Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-06-04

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stage. II was just as pale and fearful now.
Yesterday" said poor Georgie, "you
preached against the stage-and actresses.
oh, sir, am an actress, and can 1 not be
saved ?"
There was something in the ndivete Of
the question and the tone which well-nigh
made the preacher smile. But there was
something in ii, too, which touched him
profoundly. 1t was the appeal of a simple,
true soul-and his own soul was all truth
and simplicity.
Now the Rev. Joseph Shelton had never
seen an actress ON or off the stage before.
His idea Of such creature had been that
of something all paint and brazenness or
else of some lustrous, Lamia-like beauty,
merciless to the souls of men. Here now
he saw pretty, modest, little creature, on
ly distinguished apparently from other
pretty and modest girls known TO him by
the greater sensitiveness aud depth of her
spiritual nature.
Surely" he began, ~ was never rash
enough or unjust enough even to hint that
there is any calling which necessarily de-
stroys all of those who follow ii. 1 spoke Of
the stage ia genoral-or its tendencies and
its dangers. 1 suppose the theatrical life is
generally bad life."
~ suppose So" said poor George, very
humbly and sadly. You ought TO know,
SIR"
Now this was suggestion which pierced
the preachers manly and noble conscience
somewhat keenly. For, after all, what did
he know about the matter7 Not only did
he KIN ow nothing himself about the stage,
but he did not know any body who had any
Greater knowledge on tie subject.
"Well," ho replied rather quickly, "of
course don't know practically much Of
1t, in fact. But am convinced that il is in
general an unnatural aud unhealthy life,
aud that it is especially unsuitable for
young women. / should be sorry, indeed,
to say any more than that. l am not ap-
pointed 10 judge any class Of my fellow
Christians"
Then he sat down and entered into qui-
ct, friendly conversation with Georgina.
Ho made her feel quite at ease with him.
She soon told him, wondering not 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 poverty, their struggles
and her earnings. Mr.. Shelton was great
ly interested in her story, and asked her TO
come again and see his sister, anu promis-
ed that his sister and himself would go 10
see Mrs. Wilson.
You would not be unwilling" he asked,
''to leave the stage aud lake TO some better
at least some other way Of living-if
suitable occupation could he found for
your
~ would do anything, sir, not to be
wicked and not to lose my soul. if only l
could keep my mother aud myself and pay
the rent. l used 10 ike the stage 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 Frightening under the kindly and
consolins 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 10 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 amer all.
His sister and he inquired into the " hole
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 10 give up the stage. But he
found that no occupation of the ordinary
kind which was open to GeorGina would
bring her anything lik, ,he sum she could
earn on the stage. lie was greatly embar.
rassed and even distressed. As for Georg-
ina herself, she had been seized with gen.
uine fervor of desire TO gel rid of the the
atricll life aud enter on new and pure ca
reer. Joseph Shelton had never supposed
that his denunciatiun of the drama could
have produced such aud SO sudden an ef-
feet on such n mind. Indeed, he had ra-
ther 10 check than TO stimulate the ardor
OF his young convert. He had to bid her
be patient, 10 assure her that she might
without peril to her soul consent to play
Little Pickle few weeks or months long
er, until some means of living could be
found for her. SO Mr.. Shelton found him
self burdened with the following perplex-
ing problem Given young woman who
is othing of a seamslress, who does not
know music or drawing or French Tor, for
that matter, very much English) and who
has out of her own earnings TO support her
mother and herself-by what means can
any way of making a decent, respectable
living be brought within her reachH
George Wilson attended every service
at Mr.. Shollon's church. The theater be-
came hateful to her; she went through her
parts in a mechanical fashion; she began
to grow unpopular with the audiences, and
to incur the rG Dukes of the manager; she
Stunned her former companions, and was
sneered at by them; aud the newspaper
critics, who had hardly ever taken the
trouble TO notice her while she was success
ful, began to say harsh things of her now
that she was falling. 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 pined all the week through for the
Sunday 10 come, aud when the Sunday was
nearly over she shuddered at the prospect
of the coming week. Her mother noticed
the change in her manner and her appear
ance, and was alarmed by it, and secretly
sighed over it. Indeed, George was great
ly, 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 pro-
fession had changed into detestation of it.
In truth, the poor little pantomine actress
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