The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-01-05
STAGE JEWELS.
BY BUTTON COOK.

your rings! But you're not on in this
act. ~ fe
"" l left them behind me at my lodg-
ings by mistake. Never mind; [
must play without them"
" What a pity! Stay, wear this.
You must have ring"
F" 1t does not matter
Sir Courtly must wear ringl Re-
member what you said but now.
You're not too proud to accept this
small aid from fellow player?'
"Ill wear it. A. real stone?"
may, bit of tinsel. Where are
your eyes? Keep it. George: it fits
you.
" | must not. !"
" It's worth nothing. Are you so
proud? Keep it as pledge of our
new contract
Well, as you will, mistress" And
he slid the ring on his finger.
She was called by the prompter, and
tripped on to the stage as Leonora. A
round of applause greeted the favorite
actress.
/" IT'S gay, sparkling, witty soul"
said Sir Godfrey, who, though he
would every now and then pause to re-
mind his companion that the enter
tainment was slnguiarly inferior to the
performances he had witnessed a
younger man, nevertheless appeared
to derive more amusement from the
efforts of the players than any other
person in the theatre. He laughed
loudly at the humors of the comedy
which were of rather an unrestrained
kind-and applauded the comedians
with most thorough heartiness. Mr..
Hervey, on the other hand, seemed a
little apprehensive that his character
as a critic might suffer detriment from
association with one who, in spite of
his lamentations over the past. ap-
peared to find matter to praise in all
he saw and heard. For the benefit of
persons occupying the benches near
him, therefore, the Templar from time
to time delivered himself of many in
genious comments on the actors and
the acting. He found reason to cen
sure the redundant grotesqueness of
the representatives of the comic char
acters of the play. This is not ma
ture," he would say; or, This is not
fit for droll at Bartholomew Fair ;"
or, For what does this fellow take
us, that he treats us to such low buff
foonery?o To Mr.. Kneyit, however,
he awarded praise of "a high order
He is no longer Knevit," he remark
ed; He is Sir Courtly HIMSELF OBJ
serve his insipid, soft civility, his for
NAL elegance of mien, his drawing
delicacy of voice, the stately hatness
of his address, and the empty emil
hence of his manners and so on.
Mrs. Askew, Mr.. Hervey thought,
was hardly herself on that evening;
the part did not yery.well suit her, as
it seemed to him.
'Sdeath," said Sir Godfrey, tits
a very mirthful play; and the raps at
the Puritans very pleasant and adroit.
/ have laughed till my sides ache.
In the course Of the performance a
slight disturbance occurred. Two
gentlemen had passed from the pit to
the seats on the stage. The money
taker had objected to admit them
without their paying the usual increas-
ed price for this accommodation.
~ Give me no words, fellow, or I'll
slit your nose for you. Let me pass, :"
bawled one of the gentlemen, with an
oath. aee
- / dared not say him nays the
money aker. explained afterwards.
He is parliament-man, and roys-
tering, securing blade. It would be
more than my life is worth to hinder
HMM such a mood too"
!" 1t is Sir Owen Price, " Mr.. Hervey
whispered to his companion. I'm IL
quor too, as usual; with his rake-hell
friend, Major Moxon, by his side. I
pray we may not have brawl upon
the stage"
Noisily, his dress disordered. his
wig awry, his eyes in1amed. his face
smeared with snuff, Sir Owen Price
staggered to his feet. He was pretty
quiet for some time, beyond hiccup-
ping occasionally. He gazed round
him with dim vacant eyes. as though
wondering where he was. The gal
iery Uttered a little at the tipsy gentle-
man land wag in that upper region
OF the house hurled an orange at him.
but not with very good aim; the fruit
fell harmlessly into the orchestra
iKnevlt was going through his chief
scene with Mrs. Askew. Sir Courtly
was simpering and drawing and TAX
ing snuff In his most exquisitely cox
combical manner.
= 3" Blood!" Sir Owen said. with a
sudden start, to his comrade; "do you
mark what the scoundrel wears on his
fnger?"
" Hushl'' whispered Major Moxon;
" not word now. I'll see to it. You
shall have your vengeance, Owen"
KneVit and Mrs. Askew finished
their scene amidst a tumult of ap-
plause -
.o o." Mrs. .Astew is certainly not her
self tonight" noted Mr.. Hervey.
What was the matter with you,