The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-11-30

setgre (sweet in powder, patches, and
peach blossom b:ocade). Paul was my
valet (with great deal of gold lace and
impudence,O and-curous chance-Sallie
Creamer was lady's maid to Madame la
Comtesse with one of those comical lit.
tie aprons, with pockets just big enough
for three fingers,) We had some i'm
promptu scenery, cleverly painted, in imi
ta,'on of architecture, 10y Legion himself;
and n II our arrangements were on much
! grander scale than usual. Indeed, instead
OF the draw curtain we had formerly us.
ed, we contrived very elaborate drop, to
descend in stately folds upon the scene Of
our hstrionic triumphs; and when the
prom!ter's hell rang Oprompter, Lucy
treye), and the curtain arose, | walked
upon the stage with as much trepidition
as II It had been at the Academy of Mu.
sic instead of at Roscmere cottage and
the audience were tie elite of New York
instead OF my own friends and their sim
pie nelghbors-a score Of whom had
been Invited in to witness the grand per.
fOrmance.
Wilkinson played brilliant and artis-
TIC overture, and the play went on finely.
We were all well up in our lines as the
actors say, and the applause we received
was nost encouraging. had the custo-
mary troubles in wooing and winning the
wealthy widow OF the Comte de Chasse
tigre, and my valet had the customary
quarrel and reconciliation with her femme
dr ch"mJrc- including the customary kiss.
Twice only thera was little embarrass.
meut, when the prompter neglected her
duties. Once she iorgoi to prompt Madge,
who could not think of her speech com.
| mencing:
lla! some one comes shall ! restore
the miniature, or shall keep it? (Tdkes
tocket from table Il No, must have
this hie!ess lmage-though fate has sew
cred us (taughs 'ciiily,) this mus, be bu
riei with me =
She 60. as far as "some one comes :"
but there she stopped. Instead of going
toward the table and looking upon the
miniature, as she should, she turned and
! cast an imploring glance at Lucy Freye,
who stood behind a paper column, ho,d
ing the play in her hand and gazing with
unu;terabIe sweetness upon Payne Wi
| klm>on-who leaned gracefully upon his
piano, watching the piece, quite uncou
sclous Of the admiration he was receiv.
ing.
The interruption WAS only moment.
and very few obserecd il. Mrs. Stspeton
who did tie ancient and schcmiuy aunt
IN turban and spcctacle-and myself,
Ia III, ,T
pronpter, but its cause likewise and smiI
| ed sgniticantly at one another
The second disturbance was AT the
close Of the first act, when the music Je.
gan, and the characters formed in Mb
teau1. Here Lucy was so absorbed in
the lingering, tremulous melody which
Payne had composed for the scene, that
she never thought of ringing her bell
The boy who had charge Of the curtain
string outside waited in vain for his sig
nal, and we all became apopletic with sup
pressed laughter before the prompter re
leved us by ringing down the curtain.
After this, everything progressed rs it
| should I'll the end Of the piece but at
lis very termir alton, II sal catastrophe
occurred. The stick OF wood that sup.
ported the curtain at the top gave way,
and fell, with a crash upon the piano,
which was placed in the proper position
for An orchestra. Payne Wilkinson was
knocked over backward and when lift.
ed up had dark wound upon his fore.
head, whence the blood was flowing pro.
fusey.
had just left the stage with Lucy
Freye, and We were in the adjoining room
our green room-when we heard the
crash. Madge Holton rushed in, the next
moment, and said that the curtain had
fallen, and Mr. Wikinson was bort
Lucy was about to dart out OF the door,
when she stopped. turned pale as death,
tottered, and tainted in my arms as pret
tily as il it had been part Of the play
threw some water in her face, and
hasteEed TO tell Madge to be discreet.
There is something wrong with the
poor child here, said |, tapping my chest
on the left side, 'and il won't do TO have
her laughed at. IL would kill her.
What, does she love Wilkinson
Don't ask questions. She tainted be.
SauSo no WOO butti abd lDdk - llIDIo lIldU
you would do il | were killed y
very likely. sir. Hush--she is com.
irg to herself
We saw Lucy safely through her fsiut.
ing fit, and then Investigated the extent
Of the pianist's Injuries. lie was hurt
but little, as the curtain had prevented
the beam from falling very heavily (; and
Paul, selling on the circumstance with
professional avidity, made him appear in
a tableaux got up on the spur Of the mo-
ment With the blood stained cloth
still about his forehead, gold laced jack.
st, high boots, and musket, he made a
splendid Dying Brigaud; and SaIlie Crea.
Ber, with her hair down her back, and
an ebony crucifx in her hand, was excel
lent as his desPsiring wife. There was
one little absurdity about the picture,
however, for the Dying Brigand caught
the whispered words Of two young vii.