Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-06-17


these divisions was named the gallery, the
opposite one, which had the seats cush-
toned and backed, was called the pit. The
other two sides were occupied each with
double row of boxes, pierced with two
wide curtained entrances for the perform
ers. The fronts of these boxes, as well as
the various pillars and supports about the
place, were ornamented with medallions
and shields, having upon them armoria!
bearings and paintings, very well executed,
of such subjects, as 'Mazeppa,' horses in a
storm, horse attacked by lion, &c, or
perhaps portraits of celebrated racehorses
or hunters Several vases, with flowers
standing on small ornamented shelves be-
tween, gave an air of taste to the place
much heightened by a profnson of little
silken flags, disposed in hanging groups
where they could not interfere with the
view of the performances.
The roof, which was slated, was very
high, and concealed on the inside by a cell
ing of striped silk of red and white, star
shaped, through the centre of which was
suspended very large cashier, with
profusion of jets perfectly dazzling to the
eye. The aspect Of the place altogether
was magnificent in the extreme, and at the
same time quite tasteful and in keeping;
and you may we'll surmise that soon got
proud enough of my line of life, and
cooked my hat in the faces of my old fel.
low strolers of the legitimate school, with
an air sufficiently supercilious and self
gratuatory.
But if the building was thus Aeriting all
praise, not one whit less so was the COM
pany--a most numerous and well-appoint-
ed one, consisting altogether Of at least a
hundred individuals, several of them equal,
nay, some of them superior to the general
run of metropolitan performers.
Blu, the chief attraction when Joined
the corps, and that which nightly filed the
great amphitheatre to overlooking, was
female equestrian, whose enactments were
of most original and interesting--nay
often startling excellence,
She was woman Of striking beauty,
which, though little past its prime, and
beginning to fade, was, ertheess, by a
little art and trouble, capable of perfect
restoration to its original brilliancy. She
was universal favorite, and the applause
she nightly drew down was most unanimous
and decided, and she seemed fully alive to
tin fact, her features used to exhibit a
strange glowing pleasure in the noise that
Numbered around from every quarter of
the vast and sonorous edifce, of nature
which have never seen depicted on the
countenance Of any other player. A kind
of anomalous enthusiastic delight, it seemed
of an altogether unexplainable expression.
Her face was regular in its beauty, save
that few might have considered it some
what too long, and was of decidedly
Jewish cast. Her eyes were large, black,
and rolling, with a remarkably yelowish
glow about them, something like that re-
hected from a mirror in a room where
there is fire, but no other light. Her
hair was short, somewhat thin, but silky,
and black as the raven down of darkness
itself.
Her figure again was the perfection of
symmetry, and the lightness and elegance,
the easy confident swimming grace where
with she went through her evoutions on
horseback, accompanied by the sort of abb
sent mystical smile of strange internal
pleasure she constantly wore in such cir
cumstances, rendered her an object which
the eyes of the spectators, felt pain in be,
ing removed for one instant from her first
entrance till her final exit.
But there was another without whom
she hardly ever appeared in the circle, and
who perhaps constituted principal part OF
the charm that hung around her-her
daughter, a tiny child of about three years
exceedingly small for its age, but of much
intelligence and beauty. Its face seemed
absolutely angelic, whilst its little frame
rivaled its mothers in grace. 1t was a light
tinted, faxen-haired girl, altogether unlike
its parent in features, save that its eyes OF
laughing hazel might possibly have frag-
ments from the dazzling dare orbs of the
mother.
r OF this child she was immoderately, dot.
;nulx, fond She" uas cont;nnall,, care2Sin n