"Well, I should smile," responded Smith, with a delighted expression on his face. "_Richmond!_ one of my best roles. Say! How is this," and immediately he struck a theatrical attitude and began: "Thus far into the bowels of the land have we marched on without impediment; Gloster, the----'" "Hold! Let up right where you are," interrupted Handy. "I know the rest. Say, Smith, my boy,"--and the manager looked earnestly at the would-be _Richmond_--"I am going to give you the opportunity of your life." "How's that?" "We will present for the first time only the great fifth act of 'Richard III' out of compliment to the people of Gotown, and you will be the _Richmond_." "Oh, come off!" answered Smith. "Why, darn it, man! 'Richard' will be all Greek to them--the Gotown public don't know anything about Shakespeare. Maybe never heard tell of him." "But they will know all about him after we introduce him. But that has nothing to do with the case. Now let me enlighten you. I am afraid you don't catch on to the situation. I will explain: Don't you see _Richmond's_ first speech, 'Thus far into the bowels of the land,' is typical of the miner. He makes his living by driving into the bowels of the land, don't he?" "You bet he does, and good money, too," answered Smith enthusiastically. "Into the bowels of the land, or earth, as the case may be, have we marched on without impediment." Handy paused here for a moment to catch his wandering thoughts in order to explain his text. "You see, Smith, _Richmond_ marched on without impediment. So does the miner at first, when he has only to wrestle with the soil, sub-soil, and all that kind of thing. Then comes Gloster, the bloody and devouring boar, typified again by the hard and flinty rock the miner frequently encounters. For a time there's a fierce struggle between _Richard_, as represented by the rock, and _Richmond_, as personified by the miner. It's about an even bet as to who wins out. The play all over; don't you see? There's a purty lively scrimmage between the two. 'Tis nip and tuck for a time. At length _Richard_ caves in, and _Richmond_ wins out. So with the miner, the rock resists, then finally yields, and after that the milk and honey of enterprise in the shape of liquid oil flows forth. Am I clear or crude, dear boy?" "Both!" exclaimed Smith, holding up both hands. "Handy, why in the name of heaven were you not born rich instead of great?" "Smith," continued Handy, "you will be the miner, I the rock--_Richmond_ and _Richard_." "Handy, you ought to print a diagram to explain the act. The audience may not be able to understand it if you don't." "Map of the seat of war, eh?" "Sure." "Smith, did you ever look over a war map in any of the newspapers that had special correspondents on the spot?" "Certainly I did." "And read his description of the scene of action?" "Yes, of course."