Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-04-25

ed IN one corner of the room an ironing
board, on which was hcaped quanti-
ty of clear muslin, IN another pile of
worn out shoes, under table bestrew-
ed with number of nondescript arti-
cles, in juxaposition with pots ofrouge
faded ribbons and erumpled flowers, to
say nothing of cast-of dresses and bon
nets lying on the floor, while the frag-
ments of a homely meal, aecompa MED
by an empty pewter pot, proved that
Zephirine did not live on the perfume
of plants, like Tom Moore's peri's. In
deed, the remaining bread-crumbs were
serving her to clean the little white kid
shoe she held in her hand, all Of which
inventory of useful and natural goods
and chattels tore my illusions into ma.
ny shreds, one by one.
During the the ten minutes that my
godfather chatted with the sylyh, a
whole drama bad passed within my
breast. The living type of poetry had
been murdered, and buried deep, deep
within my heart, and when l rose me-
chanically, on my godfather's rising
and bowed to Zephirine, and followed
him down stairs, I felt as if the SHOWS
of at least ten winters had been sud-
denly heaped upon my devoted head
We groped our way down the dark
stairs, and back into the orange shop,
where the fat woman had been and bid
Mr.. Travers good morning, hoping he
had come to terme with her gal, and
good swinging ones, too and then out
in the street, which / thought far mean
er than when had entered it, only
then it appeared unworthy of Zcphiri-
ne, WOW it seemed u congcnial atmos-
phere. The day, too, looked gloomy
and miserable, as if 1t would never be
fine any more, and my heart felt quite
in unison with the weather.
My godfather neither seemed disap-
pointed nor surprised, evidently he had
seen Zephirine before, nor did he trou-
bic himself to inquire what l thought
of her, nay, he seemed taken up With
his own thoughts, and left me to mine,
till we had emerged from the network
of courts and alleys. which l now own
ed TO be 'confoundedly dirty and mar
row. as he styled them. being no long
er strewn with the roses of my i.nag-
nation. He then broke silence, by
saying Come, will you just peep in
her theatre. whittier she is coming pre-.
sently for rehearsal? I want to speak
10 the manager
This proposal, which would have de-
lightet me an hour ago, now awakened
no charming associations. 1 therefore
assented without the least alacrity, and
in the same passive mood as | had fol-
lowed my godfather out of Zcphirlni's
second floor into the street.
After exchanging few caballist'c
words with the Cerberus at the stage
door, Mr.. Travers led me behind the
scenes, which looked wretched daubs in
the lurid glare that gloomy day sheds
on the stage. The members of the
corps de ballet were twirIing about like
so many toetotums, and the manager
was out of sorts because Zephirine was
behind time.
'The girls head is turned added he
'ever since she has had prospect Of
an engagement in Dublin, but l will
not put up with any of her airs.'
Mr.. Travers assured him she was
coming, for he had just left her, and
before he had done speaking, the sylph
made her appearance, with clogs on
her feet, and wrapped in thick shawl.
She nodded to the manager as she pas
sed across the stage to her dressing
room, from which she presently emsrg-
ed in the kind Of disabille in which the
nymphs OF the ballet rehearse their
parts. She had to descend on n clond
in the new ballet, and the carpenters
now brought in what l considered ra.
ther uacouth and palpable machine for
such an 'airy nothing as cloud
Cords were fixed to it. and then Ze-
phirine placed herself upon it in the
attitude in which she was to appear to
the. enraptured public, but the cords
had been placed wrong, and the cloud
began to spin round instead Of soaring
upward.
90, my!' cried the sylph, why, what
muffs you must be- meaning the car
penters. Then aeeing me stare aghast,
partly with surprise at her language,
and partly with alarm for her safety,
while Mr. Travers advanced coldlyand
helped to steady one of the ropes, she
added in tart voice to me, now yonug
man. make yourself useful, can't you ?
The carpenters more practlced hand
had however, quickly adjusted the
ropes, and Zcphirinc rose slowly to the
'hies.'
DO you wish to see the whole ballet
rehearsed p whispered Mr.. Travers,
drawing out his watch. You can stay
if you do, but have an appointment.
No, thank you. sir, I've seen
enough said l.
We left the theatre. My godfather
accompanied me a few streets length,
and then wished me good morning.
1 went back to my architectural
plans, and burnt all my arabesques,
and even when | had to draw out a
plan of theatre, 1 was never tempted
into any fresh episode of the kind.
When the new ballet came out
went to see it from mere curiosity. But
though the public applauded vocifer.
ously when the cloud came down, i,