The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-11-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
TNDER THE MiSk.
Ttan.Ialed. .l,om W, Gar,,nLlnl.,.

TSaasknci tyom d., EdTsnLtsJ.e.
The representation OF Shakrspcatc OIhcll,
was ended. The excited audience had called il,
renowned stranger who here for the frs, tin,
| played the leading part repeatedly aud with
almost frantic enthusiasm. before the curtain. A.
] could reckon myself among the oldest friend.
OF the genial artist, hasicncd into his dressing.
room 10 salute aud 20 congratulate him.
Contrary TO his usual manner towards mc.
found him extremely silent and distant Lost IA
melancholy abstraction, Lee stool there aud
slowly passed his hand over his forehead as !, h.
would drive away certain troubled memories
Although nv dccl-si sympathy Was called iortl,
by lie singular behavior. siill would not ptcss
m!sef into his confidence. Indeed hc seemed
too much busted with his thoughts iu notice inr.
When after - time. hc had won mastery over
his feelings With all his old frendlin - hr cNcn-
sed his ahscncr oi mind
IL beg your pardon. said hr. laughing Ny
manner must appear strange to NUu but We ac-
tors are peculiar people. Even our b,s, friends
know little ct nothing u, all OF oui inner life
No one dreams of the sadness of the deep sorrow
We often bury from the world. W. must often
smile when our hearts are breaking aud like the
Roman gladiator. receive the death-strokc amid
the huzzas of the multitude. The public believe
tia, we only sport with fashion, aud onit repre-
sent the unhappiness OF others We are supposed
feeling, to ftian love and Jealousy, hate and des-
pair, only L. deceive those who come TO see aud
hear Us. But whoever, like myself has cast a
glance behind the scenes OF the theatre knows
that but too often under an aniic APPEARANCE
the deepest. the most fearful truth Is buried that
the laughing comic actor is thinking only Of his
sick child OF his DIVING wife that the much
admired hero ircnihles in view OF the debtor ;
prison the wanion soaLrsH, Is herself "a heira,-
ed wife who perhaps after the approximation.
may, driven by drgpair, lay violent hands upon
herself Not seldom we represent our own life
upon the stage render. almost word for word
our own thoughts. and feel IN ourselves the samr
sorrow, the same pain. which Ne portray in an
ideal form can from nv own experience, prove
60 you the truth OF these words have myself
seen an actor ia the role OF tender father. when
telling Of the death Of a beloved child, so over
whclmed by the thought tha, he had shortly be-
fore lost a blooming daughter, that he sank d..
ing upon the floor while the public, without any
misg'ing applaudcd, asifall were in accordance
with the design Of the play.
Horrible = lexclaimed, shuddering. now
begin To comprehend your own excitement in the
representation oi Othello. You must yourself
have experienced all the torturcs Of JEALOUSY in
order ~ portray them in such n masterly manner
lie nodded as ifin assent, but said nothing
Meanwhile We had eft the theatre, and almos,
uuconsciously had reached the tragedians dwell.
ling, where a suppcr-iable was already spread for
us My iri,nd ate almost nothing, and was
too excited To do justice TO the elegantly served
Wand, After servan, had cleared the table
aud Withdrawn, the interrupted conversation was
resumed.
Il know not whether you are acquainted with
the story of NV youth, said my friend az |
mistake not. have told you tina, | am OF jewish
iarentagc. and was reared in iovrtiy. Like the
Moor. belong 10 dcspised ,. I have also
h4I ff. Fl.
hich have bitterly suffered. Siil in time. !
rose above all obstacles, and IL have not, like
Oiheo, become great general, have become
at least passable actor
Say, rather. an artist ia the highest sense of
the word.
''lf am an artist Oiiello has made me so .
or rather, love aud jealousy, which are bound
together like h. = and shadow. Mine is singular
story, and although its remembrance is very pain
ful TO me, viii tell IL to Won
Before commanding his narration, he poured
out glass O Rhenish wine. and emptied IL at
single draughi ~ u 10 strengthen himself for 4
heavy task
After long wandering, he began at length
~ found permanen, engagement at B
where chance had AZ that time assembled q
company Of rare histrionic ability II was q
pride and a happiness, TO belong TO such stage,
equal 10 all respects 10 that OF the most splendidly
endowed court theatre. The actors we're all ami.
mated by common ardor. and the public re-
warded our efforts by crowded houses and ever
increasing applause. For the, this stage became
in Ieculiar sense, u school foT cultivation. and
In short time made such rapid progress, that
greater roles were assigned me, although was
only young beginner, aud had not received that
| legitimate conservation rs an artist which was
ere long 10 come TO mc through sorrow OuT
doctor himself an excellent pOFiTayet OF charac.
ter, interested himself for me, and gave me every
| opportunity To enrich my repertoire. and To de.
| veiop my talent Ny colleagues all treated ns
in the same friendly manner. felt Iny self esIe-
cially attracted tu our manager, who though b,
did not shine as an actor, was especially dis'in
| guishcd by his high cultivation aud goodness oI
heart. His only daughter, who, like her father
possessed intellectual culture aud amabiliiy rather
than beauty and talent, loved me with the pur,
affection of gentle sister. Every day this famly
became dearcr 20 me, and ! sometimes seriously
thought Of asking good Bertha TO be my wife
although !, at that time, loved her less than shs
deserved from me.
80 remained quiet aud happy ia this ciFcl,
/ Of honorable friends, busicd only with my art
and experienced for the first time the happinesl
| OF living Ia comfortable circumstances, among
cultivated associates and good men, after having
learned, 10 my disgust, the wretchedneas ofs,roll
ing players and vagabond theatrical companies
was happy-happier than had ever dreamt o
being and to-day, with strange longing, recall
i those beautiful days
"And still" interrupted I, "it was perhap.
fortunate that you were compelled TO leave Of
this quiet life, ! have myself learned to know
many promising artists, who have grown rust,
amid such pleasant surroundings, aud hare per
m,ied themselves 10 slumber In comfortable ease
u s only In the struggle with destiny tina, vi
learn our own strength and the scope Of our ia
lents."
~ must coniess that you are right, continue,
my friend. Through the discipline Of sorrow
| have attained what the world calls excelenc
In art. You shall hear how all this came about
Our director, always bent upon the eimproveuen
Of his stage engaged new actress, whose fam
long had preceded her arrival al orr theatre.
saw her for the FIRST time at rehearsal aud th
impression she made upon me decided my Who'll
life. To the creates, beauty, Augusta D-( viii
whose name you must certainly be familiar unite
perfect grace OF person aud manner, aud the rarcs
mental gifts. She belonged 10 thosc who aF
ariisis by the grace of God 10 thosr darlings q
Nature, 10 whom IL lcnt all that cAn enrap,ur
aud enchant
''iler first appearance was an event for Ou
theatre. The public admired and appiaudcd
but loved the gentle, beauiifalwoman in whoi
found my ideal realized. I had many oppoi
tunities Of being near her, for We oftcn played !
the same piece. She received my homage kindl,
and permitted me 10 accompany let homo frul
the theatre. soon became frequent visitor !
her house, and our relations became daily moi
intimate. Some weeks after our Iirrl mcrilng,
considered myself the happirsi oi men, for frOl
her sweet lips bad received ihs Grsi kiss of d
trothal and the assurance uf ic, love. To cou
pleie my happiness, only the b ius Of the ehuIC
was wanting but under various preiexts, Augu
IN delayed the longed.foT day that was io mi
my fate with hers forever.
"0ur engagement was no secret ieoiv'