Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-08-31
"You don't care to feel itP" he asked a


"Nor see it?"
"No."
He sighed a trl1e sadly, as if had re-
jected the only favor he could bestow. l
saw at once that he had been under fre-
quent exhibition to the doctors, aud that
he was perhaps a trfle vain of this atlen-
tion. The perception was corroboraled
moment later by his producing copy of
medical magazine, with the remark that on
the sixth mage would find Il full statement
of the case.
Could serve him in any way7 I asked.
1t appeared that could. If / could help
him to any light employment, something
that did not require any great physical ex-
ertion or mental excitement, he would be
thankful. But he wanted me to under
stand that he was not strictly speaking,
poor man that some years before the dis
covery of his fatal complaint he had taken
out life insurance policy for $1,000, and
that he had raised aud scraped enough to-
gether to pay it up; and that be would not
leave his wife and four children destitute.
"You see," he added, "if could find some
sort of light work TO do, and kinder sled
along, you know-until-"
lie stopped awkwardly.
have heard several noted actors thrill
their audience with a single phrase. |
think l never was as honestly moved by
any spoken word as that "until" or the
pause that followed II. lie was evidently
quite unconscious of its effect, for as took
seat beside him on the sofa, and looked
more closely in his waxeu face, conld see
that be was evidently embarrassed. and
would have explained himself further if
had not stopped him.
Possibly ii was the dramatic idea, or pos
sibly II was chance, but few days alier-
ward, meeting a certain kind-hearied the
atrical manager, asked him If he had any
| light employment for a man who was an
an invalid.
"Can he walk2'
Eyes"
"Stand up for fifteen minuies?'
"Yes."
"Then I'll take him. He'll do for the
last scene in the Destruction of Senna-
cberilj--its tremendous thing, you know;
wen have 1000 people on the stage" l
was trfe alarmed at the title, and ven-
tured TO suggest without betraying my
moor friends seciel that lie could not ac-
lively engage in the "Destructiou of Sem
nachorb," and that even the spectacle Of ii
might be too much for him.
NEEDN'T see it at all, " said my manager
ial friend, "put him in fronts nothing to
do but march in and out, and dodge cur
tain"
i nd n
haunted by grave doubts as to whether l
should not have informed the manager of
his physical condition, and the possibility
that he might some evening perpetrate a
real tragedy, ON the mimic stage, but on
the first performance Of THE Destruction
of Sennacherb," which l couscientiously
| attended, l was somew What relieved. l had
often been amused with the placid way in
| w which the chorus in the opera invariably
receive the most astounding information,
and Witnessed the most appalling tragedies
by poison or the block without anything
more than a vocal protest or command, al
wa US delivered TO the audience, and never
to the actors; but l think my poor friends
utter impassiveness to the wild carnage
and the terrible exhibitions of incendia-
rism that were going on around him tran
scended even that.
Dro ssed in a costume that seemed to be
the very soul Of anacbronism, he stood a
little outside The proscenium, holding a
smear, the other hand pressed apparently
upon the secret within his breast, calmly
surveying with his wnxcn face the gay aud
itorium. 1 could not help thinking that
- TIL In
his placid features, as of one who was con-
scious that at any moment he might change
this simulated catastrophe into real terror.
could not help saying this TO the doctor,
who was with me. "Yes," he said, with
professional exaclitude, "when ii happens
he'll throw his arms up above his head, Ut
ter an exclamation, and fall forward on his
face-its singular thing, they always fall
forward on their Gace-and they'll pick uH
the man as dead as Julius Caesar"
Afler that 1 used to go night afler night
with a certain hideous fascination; but il
will be remembered the "Destruclion o.
Sennac herlb" had a tremendous run; II
will also be remembered that not a single
life was really lost during its represents
ton.
1t was only few weeks afler this mod
est first appearance on the boards OF The
Man with an Aneursm that, happening Il
be at dinner party OF practical business
men, 1 sought TO interest them with the do
tails of the above story, delivered with sucl
skill and pathos as 1 could command.
regret to say that, as pathetic story, it fol
a moment seemed TO be a dead failure. A
last, prominent banker sitting next 10 me
turned to me with the awful question =
"Why don't your friend try to realize OIL
, his life insurance2" l begged his pardon
I don't quite understand. "Oh, discount
sell out. Look here-(after pause.) lie
f him assign his policy 10 me-its not mucl
of risk on your statement. Well, II
give him his $4,000, clear"
: And he did. Under the advice of thi
cool-h eaded-I think 1 may add warm
I hearted banker, 1.-THE Man with an Aneur
ism" invested his money in the name an'
D for the benefit of his wife in certain secur
/ tiles that paid him small but regular sti
3 pend. But lie still continued upon th
= boards of the theater.
a BY reason of some business engagement
8 that called me away from the city, di
}, not see my friend the physician for thre
i months afterwards. When 1 did, aske
tdlngs of The Man with an Aneurisn
a The doctors kind face grew sad. "PI
i afraid, that is, don't exactly know wheth
: er I've good news or bad. Did you eve
r see his wife2"
b Inever had.
$ "Well, she was younger than he, and ra
Q ther attracilye-one of those doll-faced We