Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-01-31
From the 'sGolden Era =
ADA S T r | A L S;
Or The Actors Dream.
CHAPTER |.
BY E. P. LEsDERNIER.


the green-room of theatre and there
cannot be found, on the face of the
earth, more thoroughly heartless set
of men and women than actors and
actresses. Don't blame them for it /;
il is the uphill work of the profession
makes them so. They must tread
down in order to tread up, and ambitious
persons of all grades d. not hesitate to
make their fellow workers the stepping
stones to power, especially in this case
in the dramatic world. Why heed the
victims grOan? Public applause will
stihe that from their sensitive ears, too
sensitive to listen to the truth. They
are welded to their idols, let them
alone y
There is to every theatre a low, dis
nal portal known as the stage door,
which generally opens into some un-
frequented by-way or alley, carefully
Stunned by respectability and police
men. Forth from the stage door of
the American, on the evening in ques-
tion, issued the stately form of Carl
Preston, the handsome young actor,
the fivOrite Of dram loving people
He paused a moment, as if uncertain
whether to- 60 up or down town. SO
many dulcet-toned pleasures allured
him, he scarce knew which to follow.
Should he 90 home What had he to
do with domestici'y?
The responsibility of genius tri-
umphed, and the unintentioaal wrong
er turned his steps towards the home
of Floribell West, the lovely sister of
his most particular friend Perhaps he
was thinking just then Of her beautiful
eyes at any rate, he did not perceive
that dark, slight figure g'iling il and
out of the shadows cast BIZ the street
lamps, evidently watching him, al
though apparently qate anxious 10
avoid his observation.
He aseended the wide steps, the
massive door opened, the light within
was soft as the beams Of the Ierrestri Il
paradise. He entered. 1t shut noise
iessly, and there was nothing left out
side but the ghos ly cleaning, imp ne
trable face of stone, with Its closed
eyes and silent lips They kept the
remote mystery well, not a breath, not
sound OF revelation came to the deli
cate, trembling girl, who leaned against
a tree on the opposite walk, wIstful,
anxious and hcart-weary. She knew
that to wait there longer was worse
than useless One sitting sob swellod
her breast, as she turned and fed
through the darkness to her deserted
home.
Safe once more in the flIniliar har-
Dor, she flung herself down before a
tull-length portrait of her husband =
her only solace in his hours of abscnce
and fancied back the time that was, in
the bright golden days that shone one
year ago. She chid herself that she
had so snatchcd the knowledge of his
faithlessness by her impul-ive act. She
saw now, that it was better she had
waited quietly at home, with only un
certainties to vex her. Women will
never trust in the bliss Of ignorance.
Honest and fervent was that young
wife's love for him who called her
wife. Her love was not to be shaken
from it hold by one, two, nor many
acts of indiscretion and seeming heart
lessness on his part. Like a true wo.
man, she believed everything excusa-
bic in her idol, and as she sat there,
embracing with avariciOus eyes that
smiling representative Of her adored,
n great dream of salvation arose, pure,
bright and calm, from the depths of
thought, climbing upward, like the
fuli-orbed moon in her minated splen
dor, from the far-off embrace of ether
and ocean
Tho young dawn slipped from the
couch Of darkness, and stood flushed in
naked gladness, ready to bAthe in the
first trembling, tinted waves OF golden
light poured from the orient sun. The
yeung wife alse arose from the arms of
that crouching sorrow, and with her
fair face lifted heaveuward, prayed for
him, for herself, and for the beautiful
eashantress who possessed such dan
gerous power to draw him from her
side.
Floribeil West was too good hearted
10 have carried on hirtatioa with the
husband of another, had that fact been
revealed to her. She cherished a
grand passion for the handsome actor,
supposeing him to be as free for her
self as for any other woman. The
secret of his marriage had never trans
pired to her. She never questioned
how much of her interest in him Wa:
attribtative to the destinations OF art
and the shows of fiction, his mighty
triumphs at the theatre, and the gorge
ons glories with which fame crowns hel
favored votaries. Her heart swellec
with pride when deatenIng shouts o
applause rang from pit to dome of the
grand temple filled with admiring hun
dreds, drawn there to listen to his ma
gical voice, His Jove-like genius ira
dated every character which he as