Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-06-29
tableau as that upon which the curtain

not a whisper was heard as the audience
silently and sorrowfully departed.
Elmer Percy was present at the burr
al of Nelly; he stood like statue at the
head of her grave as she was lowered to
her last, cold home. Not a word, or a
sigh, or moan escaped him-not a tear
moistened his pale cheek. He stood as
if rooted to the spot, his arms folded
across his breast gazing earnestly at the
grave and coffin until the latter was
lowered to it's final resting place, and
the first clod was thrown in upon it.
AS the sound of its fall smote upon his
ear-and heart--he started wildly for
ward, saying in most piteous tones ;
Tenderly !, Oh. God friends, tender
ly. Then, burying his face in his
handkerchief, he sank upon his knees,
while a spasm of unspeakable anguish
racked his entire frame.
Of the one hundred persons present at
the funeral of Nelly, / saw bat one who
did not weep, and that one was Elmer
Percy. The hearts of others were melt
ed to sympathetic sorrow, his heart was
scorched to cinder by the unquenchable
flame Of anguish too deep for utterance.
On the day after the lnterment OF Nelly,
the Sorrow driven Elmer disappeared.
No one could say at what time or in
what direction he had gone. He was
last seen by Mile. Florence, walking
slowly up Church street, about dusk,
and as this was the direct route to the
cemetery we all concluded he had gone
there-some said to pray, but | knew
better than that.
On entering his room at the Shaks-
peare house, his trunks were found
packed, locked, and strapped, and on
the table letter directed to myself,
which read as follow:
"DEAR NED-Please send my trunks
to the following address: Lucille
Holmes, Memphis, Tenn. Answer
the inquiry with truthful don't
know, and come to no conclusion your
self concerning your friend, ELMER.
| complied with the request in every
particular, and, knowing the futility
of groundless speculation, waited on
"dilatory time" to unravel the mystic
ry Of the doings of my bereaved friend.
A month passed, and nothing was
heard of him, and the excitement in
cident to The sad occurrences, OF which
this is record, had died away, and the
names of the ill-starred Thespians,
though not forgotten, were scarcely
ever mentioned, and | had just settled
down in the belief that should never
see or hear from my poor friend, again,
when one morning after rehearsal, the
manager handed me letter with the
precautionary "Mum." | retired
from the stage and opened it, and must
leave you to imagine my surprise on
reading the following:
DEAR GALBRETH-Anounce me for
The Stranger and Michael Darle, ,
on the night of the 18th. Yours,
ELMER
Flaming posters, bearing the name of
Elmer Persey, in four-foot caps, soon
appeared all over the city, and great
was the excitement arising therefrom.
The night of the l4th came, and
with it Elmer. At o'clock | met the
manager ON the stage, and asked ; is
Elmer here ~ Eyes i" he replied,
eyes, Ned, and, entire nous, I--l-well
l rather wish he wasn't" "Why
" Go to the green-room and see for
yourself, Ii he doesn't do something
desperate tonight, I'll admit that I'm
no Judge of mailman. / went to the
green-room, and there | found Elmer,
looking more the ghost of Hamlet
than in the flesh. He was idly pick
ing guitar when | entered, but, on
seeing me, he laid down the instrument,
and extended his hand which | took III
my own, and could not suppress a
shudder as | felt his cold, clammy fin
gers closing around my own.
sat down by his side and conversed
with him awhile, now imbihing the
managers fears as to what the night
might bring forth There was wild
restlessness and unnatural briihancy i'll
his eyes, nervous spasmodic move.
ment of the fingers that betraye ed par
tial insanity, and, knowing that a bois-
ferrous reception " awaited him, |
trembled for the result Taking his
hand | said!
Elmer my dear friend, you are not
we'll, and are very imprudent to contin-
lie to play while such is the case. Don't
You think it were better that you
abandoned the stage-at least for Il
time Looking me steadily in the
eye. while the cunning twinkle in the
maniacs was in his own, he firmly ans
wered "No." | went on to state
that / thought the present state of his
mind required repose when, taking
my hand I had released his-he said,
in a low, 'amn voice:
Med, 'AA' thou lowest me, ne'er
say-quit-to me again. My heart
needs quiet and repose, aud 1T will find
it ere long; but until then, ask me not
to quit the courts of Thespins. Next
to Nelly. loved my profession above