Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-04-24
A Touching Incident.

went one night 10 see comedy. The
chief actor was o favori.e one, and the thea
tire, small provincial one, was very crowded.
The curtain drew up, and amidst burst Of
applause The hero Of the piece male his ap'
pearnncc. He had hardly uttered twelve
words when it sirnck me that something
strange was the matter with him. The play
wa, a boisterous co,pedy Of the old school,
aud required considerable spirit and vvaciiy
in the aotors 10 sustain it properly: but in
this man there was none; he walked and
talked like - person in dream, his best points
he passed over without appearing to perceive
them; and altogether he appeared quite unfit
for The part. His smile was ghastly, his
laugh hollow and unnatural; and frequently
he would stop suddenly in his speech and let
his eye wander vacanily over the audience
Evens when in his character OF silly hus-
band. hs had to suffer himself to be kicked
about the stage, by the young rake of the
comedy, and afteswards TO behold that care.
less individual making love to bic wife, and
eating his supper while he was shut up in
closet frola whence he could not emerge, his
contortions of judicious wrath, which had
never before failed to call down plenty of ap
plause, were now such dismal attempts to por-
iray the passion, that Kisses were audible in
various parts of the theatre. The audience
were fairly out OF temper; and several inquiS-
tive individuals wee particular in their en-
ouirics as to tLe extent OF potations he had
l.ldulged in that evening. 4 storp of Elblla-
t;on and abuse now fell round the ears of the
devoted actor; and rot content with verba!
insult orange peel and apples flew upon the
stage. He stopped, and turned to the shout
ing crowd: I'neyer saw such misery in human
countenance. HIS .aee vas worn aud haggard,
and larne tears rolled down osof his painted
checks. saw his lips quiyering With inwai:st
acony-I saw his TO som heaye with conyut
sions of suppressed emotion, and his whole
mien betokened such depth of anguish and
distress, that the most ruthless heart must
have throbbed with pity. The audience was
moved and by degrees the clamor Of invec-
live subsidcd into o solemn silence, while he
stood near the fDollights, picture ol dtjec'
ton. When all WAS calm he spoke, and in
voice broken by s1bs that seemed to rend his
bosom, proceeded to offer his little explana'
ti9n:
aLalies and gentlemen. said he, "thoagh
in my acting TO night, am conscious OF
meriting your spleasnrc, in one thing you
do me wrong. am not intoxicated. Emo
ton alone, and tha, of the most painful kind,
has caused me to fulfil my allotted part so
baJly-my wife died few hours ago. and !
left irer side to fulfil my unavoidable engage.
lnept here. If l have not pleased you, i i'm
plore you to forgive. 1 loved her, grieve for
her, and if misery and anguish can excuse a
fault, bear my apology-bere7'
lie placed his hand upon his heart, and
stopped, and a burst OF ears relieved bis mo-
mentary raroxysm of grief. The audience
were thoroughly affected, and an honest burst
of sympathy made the walls tremblo. Wo-
men wcpt loudly, and stroug men silently
and during the remainder of the evening. his
performance was scarcely audible, through
the storm of applause by which the crowd
sought to suothe the poor fellows wounded
feelings. There was something very melan-
choly in the thought of that wretched mans
coming from the bed Of death to don guy attire,
and ptter stndied witficism for the amusement
of crowd Not one Of them dreamed Of
the anguish that lay fostering under the
painted cheek and tue stage smile. And in
the great theatre Of life how many are there
around us like that poop actor smiling gaily
at the multitude, while at home lies some
mystery of sorrow whose shadow is ever pres
ent with them IN busy places, and in solitude
revels upon their hearts like ghoul among
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