The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-08-18
BEHIND THE sCENEs..

BEHiND THE SCENES.
II will tell you," said Mr.. F, "of
an incident that occurred here many
years ago. Itpossesses to me now, ms I
think of it, alFithe vivid interest it had
then. 1t was among the first class cases
entrusted to- tMr? t and myself, and
we devoted to it an unweary patience
and assiduity that fitted us for their ex-
ercise many-a time afterwards. It was
in mid.winter that the circumstance I
allude to occurred. The theatrical sea-
son was at its height. The St. Charles
was nightly thronged with the beauty
and fashion of the CITY. A new star had
appeared on its7boards, exciting an inte-
rest prevalent and absorbing. Her
beauty, grace and accomplishments were
the topic of every club-room-the one
subject that engaged the attention of all
the youth in the city. Her name was
Adele I.arondn. Very yonng-scarcely
twenty--and very beautiful vas this
young girl, around whom q web of mys-
terry was woven that seemed to defy hu-
man ingenuity to ulrayel.5
say she was beautiful, but that word
does not convey an adequate idea of her
exceeding grace of mind and person.
Petite in form, the slender figure was ex,
quisite IN symmetry. "A wealth of bright
. )lden hair shaded a face rosy with
health and brilliant with genius. The
clear, hazel eyes flashed with Intelligence,
and the delicate curve Of the exquisitely
chiseled lips expressed hatred or scorn,
or Intensified emotion. T., d, t'
Night after night the theatre was filled
with her admireys. E Passion in eyery
phase-the very weH-spHngs and i'm
pulses of onr natnre--seemed- to find in
her an interpreter that never erred. Her
analysis Of character was perfect; it was
true to nature, and therefore perfect.
The night Of which / speak had wit
messed her greatest triumph. She seemed
inspired, and the feelings and emotions
OF her audience appeared as absolutely
under her control as If she welded the
wand of an enchantress. The curtain
fell on the last act OF the tragedy, and
the audience dispersed. Some mesme-
ric power held me to the spot, and I
fingered around the entrance of the
theatre. -As@ SO .t.t
An hour must have passed by, and the
last OF the company crept out of the mar
row aisle leading to the stage, and sought
their homes. Still the actress fingered;
her carriage at the door-the driver i'm
patient. Suddenly from behind the
scenes-echoing along that narrow aisle
came p scream so piercing that it cut
to the heart like dagger. It chilled
my blood. stood rooted to the spot;
anguish, horror, grief, were in its tones.
In moment more, I dashed open the
door and rushed into the theatre. Close
at my back came Mr.. Il, the driver
and the porter of the establishment.
The light in the green room was still
burning. The large mirror that hung
from the wall reflected from the oppo-
site sofa the tinsel and mock jewelry of
q Queen / noticed this as dashed open
the narrow door that led to the dressing
room assigned the actress. It was empty.
1 called her by name. shouted until
the walls of the vast bnilding echoed
back my voice. We searched every
where, underneath aud above the stage.
even among the rolled curtains in the
lott. and the narrow apertures between
the scenes-in vain. The actress had
disappeared. The screams that had SO
startled MS, were not repeated. There
was no avenue Of escape, still she was
gone. Mr.. / visited her apartments at
the hotel. She was ot there The gas
was relit in the theatre and our search
resumed, She was not to be found.
Her friends were yisited; the most tran
sient acquaintance called on. with like
result. ls. ~
Each hour, instead of revealing the
mystery, only deepened it. In the light
OF the morning we continued the search.
A single object was discovered, which
could possibly afford O clue to the MISS
ing girl. On the floor of the dressing.
room was diamond earring. It looked
as if it had been torn from its place. It
was not such one rs was worn by the
actress. 1t established beyond question
the presence of another person in her
room, and that person female. This
was all. The mysterious interview and
its termination were shrouded in veil
of darkness our ingenuity could not
penetrate. II the earth had opened and