The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-14

4
! "Euchanted Palace" ofthe nishg before + Flat
unsghtly, meaningless as il vas TO me In the
shades OF daylight, how Elusive and MAGNIFICENT
would 1T have appeared il but the row OF foot
that necessary ''distanCep which "lends en-
chantment to the view!p The thin, sallow, un-
healthy looking individual, in a napless white
hat and dirty yellow gloves who was at that
moment reHaTklng to the middle aged woman
IN black pinch bonnet that 'butchers' meat
was getting excessively dear" was tue "Grand
Duke" Of that Enchanted Palace, only last even
ing rolling IN riches incalculable and rolling
his RS with Irresistible tragic effect. The SAD,
tired-look ing woman 70 whom he was speaking
was the princess of Beauty" who beamed and
smiled upon the audience beneath a sparkling
di ldem ol pre- tcious "paste." She held child
by the hand, wan and sicky tning, the
rouge not yet thoroughly washel off its little
face. Where were its tary wings, with which
IT floated in the moonlight and huttered over
the lowers? Probably laid away in the "pro-
perty' loom with the cord which would again
that night suspend her between Garth and
heaven-the painted earth and the painted
heaven OF the stage.
was absorbed in the contemplation of this
pheuonena, and had almost forgotten the man
ager and the pretense which had brought me
there, when, out OF the dusk aud the gloom, an
ineXpressibll sweet voice addressed met
"Plea e, sir, are you the mar agcr?n
II was a neatly dressed and most attractive
young woman. She had just come IN, and was
evidently novice in the place. / was on the
pOlbl VI uCI W W utEt tue Uldud0'T SiL,
when a thought occurred TO me-"I'll make
capital out of thls; release myself from the wk-
ward position in which am placed and secure
a permanent footing behind the scenes"
'Well no, Miss ! answered "Iim not the
manager; but il yoo'll tell me your business
III secure ou an interview"
II called, sir, IN cons sequence of the adver-
tisemcnt of ballet.glrls for the new spectacle,
aud would like to make an engagement If |
sult. / can 90 very well in third parts, tnink.n
Let me see,' said /, with unblushing assu-
rance, but with feeling OF genuine interest in
the modest young creature, "what name shall
present you by, AID where is your residence, in
case of future rcerenceW
"MaIy Steele No. 10 Sweetbrier lane. My
mother takes in fine sewing. and / have two
little brothers to support. need an engage
ment badly, sir; hope you're not full"
You spoke oil your mother. What does your
father doW
81 have no father, sir: he died two years
ago.
All! thought /; quite an interesting case for
young benevol olence. No 'ather- course she
needs protector. She should need one no
longer; yes, would take personal supervision
OF thi rosebud of Sweetbrier lane. Telling
May to call me "Mr. Tomuson," l advanced
with her to the managers table and introduced
her as a young lady particularly accomplished
and exceedingly exemplary; hoped the mana
ger would be able to offer liberal terms, and
represented the case in every possible combna-
tion OF favorable lights. Mary got an appoint
ment Tor he next day at rehearsal to exhibit
her TeIpsichorean qualifications, and of course
'Mr TOm,inson" was present on the occasion
to watch the progress of his p1 Otege. The re.
suit was permanent and very satisfactory en-
gagement OF Mary Steele, who appeared in the
play-bllIs as S'Mademoisele Stephano;" and
the Young lady looked upo1 me thence eiorWard
as her guardian Iriend AMI patron. In her
private life she was mo t exemplary. and
few years afterwards she married very re-
specially.
BY this impromptu acquaintance was able
at any time to get behind the scenes, ana indulge
my curiosity IN all that pertains to that life
which is so little known IN its private relations
by the outside world. For macy years after
Mary Steeles connection with the theatre ceased.
l INDUCED the occasional habit of drop pping in"
at the stage door, aud, quietly ensconced be-
tween the 81 lie scenes, would watch the mimic
battle of life apart from its glttering delusions.
In this way saw much of Forrest, Charles
Kean, the elder Vandenhof, Macready, Miss
Cushman, Celeste, in the popular days of the
French spy; Fanny Ellsler Mrs. Wood, the vo-
cali>t, so famous in S0mnam6uId, and stars of
lesser magnitude.
l remember that Forrest, when be played
damon, !" had a small table and mirror placed
in ''the Wings to assist him in his makeup"
without losing time in going to his dressing
room. In the scene where Damon" rushes VIC.
lently upon the stage, Just in time to reach and
save his "Pythias," it is necessary 10 lmpart to
his face The appearance OF great heat and phYsi-
cal excitement Forrest stood at his little table
and mirror rubbing smutches of bl lck under
his eyes and daubs OF red powder over his fore.
head and cheeks, at the same time stamping his
feet violently upon the floor, and utterIng the
eXclamations supposed to be those OF Dan
advancing rapidly from a dstaDce;" then,
raising the voice to q higher and more distinct
utterance, he would drop the po Sder and the
hare's loot upon the table and rush upon the
stage with hali-broSen Iejaculations, and fall
into the arms oil Pythias. To stand where l
did behind the scene and hear the bu st of
applause from the audience in front, was a
combination OF ludicrous absurdity difficult
IN iha n OIL m oi,,,i
larly placed.
Vandenhof, the elder, made deeper impress
sion on my mind as an actor of feeling than
any of his distinguished contemporaries. He
was very refined and eminently courteous;
gentleman by nature. traeedian by intuitiye
impulse. / followed his every moment with a
species OF venerailon. He seemed the "noble
Roman" as much at rehearsals as when he trod
the stage in his white loWIng toga. / confess
that it somewhat diminished the majesty of the
scene to hear HIM before ''goiDg on" give his in
stTuctions to the supernumeraries who repre-
sented the Roman populace; yeti never failed to
notice with what kindness OF manner he addressed
these useful auXlhares. 1t struck me as very
ludicrous TO hear HIM one night, previous to
his entrance as "Brutus" in the conspiracy scene
OF Julius Cesar, direct the man IN shlrt'sleeVes,
who was to manage the lightning (bY bio wing
lighted rosin through a tube), when to emit the
"Whizzlng exhalations.n "When I say TO
Tucius' Look IN the calendar and bring me IDOTd
then give US a flash, and when say"-repeating
another passage-''tnen give us a flash" When
in the last scene "Brutus" kills himself upon his
sword, how gracefully and effectively did Van
denhotf accomplish the act, covering his face
with his toga as he fell. After the green cur
| tain had descended remember being Impressed
with the courteousness OF the scene as several
actors simultaneously stepped forward and
lifted the tTagedlan from his PROSTATE position,
| which attention he acknowledged with quiet
'"Thank you, gentlemen" ard Goodnight all, -
as be proceeded to his dressingroom.
Macready was another of the refined gentle
men OF the stage, whose Interpretation o Shake