Bunny Brown and his Sister Sue Giving a Show | Page 4

Sue. "I wish it would begin!"
The boys, girls and grown folks were still coming in and taking their
seats. The curtain hid the stage. And how the children did wonder what
was going on behind that piece of painted canvas! The musicians were
just beginning to "tune up," as Uncle Tad said. The ushers were
hurrying to and fro, seating the late-comers. One of the men who
worked in the Opera House, sweeping it out, attending to the fires in
winter, and sometimes selling tickets, got a long pole to open a skylight
ventilator, to let in some fresh air.
Just how it happened no one seemed to know, but suddenly the long
pole slipped and there was a crash and tinkle of glass. Nearly every one
jumped in his or her seat, and some one cried:
"Look at the skylight! It's going to fall!"
Bunny Brown, his sister Sue, and every one else looked up. True
enough, something had gone wrong with the skylight the man had tried
to open. It seemed to have slipped from its place in the frame where it
was fastened in the roof, and the big window of metal and glass looked
as though about to fall on the heads of the audience directly under it.
"Oh, Bunny, let's run!" cried Sue. "It's going to drop right on us!"
And truly it did seem so. Slowly the big skylight was slipping from its

fastenings, and several in the audience screamed.
CHAPTER II
"LET'S GIVE A SHOW!"
Just when it seemed as if a bad accident would happen and that some
one would be hurt by the fall of the roof-window, the man who had
been using the long pole thrust it under the edge of the sliding skylight
and held it there. Then he called:
"I have it! I can keep it from falling until somebody gets up on the roof
and fixes it. Hurry up, though!"
"I'll go up and fix it!" said another usher. "Guess the first snow was too
heavy for the skylight! Keep still, everybody!" he added. "There's no
danger now!"
The man had to shout to be heard above the screams of the frightened
and excited people, but he made his voice carry to all parts of the Opera
House, and finally it became more quiet. Then a man stepped from
behind the curtain and stood on the front part of the stage. He held up
his hand to make the people know he wanted them to be quiet, and
when his voice could be heard he said:
"There is no danger now. There was some, but it has passed. The man
will hold the skylight in place until it can be fastened. And while he is
doing that I wish those who are sitting under it would move quietly out
into the aisles. Don't crowd or rush. You children can pretend it is like
the fire drill you have at school."
"Oh, we do have fire drill at our school, don't we, Bunny?" cried Sue,
in a rather loud voice. Her words carried to all parts of the theater and
many laughed. This laugh was just what was needed to make the
people forget their fright, and soon the place directly under the
loosened skylight was clear. Bunny and Sue, with Uncle Tad and their
boy and girl chums, moved out into the aisle, and soon the men began
the work of fastening the skylight back in place. And you may be sure

they fastened it tight.
While this is being done I will take a few moments to tell my new
readers something about the two Brown children. As you may have
guessed, there are other volumes which come before this one. The first
is called "Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue."
Bunny and Sue lived with their father and mother in a pretty house in
the town of Bellemere. Bellemere was on the seacoast and also near a
small river. Mr. Brown was in the boat and fish business, and he owned
a dock, or wharf, on the bay and had his office there. He had many men
to help, and also a big boy, who was almost a man. The big boy's name
was Bunker Blue, and he was very good to Bunny and Sue. Living in
the same house with the Browns was Uncle Tad. He was Mr. Brown's
uncle, but Bunny and Sue thought they owned just as much of the dear
old soldier as did their father. Besides Uncle Tad, the children had
other relations. They had a grandfather and a grandmother, and also an
aunt, Miss Lulu Baker, who lived in a big city.
Bunny and Sue Brown had many friends in Bellemere. Besides the few
boys and girls I have mentioned