t one I should choose."

"Why?" inquired Charlie. "I thought you was in love with the business."

"By no means. I have told you over and over my object in going to the
theatre, and in forming the Dramatic Society, but you always appear to
doubt me. I would not be an actor even if I could be as famous as
Booth."

"You would not? and yet many seem to think you have a taste in that
direction, and _I_ have thought so too. But tell me why not."

"Because I have little respect for the business as a profession. It
affords a brief pleasure to an audience for a short time, and that is
all it amounts to. I think it is a good discipline for us in the
Dramatic Society, and I know that I learned some valuable lessons at the
theatre, and I am still of the opinion that a theatre might be so
conducted as to prove a source of innocent amusement, and not a curse."

"You couldn't make many of the people in this community believe that,"
said Charlie. "They think it is a gone case with you since you have
favored theatricals."

"I know that," replied Nat, "and they would not believe me if I should
tell them what I have you, so that I see no way to convince them but to
wait, and time will do it. I would carry bobbin all my life before I
would be an actor."

"Well, what would you be, Nat, if you could have your own way?" inquired
Charlie.

"I would be an orator and statesman like Edward Everett," quickly
answered Nat. "I always had great respect for such men. It is easy to
respect them; but no man can cherish high respect for an actor."

Here the conversation was interrupted.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE SURPRISE.

"Heard the news, Nat?" inquired Frank one morning.

"No, what is it?"

"The men are going to annihilate our Dramatic Society in the lyceum next
week. They are going to debate a question about dramatic exhibitions, I
understand."

"Oh, I had heard of that," replied Nat. "We seem to be of much
consequence just now. I hardly thought we were able to create such a
commotion."

"It seems we are," said Frank, "so you may expect to be finished within
a week. Better write your will, and prepare to be made mince-meat of."

"The rest of you will come in for a share," said Nat, "so I shall have a
plenty of company, and 'misery loves company' they say."

"But you are the chief sinner," said Frank, smilingly. "You started the
thing, and carried off all the glory of performing, so you will have to
shoulder the consequences.