Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-03-13
A Touching Incident.

| went one night TO see n comedy. The
chief actor was favoriIe one, and the thea
| tire, small provincial one, was very crowded.
| The curtain drew mp, and amidst burst nf
applause the hero of the piece made his
appearance. He had hardly uttered twelve
words when it struck me that something
strange was the matter with him. The play
was a boisterous comedy of the old school,
and it required considerable spirit and vivac-
iiy in the actor TO sustain it properly; but in
this man there was none; he walked and
talked like person in dream, his best
! points he passed over without appearing 10
/ preceive them: and altogether he appeared
| quite unfit for tie part. His smile was
ghaslly, his laugh hollow aud unnatural !;
and frequently he would stop suddenly in his
speech and let his eye wander vacantly ov,r
the audience. Even when IN the character
of a silly husband he had 10 snffer himself
to be kicked about the stage by the young
rake of the comedy, and afterwards 10 be-
hold that careless individual making love 10
his wife, and eating his supper while he was
shut up in the closet from whence he could
not emerge, his contortions and ludicrous
wrath, which had never before laileJ to call
down plenty ofapplause, were now such dis
NAL attempts to portray the passion, that
misses were audible in various paris of the
| theatre. The audience were fairly out of
temper; and several inquisitve individuals
were paticular IN TIER enquiries as TO the
extent of potalion he had INDUCED in that
evening. A storm of sbilaron and abuse
now fell round the ears of the devoted actor;
and not content with verbal inSult, orange
peel and apples flew upon the stage. He
stopped, and turned 10 the shouting crowd.
| never saw such misery IN human cOunte-
nance. HIS face was worn and haggard,
and large tears rolled down over his painted
cheeks. saw his lips quiverlng with inward
agony-1 saw his bosom heave with convul.
sons of suppressed emotion, and his whole
mien beiokened such depth of anguish aud
distress, that the most ruthless heart must
have throbhed with pity. The audience was
moved, and by degrees the clamor of invec-
tive subsidized into u solemn silence, while he
stood near the footlights, picture Of dejcc-
ton. When all was calm he spoke, and in
voice broken by sobs that seemed 10 rend
his bosom, proceeded TO offer his little ex-
piana'Ion: -
Ladies an! gentlemen, said he, though
in my acting tonight, | am concious of
merltIng your displeasure, in one thing you
do me wrong am no, intoxicated. Emo
ton alone, and that Of the most painful
kind, has caused me 10 fulfil my allotted part
SO badIy-my wife died a few hours ago,
and left her side TO fulfil my unavoidable
engagement here. II | have moi pleased
you impiore you TO forgive. loved her,
grieve Tor her, and if misery and anguish can
excuse fault, bear my apology here =
He placed his hand upon his forehead,
and burst OF tears relieved his momentary
paroyysm of grief. The audience were
throughly affected, and an honest heart-bursr
of sympathy made the walls Wemble. Wo-
men wept loudly, and strong men silently;
and during the remainder of the evening his
performance was scarcely audible, through
The storm of appluse BY which the crowd
sought to soothe the poor fellows wounded
feelings. There was something very inelan-
choly IN the thought of that wretched mans
coming from the he'd of death to don gay
attire, and utter studied wittcisns for the
amusements ola crowd. Not one of them
dreamed of the anguish that lay fostering
under the painted cheek and the stage smile.
And in the great theatre of life how many
are there around us like that poor actor,
smiling gaitv at tho multitude, while at
home lies some mystery of sorrow whose
shadow is ever present with Them in busy
places, and in solitude revels upon their
hearts like ghost among the tombs