started to get up. “Hold!” What a Dangerous Position Suspénded From a Flag Pole. See True Blue No. 30. 4 eComicboo /