New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-03
OUR LITTLE BALLET GIRL.
By CLARA MORRIS.

Suc dppC6lCu euuOohiy IL Jul Auiuct OuC
morning at rehearsal as the latest addition
to the ballet-a well-grOwn girl of fifteen,
with Q swarthy complex ion, pretty features,
and q pair of eyes squirrellike in their
quickness blackness and brilliancy. Feel
ing sorry for her loneliness and shabbiness,
i took occasion to speak to her, and before
tie rehearsal was over l was in possession
the new ballet-girl. Her name was Seman-
tina, she lived up by the market-place; her
mother did not do much of anything-I
learned later on that her mother was q
steady and indefatigable drinker of whisky;
she had a stepfather, and she worked in q
tombstone yard" She hadn't done any.
thing herself yet except fetch things, but
she'd ''seen the show lots of times from the
gallery, you know" and she wanted to be a
''big actor" herserlf some day-did / think
she ever could be onee Now, though Sc
mantha had in that first conversation let
slip such words as "her'n" and "his' u"
though it was painfully evident that ju-
pretty face would tighten her swarthiness
by several shades; yet when she put that
sudden question to me touching the pos
eibility OF her ever being big actor, some
thing-perhaps it was the keen intelligence
to her eyes, or her bright, quick way of
speaking-sOmething made me answer un.
hesitatingly and quite honestly, "Yes, Sc
was quite honest then-I am quite hone at
nOw-when l say / believe the profession
lost a possible ornament when poor Se-
mantha fell by the wayside.
In two or three weeks the new ballet-girl
had made herself quite tavorite with us
all. She was very Observant and q clever
mimic, and would initiate us to our very
faces without the slightest consciousness Of
her rudeness in SO doing. Good natured
and obliging to a degree, ever ready to
carry troublesomely long train, run for
hairpins, troches, or forgotten handker-
chiefs, willingly serving US in many ways,
it was not strange that in return we should
aid her in cOnquering her natural antipathy
to soap and water, or that We should bride
her with gifts of stage finery to abandon
the use of those favorite words of hers,
ker'n and kis'n, SO that at the end of three
weeks Samantha, much changed in appear.
ance fOrthe better, could sing clear and
loud in chOruses, take the right cue for
coming on Or going of the stage, and had
even spoken one or two speeches success
fully, and so proved herself very valuable
addition to our ballet.
About this time we discovered that Se-
mantha did not walk home alone at nights.
but was waited for by hulking young fell
low with face evil enough to make us
anxious for the girl going home under such
protection to a mother who drank. This
was great giving and accepting of pres
ents amsng the ladies. Every one wore a
bright face except Samantha. She looked
not only disappointed, but decidedly cross.
Four or five TIMES before / was dressed for
the first act she hurriedly entered my room
and quite as hurriedly ran out again.
Finally losing patience, l requested her
either to stay in or out, as she was half
freezing me opening the door so often
whereupon, there being but one chair in the
room. Samantha set herself down among
the slipper tntae door and cried. l tried
to comfort ner, and begged her to tell me
what was the matter, and finally, with
tears and eObs, she told me how she had
brought me present, but when she came
to my room to give it to me she had seen
the other gifts, so much finer and prettier
than hers that she was ashamed, and now
should never see it. She had no money to
buy anything else with, and she did SO want
to give me something; and then she broke
down and cried harder than ever. With
one arm about her neck and powder-puff
in the other hand, thanked her for her re-
membrance, and coaxed her with kisses to
let me have the present. So, after making
me promise on my word OF honor not to
laugh, Samantha drew from her pocket an
inch-lOng pie ce of marble fashioned like a
Bible and laid it in my hand. Her step
father in the tombstone yard had made it
Christmas offering
just after the holidays we all noticed q
great change in Samantha. There was no
mimicry, no funny criticisms, but instead
frequent and passionate bursts of tears. In
vain we questioned her, she would tell US
nothing, until one night she came to the
theatre and, with swollen eyelds and quiz
ering lips, packed up her poor bits of ward
robe, her powder box and pinch of carmine
fshe had not arrived at the dignity of using
French rouge yet)-everything, even to the
piece of burned cork with which she had :.
sometimes disdgured her pretty brows-tied
all up in bundle, saying she was going to
smile on her lips, added, ~ guess l shan't
be big actor after ALL" In answer to
my entreaties she told me hurriedly and
'confusedly that her Charlie 1.-THE hulking
escOrt) had been sent to the State prison
tor ever 80 long, and that she was going to
follow, so as to be near and visit him. She
should remain, work out" till her Charles
away together. A hurried good.by was
said, and she was gone, out into the dark
ness OF the night, al0ne-a poor little fifteen
yearOld unfortunate, leaving her bright
hopes behind her-to follow her worthless
love to his prison.
Months passed before we heard word Of
her, and then the news was sad. Samantha
had obtained situation; had worked hard
and faithfully; q miserable little baby had
come and gone, she had lost her place. she
had been In the hospital; and that was all
that We could learn of our bright eyed,
clever little ballet girl.
Performance followed rehearsal and re-
hearsal followed performance, and one, two,
three, four seasons were worked away; the
18th season found me in Columbus for q
week. At the matinee noticed sitting in 4 |
front seat, quite unattended, young
woman with handsome, defiant face and 9
pair of quick. dark eyes that seemed
strangely familiar; yet, try ae I might,
could not remember where / had seen
them before. As the play drew near
Ito sad end, my glance once more seeking
those haunting eyes, the mystery was
were melting the defiant face
TO softnoss, and in the heavy lids and quiv-
ering lips saw the girl who had offered me
. bit Of marble for Christmas gift-Se-
nanthe-but, alas Samantha with more
paint ON her cheeks than she had ever worn
In the ballet.
From one in the theatre learned the
rest Of her sad story. Leaving the hospital
abe had failed utterly in obtaining another
afuation, and 90, as the common phrase
goes, went wrong" Still she waited faith
fully for her Charlie. At last the wOndrOus
day dswned that was to release Charlie |
from his prison. Samantha had said glad |
goOd-by to her miserable companions-hsd
prepared Q quiet little nook where Charlie |
could eCjourn Tor . day or two, while they |
Gecided where they should 90 a soon az |
they were married, and Charlie, accepting |
her love and gifts, had gone out 10 buy 3
wedding ring and had never more re- /
turned-had deserted her; left her to return /
70 thse lie Of hidecus nights and memory /
haunted days. Poor Semanthal her drunken