The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-25

CHARLESlUN,
are-sll aeog for the lions. I want to have :
look at the beasts before we begin, and I'm al
ways q little nervous on my ben. Goodbye.
This was o mere copjugal excuse. Inc the
atre, to q man bred at the side-scenes, ls Ell
club. The Herr preferred smoking his pipe II
the f~ree.and-easy atmosphere Of the dressing
room at the Queens to the tanner delights o.
the domestic tea-table. He had very Little
anxiety about his beasts. Joe Purdy, his FAC
totum. q keeper who had served hls appren'
ticeship with the great Wombwell, had the
custody Of them. .-.
we're not 30 we'll flied as on that memorable
NIGHT at Manchester, which Herr PrusinoWsk1
had described to his f1ends; but the pit was
seethinp cauldron Of humanity; the gallery
looked like q wall Of eager faces piled one
upon the other up to the iron TOOL Inc NM
Ter and his Men" was performed almost II
dumb show, or seemed to be, though the leso.
inc traeedian retained on the establishment
was roaring himself hoarse in the character OF
Grindof, with the faint hope OF snstohing 9
stray leaf from the crown OF wild olive Wnlcn
would be cast at the feet OF the hon-tamer Dy'
and-by. p.u
H~orse"-during which the audience cracked
nnta and became momentsrily more excited;
and then the act-drop rose to slow music OF q
eoul appalling character, aud revealed broWn,
Jones and Robinson plcturesquely grouped Id
the stock primevsl forest:
There was q pause. The house sppiauaeo
vociferously. There was something stirring
in the notion that these three unfettered
beasts might leap into the pit at any moment
1t was quite @ pleasant sensatior-especialiy
for the gallery. Brown, who was elderly and
decrepid, yawned and stretched himself out as
il for slumber, with the air OF having been I'M
timely disturbed from his after-dlnner nap.
Jones, who was Of q lively temperament,
,yhisked his tail, and snapped at an imaginary
fy. Robinson stared full at the audience, as
II he really did understand and appreciate
their plaudits.
The music quickened, broke into a stirring
march, and then, at q fortissImo chord from
the full orchestra. the.lion M bounded on
cred and muscular, in close-ttt1n2 oean-col-
ored aiment, q scarlet girdle round his waist,
| and q leopard's skin over his shoulder.
There was o good strong Sheffield knife IN
his belt, but he had no appearance OF oeing
armed.
HIS reception was tremendous. He: stood
bowling and moving his lips in vague musmurs
| with an air Of being quite overcome BY his
feelings, for nearly Ave minutes before he
could begin his performance. His eyes wan
| dered ali round the house with the gaze OF cal
o~ulation, till they grew suddenly fixed, slaring
- To-nieht there were three people in all the
| Iespth and breadth Of them-tWo faded-look-
ing elderly women in opera cloaks at one end,
and in the middle, in q position that
| ed every inch Of the stage, a middle-aged man,
| with q oadaYeroQs face, prom1nenk llgnt-gray
| eyes, and lark, reddish hair, carefully dressed
in full evening costume, a..
he sat in an attitude OF extreme attention,
| with his arms folded on the back OF the seat
| in front Of him, the was In the back row. and
| his eyes R1ed upon the ion-tsmer. For the
moment, the sight Of him seemed to turn Blu.
| dolph Prusinowski to s.one. It was the man
he had been talking Of that day.
The cold sweat broke out upon his foreneao;
| but he stamped his foot savsRely, angry with
himself for this folly, mutteFed an oath, and
| began his business with the lons-standlnR
upon their backs, riding round the stage upon
| ali three at once. leading them through q kind
| Of dance movement, described in the bills as q
| set OF auadrIlles, with gsrlands OF paper roses,
and otherwise disporting himself with them,
| the red-haired man in the stalls watching bis
| every movement and every movement OF the
hairs breadth from his attentive attitude, or
turning his eyes away from the stage.
Then came the feature OF the evenlng-e
| single combat between Herr Prusinowskl and
| Robinson-who was described in the bills, by
way, as '.Molooh. the royal brindled hon, pre-
scented to Herr Prusinowskl by one OF the ma, :,
| which the Herr dragged asunder the animals
jaws, and put his head into the red.hot-looking
Tonight, in spite of that deadly terror which
| had come upon the Herr at the sight Of that
one detested spectator, everything wsnt
smoothly enough. Robinson. otherwise MO.
loch, kept his temper, suffered his Jaws to be
| opened to their widest extent, and the amers
head to repose upon his tongue as on q pillow
for half q dozen seconds or 80, md the curtain
| came down TO vociferous applause; but when
| the beneRciaire was called for there was no re-
| Spouse, The prompter found him leaning
against one OF the wings, white to the lips.
ibid you eyer see a man tremble p be ask
ed, in q voice that shook go much az t9 be
scarcely Ineligible. III you want to see one,
look at me-
BE was shaking in every limb, like 8 man
why, what's the matter" asked the promp=
| ter. with more friepdliuess OF tone than ele-
gancs Of diction. They're calling for you like
mad. You'd better go on"
srm golng as soon as I can steady myself,
l never neglect my busInessj but I've 6sd 9
turn, IneVer thought should come on the
stage alive tonight
'Why, the animals were quiet enough"
"Yes, ss mild as lambs; but there's 2 mani 10
| front that's my evil genius. tneYer te&t super.
stitlous about anything else ~before-none OF
your ghosts or that kind Of rot-but I've got
my fancy about that man. He'd like 70 see me
killed, and-he'l contr1ve to see it"
"Prusinowski," said the prompter, II couldn't
have believed It Of you. 1 thought you vas q
manor sense,"
But the prompter felt uncomfortable never
/ theless. The human mind is especially open
10 uncomfortable sensations OF this kind.
"Come, my boy be exclaimed, They're
losing temper" This in allusion to the audi
ence, who were clamoring hoarsely for their
f~ayorite. You'd better 60 on"
Pruslnowski wiped bis damp forehead, p9ll-
ed himself together, as 1t we're.
"All right" he said, and followed the promp-
ter to the first entrance. He went on, made bis
accustomed mechanical boz, and crossed the
stage, to disappear with renewed bowings on
the opposite side. de was looking at the
EstslIs at the time. The man was gone.
Course him |" muttered the Iion-tamer.
IF he'd given me time to change my clothes
I'd haYe been 10 front Of the house in time
to see him come out. want to know who he
is; t want to know what he means.H
He dressed hurriedlv. tearing of+his close:
| fitting garb. and shutting on the costume OF
| everyday life anyhow, and then went back TO
the prompt entrance before the curtain had
arisen for the farce, and took another survey
| OF the stalls, thinking 1t just possible that his
evil genius had returned. Butt the mans place
was empty. ,,.
Eerr P~ruainoWski went round to the public
donra M the theptra. and HING about there,