"I am carried away with the music, as the monkey who was perched on the hand-organ remarked." It was with the utmost difficulty that the assembled students repressed a desire to uplift their voices and drown the sounds which came from the wretched orchestra; but they felt that it would not do to alarm the players by too great a demonstration, and so the only interruptions to the overture were a few catcalls. At last the curtain rolled up, and the play began. An ominous silence seemed to hang over the audience. The actors were nervous at first, but as the silence continued and offensive demonstrations were not immediately made, they gained courage and swung into their parts with as much enthusiasm and ability as possible. It is possible that the sight of two or three policemen at the back of the house gave the performers courage. The officers had been called in to overawe the college lads in case they became too demonstrative. At length, in a very pathetic part of the first act, Griswold leaned over to Joe Gamp, and whispered: "It is very touching, isn't it?" "Yes," said the country boy, chokingly, "it mum-mum-mum-makes me fuf-fuf-fuf-feel like th-th-thunder!" He nearly blubbered outright, for he had never seen many plays, having found it necessary to spend his money with the greatest care, as he was confined to a certain allowance to take him through college. "And Uncle Tom's Bible," said Danny--"it reminds me of a conundrum. How was the ark propelled?" "Dud-dud-darned if I know." "By a Noah, of course," explained Griswold. Gamp caught his breath, and then he lay back and roared: "Haw! haw! haw! A-haw! a-haw! a-haw!" This roar of laughter, coming as it did at a solemn and pathetic point in the play, was most startling. _Uncle Tom_ came near collapsing on the stage, and the other actors were so disturbed that they got tangled in their lines. The students caught on, and there was an immediate burst of applause that swelled louder and louder. This died away most suddenly and unexpectedly, and Joe Gamp was heard to shout in his endeavor to make Griswold hear: "By jiminy! that was a good one! A-haw! a-haw! a-haw! a-haw!" The lad from the country went off into another paroxysm of laughter, pressing his hands to his sides, and shutting his eyes, utterly unconscious for the moment of his surroundings. Of a sudden Joe remembered that he was at the theatre. His mouth came together with a snap, his eyes flew open, and he ceased to laugh and stiffened up, with a frightened look on his face. The change was so ludicrous that the entire audience was convulsed, and the actors could not help laughing.