The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-05-22

,OuIst Il uOut huyW bieN' VI |
he inner life of the stage, or anything of |
L, in fact But am convinced that 1t Is |
especially unsuitable for young women.
should be sorry, indeed, to say any more |
than that. am not appointed to judge any |
class of my fellow christians"
Then he sat down and entered into |
quiet, friendly conversation with Georglna.
He made her feel quite at ease with
him. She soon told him, wondering
not a little at her own boldness.
in the awful presence Of the great preacher,
the simple story of her life, her fathers
career, her mothers widowhood, their pov-
erty, their struggles and her earnings.
Mr.. Shelton was greatly interested in her
story, and asked her to come again and see
his sister, and promised that his sister and
himself would go to see Mrs. Wilsoi.
"You would not be unwilling" he asked,
"to leave the stage and take to some bet
ter-at least some other way of living-if
a suitable occupation could be found for
your"
81 would do anything, sir, not to be wick
ed and not to lose my soul, If only / could
keep my mother and myself and pay the
rent. used to like the stage always very
much until yesterday. Now / am afraid
of livery much afraid; never knew how
dreadful it was until yesterday" And
tears came again into her eyes, Which had
been frightened under the kindly and con-
selling manner and words Of the great, true
hearted preacher
Very singular was the difference between
the operation going on in the two minds
under the influence each of the other.
The actress had begun to feel for the first
time how very bad her profession was; the
preacher was beginning to think for the first
time that that profession could not be so very
bad after all.
His sister and he inquired into the whole
story of Georgina's life, and found that she
had told it truly. Then he set about find
ing some employment for her which would
enable her to give up the stage. But he
found that no occupation of the ordinary
kind which was open to Georgina would
bring her anything like the sum she could
earn OH the stage. He was greatly en-
barrassed, and even distressed. AS for
Georgina herself, she had been seized with
genuine fervor OF desire to get rid of the
theatrical life and enter on new and pure
career Joseph Shelton, had never sup
posed that his denunciation of the drama
could have produced such and so sudden
an effect on such a mind. Indeed, he had
rather TO check than to stimulate the ar
dor of his young convert He had to bid
her be patient, to assure her that she might
without peril to her soul consent to play
Little Pickle few weeks or months longer,
until some means of living could be found
for her. SO Mr.. Shelton found himself
burdened with the following perpexing
problem Given young woman who is
nothing of a seamstress, who does not know
music or drawing or French Cor, for that
matter, very much English), and who has
out of her own earnings to support her
neither and herself-by what means can
any way of making a decent, respectable
living be brought within her reach2
George Wilson attended every service at
Mr.. Shelton's church. The theater became
hateful to her; she went through her parts
in mechanical fashion she began to grow
unpopular with the audiences, and to in
cur the rebukes of the manager; she shun-
ned her former companions, and was sneer-
ed at by them; and the newspaper critics,
who had hardly ever taken the trouble to
notice her while she was successful, began
to say harsh things of her now that she was
failing. Life was becoming very cold and
sad with this poor little girl, and her only
consolation was in attending the services
in Mr.. Shelton's chapel, and hearing the
great dissenting orator preach. She pinned
all the week through for the Sunday to
come, and when the Sunday was nearly
over she shuddered at the prospect of the
coming week. Her mother noticed the
change in her manner and appearance, and
was alarmed by it, and secretly sighed over
it. Indeed, George was greatly, sadly
changed. Her face was always pale, her
figure grew thin, her eyes were only too
bright and restless, her relish for food was
gone, her enjoyment of her profession had
changed into detestation of it. In truth,
the poor little pantomine actress had fallen
wildly, incurably, hopelessly in love with
the dissenting pulpit orator. Hor love was
alteration. 1t consumed her. United with
sense, growing stronger and stronger
every day, of her own utter unworthiness,
it was eating up her heart. Meanwhile
her mother grew sick unto death. The
need of helping her and earning money to
buy her comforts gave stimulus to Geor-
gie's professional power, and revived her in
terest in the theater. She said to herself
at cannot be wrong to do this now for the
sake of my mother. If she is taken from
me-when she is taken from mel will
never again appear on the stage or enter a
theater."
She therefore played so spiritedly and
well that long engagement on much bet
ter terms was offered to her, and she re-
fused it.
The Skeletons we're unremitting in their
attention to poor Mrs. Wilson. Miss Shell
ton came every day; Mr.. Shelton some
times came, but of course his time was
much occupied, and Mrs. Wilson was not
even one of his congregation. One day,
a tall, handsome, lady-like young woman
came with Miss Shelton, and was kind and
friendly in her manner, showing an almost
affectionate interest in Georgina and her
mother.
When they were about leaving, Miss Shell
ton took George aside and asked,
GLOW do you like Miss Willis?'
ooh, I like her very much. What a
sweet, winning expression she has l am
sure she is very good.
eyes, she is indeed. / have something
to tell you about her which you will be
glad to hear. My brother and she have
long been attached to each other, and they
are to be married in May"
George stammered out something about
hoping they would be happy-knowing they
would be happy-she could hardly tell
what, and she felt as If she would like to
die.
ANtNSi III nck ulcdu iuu CIV iith
the faintest idea that the great preacher
could care for her, and yet it was like a
death-wound when she thus learned that
he loved and was about to be married.
That night, when performing at the thea
tire, she had to dart across bridge of planks
in some burlesque or other, where she was
a mock Rolla, or some such hero, and had
to flourish a sword and make desperate
escape. Her mind was all distraught, and
when she sprang on the bridge the light
swan before her, her eyes grew dizzy, she
staggered. and fell down on the stage. She
was taken senseless from the ground, and
it was feared that, although no bones had
been broken, she had yet suffered some Sc
we're injuries internally. So she was car.
ried to one Of the hospitals, and lay there
for weeks.
While she lay helpless her mother died
The news could not even be broken &c
George for many DAYS. At last she learned