Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-02-12
CHAPTER XIV.

"Mrs. Brentz, had rather you would never
ask him to call again" said Lide Halstead
to her chaperon, one morning. as they sat to-
gether over late breakfast.
"Why ?" asked Mrs. Park Brentz, drily,
while she cracked the crisp toast between her
firm, white teeth. "Why?" she persisted,
when the young lady ignored her first interro-
CATION.
"Mrs. Brentz, you see as clearly as l do,
that he is always paying court to Mrs. Cecilia
Fessenden! At all hours of the day they are
together, when genteman's visits are ad-
missible and every evening he passes by her
side. O, T wish had never come to New
York ! I wish 1 had never been an actress
I wish still lived in the Bristol tenement.
house and worked by the day for my bread
and had no other friends than good old Mrs.
Dinwiddie and Benna, her granddaughter.
o, wish-I wish" and poor Lide's voice
broke; she leaned her head upon her wan
hand and sighed heavily.
She was very much changed since the night
on which she made her grand and successful
debut as an actress, and triumphed over the
beautiful widow whose charms really equaled,
if they did not eclipse her own. Lide knew
that her exquisite acting could rival Mrs.
Fessenden's splendid voice. She knew, too.
that she was quite as handsome as Mrs. Fes.
senden nevertheless, whenever she beheld
her in her opera box, on the promenade, or
driving in the park, she seemed to lose all
power. Her tones would become abrupt-al-
most harsh-and she would ignore all artistic
finish. 1t was in vain that she struggled to
regain her lost confidence. Time passed on,
and Lide's acting only grew worse and worse,
while her face faded, and her once rounded
and elegant figure became wasted and an
gular.
Mrs. Park Brentz noticed these woful chan
ges in her young charge, as she sat before her
in the detected attitude hitherto described ;
and she groaned in spirit over them. She
saw, with jealous envy, that Mr.. Gadbury
was constantly at Mrs. Fessenden's house, and
her ears would burn with wrath when she
would hear the "on dit" that the rich young
Kentuckian was one day to wed the lovely
widow. All! if Mrs. Park Brentz could but
secure him as lover for Lide-who she felt
assured was gradually dying of Incompatible
passion for him O, if she could but succeed
in pulling down some sort of disgrace and
shame on that widows head, so as to turn the
tide of the Kentuckian's feelings against her,
Lide might yet have chance, Mrs Park
Breutz thought, and Irving Mcdonald would
give her an annuity for her success in break
ing the heart of the Fessenden.
All this while, Irving McDonald's manner
had been undergoing change-a change
most peculiar in its aspect; and many persons
talked among themselves about "streak of
insanity" in the man. His eyes were wild
and restless in their expression. He was nev-
er seen by the side of Cecilia Fessenden; but
wherever she went he was sure to 60, and his
gaze followed her necessarily.
Cecelia seemed wholly unconscious of this
persistent regard upon the part of her "cast
off" lover. Her thoughts were always en-
gagged, either with her business or her Ken
lucky lover, who nightly escorted her to some
elegant resort for entertainment and daily
whiled the hours away beside her. His pas
sion for Cecilia, however, did not cause him to
entirely ignore Lide Halstead. Although he
distinctly remembered that her companion
had spoken in the most desparaging terms of
his beloved Cecilia, he made point always
to speak to Lide, and shake her pretty white
hand, and give friendly nod to the elderly
chaperon whenever he met either of them.
One evening Lide Halstead broke down in
love-scene, in which she had to act several
solos. She seemed to have been affected with
sudden faintness, and it was with difficulty
she passed through the trial.
"What is the matter? Are you i'll ?" asked
Mrs. Park Brentz, meeting the young girl as
she left the stage, and gazing at her in anx-
ious alarm.
"No, no, Mrs. Brentz; it is only nervous
debility" answered Lide, with deep sigh !;
"the very moment I enter her presence, lose
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