Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-11-13
SELECT READING.
on TIE TEAxp.


was only clown, painted, grin
ming clown, attached, on small salary,
to theater in the capital of one Of the
little duchies into which Germany was
divided before the genius and ambition
of Bismarck had effected its consolida-
ton into the empire. My role was
popular, because everybody liked to
laugh, and liked one who put them in a
laughing mood. My makeup was
considered marvel of perfection. My
songs always took, and my gestures
and grimaces never failed to elicit the
most rapturous applause. 1t used to
be said that my face must be made of
india rubber, it could be twisted and
distorted into such strange expressions.
But hated the life, and my success
made it more and more distastefal.
One nj ght went home completely
worn out in body and mind. My little
sister Ada, fifteen years old, and light
and graceful as sylph, who was en-
gagged as danseues at the same thea,er,
also seemed dispirited and worn. The
play had been running forty nights, and
the whole company was heartily sick
of it. But it was not this alone which
exerted a depressing influence on my
spirits that evening. For many weeks
I had heartto Fraulein Dora, the prin-
cipal danseuse ofthe theater,who was no
less lovely in mind and heart than in
mind and heart than in her person.
She was the most beautiful woman
had ever seen; tall, we'll formed, grace
full; with step like fairy queen; large
thought i'll eyes, and.a sweet, winning
smile. What FIRST drew me to her
was her kindness to my sister, whom
she took every opportunity to be
friend and assist in her profession.
This was the more surprising, because
Ada promised to become dangerous
rival; and, in the theatrical profession
jealousy is the rule and generosity the
exception. So l learned to like Dora,
and then to love her, but SO did every
body else. All the gentry of the place
fell in love with her and raved about
her beauty and her dancing in way
that nearly drove ME wild with jealousy
l was in love in the old fashioned way
we read of in novels-I am not asham.
ed to confess it-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 de
votion. | must not omit to say that
Dora, in the midst Of all this adulation,
displayed the most discreet and modest
behavior. She was always attended, to
and from the theatre, by her motbe,
and always returned the rich presents
which were showered upon her.
Among all who paid court to Dora,
l feared only one, the young, rich,
handsome and accomplished Count
Ernest van Walters, who pressed his
suit nth unremitting ardor What
chance had the poor clown against this
man! Yet fancied if he were only out
of the way I need not despair Of
winnin g her. Did she not love my
sister, and had she not often spoken to
me and praised my acting and singing!
But this day I had learned the worst
that her kindness to me sprang only
from gentle and friendly feeling fol-
the bro other of the girl she had learned
to love like sister, and that she had
promised to become the wife of Coun,
Won Walters. What wonder that
went TO my lodgings with despair in
my heart.
My little sister exerted herself tc
make things cheerful in our quiet sit
ting-rp pom. She suspected nothing Of
the real cause of my observation-disclosures,
for she my confident in everything else
had never been entrusted with the
secret of my love for Dora; and, in the
hope of drawing me out Of my moody
silence, prattled on ahqyt a number Of
unimportant matters. She was inter.
rupted by knock at the door, follow.
ed by the entrance of our landlady. The
good soul apologized for coming in al
so late an hour. but the post-man had
brought letter for me just after we
had left for the theater, and, as it bore
a foreign postmark, she thought il
might be important I should get il
that evening | thanked her mechan.
ically, but glance at the pos.mark
caused me to tear the letter open with
eager and trembling fingers; for I had