The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-11


clown, attached, on a small salary, To-
theatre in the capital of one IT the little
duchics into which Germany was divided
before the genius and ambition G Bismarck
had effected its consolidation into the cm-
pire. My role was popular because every
body likes to laugh, and like one who puts
them in a laughing mood NJ make.up
was considered Il marvel Of perfection.
My songs always took, and my gestures
and grmaces never failed to elicit The most
rapturous applause. 1t used to be said that
my face must he made of India.rlbbor. it
could he twisted and distorted into such
strange expressions. But haed the life,
and my success made it more and more dis
tasteful.
Ole night ] went homo completely y crn
out in body and mind. My little sister
Ada. fifteen years old. and light and grace
full as sylph, who was engaged as n dan
seusc at the same theatre, also seemed His
pirited and worn. The play had l'ccr nun
ming forty nights, and the whole company
was heartily sick of it. But / Wa not
this alone which eXcrted a depressing in
huenco ON my spirits that evening For
many weeks Ind been losnS my hceri 10
Fraulein Dora. the principal dan.cpsc Of
the theatre. who was no less lovely in mind
and heart than in her person. She was the
most beautiful woman | had ever seen
tall, well-formed, graceful, with a step like
a fairy queen large, thoughtful eyes and
n sweet winning smile. What first drew iue
to her was her kindness to my sister, whom
she took every opportunity 20 befrend and
assist in her profession. This was tic
more surprising, because Ada promised 10
become II dangerous rival and, in the
theatrical profession, Jealousy is the rule,
and generosity the exception. So learned
to like Dora, and then to love her. But so
lid everybody else. All the gentry of the
place fell in love with her, and ravcd Abou.
her beauty and her dancing, in way that
nearly drove me wild with jealousy. was
in love in the old-fashioned woy we read of
in novels am not ashamed to confess il
eager to kiss the ground on which she
trod, and would not believe that any one
else could love and worship her with the
same devotion. | must not omit to say
that Dora, in the midst of all this adula-
ton, displayed the most dscreo and modest
behavior. She was always attended, 10
and from the theatre, by her mother, and
always returned the rich presents showercd
upon her
Among all who paid the court to Dora,
feared only one, the young, rich hand
some, and accomplished Count Ernest Won
Walters, who pressed his suit with unrC-
hitting ardor. What chance had the poor
clown against this man Yet | fanciod if
lac were only out of the way ] need not
despair of winning her. Did she not love
my sister, and had she not often spoken
kindly to me, and praised my acting and
singing? But this day | had learned the
worst-that her kindness to me sprang
only from gentle and friendly feeling for
the brother of the girl she had learned TO
In ptn II, i 1
to become the wife of Count Won Walters.
What wonder that | went to my lodgings
with despair in my heart
My little sister exerted herself to make
things cheerful in our quiet sitting room.
She suspected nothing of the real cause of
my downheartednsss, for she, my confdant
in everything else, had never been intrusted
with the secret of my love for Dora; and,
in the hope of drawing me out ofmy moody
silence prattled on about number of I'M
important matters. She was interrupted
by knock at the door, followed by the en-
trance of our landlady. The good soul
apologized for coming in at so late an hour,
but the postman had brought letter for
me just after we had left for the theatre,
and rs it bore a foreign postmark, she
thought it might be important should get
it that evening. / thanked her mech mi
cally, but glance at the postmark caused
me to tear the letter open with eager and
trembling fingers; for had often heard my
father speak of an only brother who had
settled in England in early youth, and
from whom vague reports came, from time
to time, of successful mercantile career.
The letter was postmarkcd Londoc, and the
heavy black border lines told the story be-
fore the seal was broken. Ny uncle was
dead. He had never married, and on his
death-bed, remembering his only brother,
he had left all his wealth to him or his child
rem. For moment | felt stunned and
faint; and Ada throwing her arms about my
neck, begged me to tell her what bad news
was in my letter to make me lool; SO strange
and pale. took her on my knee, and told
her we were rich, and would have no more
need to act in the theatre. We would leave
this miserable little town and 10 70 Ber-
Lin.
To my surprise. Ada again put her arms
about my neck, and whispered softly,
Need we leave the theatre immediately,
dear brother?"
''No, child" said /, wondering what she
could mean; "but tell me why you should
want to stay another day, when you can
leave ut once and be free from this slay-
ery?"
because, dear brother" she answered,
hesitatng and blushing, "fIaulen Dora
told me / was great deal prettier than she
was. and better dancer and that should
have the first place in the new dance they
are to put on the stage next week. Oh,
would like to have such a triumph once
1t would be such pleasant way to say
goOd-by to the stage"
l could deny her nothing, my little sis
ter; and though for me it was like going in-
to the tortllre-room Of the Inquisition TO en-.
ter the theatre and sec Count Ernest on
such familiar terms with Dora, / consented
for the present to conceal my good fortune
from our friends, and go on lust the same
as if nothing had happened.
The eyentiul evening came at length.
The play was interpersed with ballet dane
ing, and was to end with n grand transform
alton scene in which Ada and Dora were
to rise as sea nymphs, in a shell-liko car,
from the waters of mimic lake. 1t so
happened that, just before the last scene,
went into the room underneath the stage,
where the machinery for raising the car
was placed impelled by strangenforebod-
ing of impending misfortune, to assure my
sell That everything was in order; and that
no precaution against accident had been
neglected. There found the master ma
chinist, dark and gloomy visaged man,
standing by the car, muttering TO himself in
an undertone. "Better she should die than
marry the count. He has bewitched her.
AS he docs all women. A little slit would
S'N ''' "ouiu
what are you muttering to yoursclf?"
l asked him, suddenly; "and what do Won
mean by these mysterious words? Z"
lie faced me, as if struck by an unexpec-