Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-12-04
Behind the scenes.

, foiioWlnR cieVer sRetch rom the St. Iiouf
! Republican 1t will be best appreciated
by old ,lleatre.goers
A few years aYo. danseiise of consih
:, prable note, who was serving ans enuhge
ment at the "Old St. Louis" night,
turned every head with pirouettes ant
other deadly tricks OF the art--to -ay no
thing Of magnificent charms physique
that went straight to the heart ON one
evening--when the favorite "Giselle" ap.
peared to large audience-~We sat in a
stage box at the end Of the circle, where
i'm addition to the entertainment promis-
ed by the programme, we quietly enjoyed
the occasional under tone directions OF
the domh artists OIL the boards. G lie,
as tue pretty peasant girl, had ensured a
triumph. The part was rendered TO the
life She was grhcefu, natural and witt
ningy modest. Her artess simplicity.
indeed, was the great secret of her attrac-
ton. Many gentlemen in the pit, who
believed they saw veritabe angel in
gauze shorts and silk tights, translated the
pas into prayers and the pirouettes into
revivals, aud, unable to contain their feel
| ings grew at times indecoronsly noisy.
| Gicelle had discovered Duke AIbert's de-
ceit, aud at the close of the first act had
died---very correctly. In the second part
according to the legend, she shared the
fate in spirit land of all young girls who
had been too fond Of dancing while OH
earth-she had become a Willis. Duke
Albert deplored her loss sorely, and when
the audience next saw him, he was wan
dering heart.broken, "in the dark forest
near the silver lake" where the Willis
held their midnight dances. The shade Of
Giselle glided before him He outstretch-
ed his arms wildly, but the vision was
gone. Nex,it appeared behind the mar
bic tombstone. We may state here, pal
parenthesis, that while the bewiIdered AL
bert was engaged i'll dashing the monu-
ment to tile ground there was Full in
tile music, aud we heard the Queen OF
the Willis warn Some mechanic in the
skies, that if he did not hoist up a larger
rope they never could get curtain cloud
over
Ilctl LilcIC was SiIDIlt SIO"CI VI tobuC-
co Juice, and voice from above uttered
something in reply, which, however,
we could not understand. Gisele no lou
ger danced her feet barely pressed to the
ground the flowers over which she passed.
The deception was complete. Albert
crouched near the footlights, a victim TO
the fatal enchantment, when, over Mr..
Adams harmony, we distinguished sup.
pressed cry of "Let her rip ~ and a white
summer cloud secured OH the stage
From this surrounding mist We discefned
the angelic Giselle, gracefully recnmbent,
smiling with sorrowful sweetness on PEN
itent Albert. There was something truly
enchanting in the smile it was a crea-
ton Of heart and soul the angel dweit
sadly on mortal thoughts. "Go it - said
voice sharply from cluster Of ancient
ivy, GTy grown by Stockwell,) aud the
cloud moved rnysteriously near the silver
lake. Faster and faster it came; now
past the waters, now over the graves J,
aud now---hold A quick crack among
the celestial woodwork, and the misty
chariot stands stock still. Gisele smiles
yet-her coral lips half parted, and,
though they move not, the whisper reach
es rs distinctly, my God John, what
is the matter has the line broken =
The audience believed the stoppage design
ed for effect, aud applauded tumuituousiy
But the cloud remains firm as rock. "
YuIme, pretty Willis, stoops to Gull
night flower, and we understand her to
suggest the propriety of dropping the cur
tain. Mr.. Huntiey's voice. too, reaches
US distinctly, and prolonged hustle en-
sues behind the scenes.
Giselle, gentle shades, is all the while
smiling pensiyely and sadly from the sum-
mer cloud. Her lips, bIushing. painting
seducers, are yet parted, and they barely
move when she asks "Are you going
to keep me here all night Be in o hur-
ry--do something" Now faint, but reg.
ular blows are heard in the heavens. Vul-
can, armed with mufled hammer, is
mailing .ephyr to the clouds. A moment
elapses then, ami all is quiet. The audi.
ence begin TO discover the mishap, as ap.
pears by loud hiss from the gallaries,
coupled with timid cheer from the pit
Another crash in the machinery Pa
tience can do no more-potenous dark
ness gathers on the brow OF Giselle. as she
utters in good, broad sailor English,
oh it, man, why don't you heave
away-take turn Oil the line, you Jack
ass, and pull? What Dissertation Of a di-
vinity--what iniqnity in sanity garb
The transition was shocking. We reached
terra lirnsa. from Olympus, IN an instant.
About this time the damage ID the hecting
vapors was repaired, and the cloud skim.
med, as If impeled by a hurricane, out Of
view betweeii the wings We heard no
more of the by-dialogue. save q single Re.
mark from the mysterious tenant OF the
venerable ivy. It was in substance, il
not IN the very words by gum, boys we
made her bark from the tomb this time !"
How QUEEN VICTORIA PoPPED THE
n,.r roa,1nro t.l,I all l