The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-01-29

superine civilization could enable human
nature to tolerate" .ra.r rts s,-..a
The last act was in progress, and Rubini
was singing in his best style the beautiful
tn Cedrai Ia Srent&rska; all The house was
listening with entranced attention and de.
light, and here and there with tears of pal.
lid ecstacy, when, even in that moment oil
general prepossessieD, our friends became
aware fhGt their bUx-in very slight de.
gree, it is true, but still sufficiently to sur
prise them-seemedt divide with the sing.
er the observation of several individuals
around and above them. On looking about
them they Immediately perceived the cause.
There was Tom Saint Aubyn, standing up
behind them, ina position which rendered
him visible to considerable portion of the
audience, with human skull in his hand.
Holding up the ghastly object in. quaint,
careful manner, he regarded it with abstrat-
ed, melancholy seriousness.
! The incorrigable moralist was immediate.
ly "nu Dyed" but without effect; his mind
was too thoroughly engaged to be diverted.
AS the cdUatina was concluded, and the har.
, monies of the chorus again swept through
the house, hurricane of applause arose,
and bouquets rained upon the stage.
"How like yGu this entertainment" asked
Saint Aubyn Of the Piteous fragment in his
hand. "How DO their scenas, coralas, trum.
pets, drums, and fddles, their finery and per-
fume, please your fancy, old fIiend! Had
you not heart and lutte once, as well as
the best of them, as gay laugh, as sharp a
wit, ruddy lips, sparkling eyes, clustering
locks. and wholesome, comely flesh! How
like you to be in here, amidst music, beauty,
silks, satins, jewels, and all the vanities, now
thou hast gotten SO grave a face! Really,
but thy clenched teeth are frightful, now thy
lips are gone! Oh, the horrors close be.
meath our pretty wells Of flesh and skin!"
"Come, Tom Saint Aubyn, put that filthy
thing away" whispered his friends, nudging
him again, and more peremptorily than be-
fore. "The people are looking at you Us if
you were a-somethiag dangerous" ....
"'Fil,hy thing they call thee now," con-
tinued he, still regarding the skall. "Tbey
had not dared to do that at eSe times- -when
thou hadst blood to rush, cheeks to glow, i,
eyes to flash, and tongue to threaten, Fill.
thy thing,''
A jerk at the elbow, sporSively sdulinis-
tered by Charles Vivian, sent the skull,
slipping from the hand Of st. Aubyp, down
towards the front Of the box, where two la
dies and gentleman occupied the foremost
seats. Its trnndliug was stopped by the
gentlemaE's foot. He, saPposing, perhaps,
that an opera glass had fullen, stopped and
picked it up. AT first he could not see what
it was. AS he raised it before his face, the
Jaw suddenly dropped. and, being wide oren,
some lingering n,egument only preweating
its falling on the floor. The ladies, utter-'
ing expressions of disgust and alright, look.
ed back at the quartette Of friends in angry
surprise; but the gentleman, letting the skull
fall from his hands with groan of horror,
sank back in state of ofinsensjbility. A great
deal Of confusion immediately ensSed; and
poor Saint Aubyn, who was much shocked
OF the consequence of his indulgence in a
caprice, assiduously exerted himself in en-
deavoring to restore the gentleman, and in
assisting him out Of the bog. The ladies
piled their fans and yin@grettes, the box
opener brought water; and by the combined
influence of these and the cooler atmosphere
of the lobby, the gentleman speedily revived.
The frightened, covering expression of his
features, as he looked around him when he
recovered, shuddering and trembling, pro-
duced much alarm amongst the ,bystanders,
especially to the uniptentiopal producer Of
the emotion, who fearedthat serious shock
had been inflicted upon the nervous system,
perhaps to the eEtent of mental alteration.
The ladies we're greatly distressed, and their
agitation added to the agony Of Saint Au-
byn. He presently rose, however, from the
seat on which they had placed him, shook
himself, and smoothed his attire. tia .ra
"SLct us go home. Will some one be good
1 enough to call Mr.. Berrill's carriage!'' ex-
claimed he, in u tone Of great asperity and
Impotence, when he seemed to have collect.
ed his faculties TO remember where be was.
and the nature Of the accident which had
befailen him. "Put your shawls around you;
we will go instantly" said he to the ladies'
his wife and only daughter. s ] re5
They had left their showls in the box
Saint Aubyn hurried in to bring them. Miss
Berrill followed and took them from his
hand; there was an expression of anxiety
Eend vexation upon her handsome face which
smote him to the heart, and made him re-
! pent still more deeply his thoughtless whim.
| Mr., BerrillS opera bat was also there; he
took that up, and, onlhanding 10 the own
1 er, made very profound and regretful apol
I ogy for the discomfort, and even danger
which, by an inconsiderate freak. he hnd
anin,entionRlly capsed, ,ss fsr,as ~.
Il ,"'What! wasit yoas" exclaimed Mr.. Ber
Erill eagerly. the whole expression Of his fea
lures changing, as il his mind had expert
i enced sudden relief. "You brought that
| thing here ia q fseak, do you suy!z You ARK