The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-29
THE RIVALS.


MANY years ago Madam Raynor was the
leading lady at New York theatre. She
was n great actress and the fayorite OF the
metropolis.
Although forty years OF age she was
still a very handsome woman-a queenly
form, wealth OF dark hair,glorious black
ewes, slancing love or flushing rage at her
will, and face which could awe you to-
day and win you tomorrow.
"The distressful stroke her youth had
suffered " had made her what she was-a
lover only of her art. She had suffered
and wonderfully could she depict suffer-
ing. a se
When twenty, she had married, and tas-
tod TOO soon LIES bitterness, The wretch
deserted her, taking with him their little
child n daughter. She had learned that
Lc had died in a foreign land, but she had
moi known what had become OF the child.
Madam Raynor became that unhappy
creature. n cynical woman. She seorned
Inc love and courted the applause OF man.
lind. The only link between herself anu
Tho INST was the child. For her she wept,
and Io,eed, and prayed. Even those who
knew moi her story said she never was 10
Srnndly thrilling rs when she depicted the
low Of n mother in finding her long.lost
child. ,,.,,o,,
nnecn OF the stage. Once, one had dared
~ ' sav 10 her that the time might come
when she would be dethroned. aadaih
Raynor had never spoken to nm asalh;;
She was a passionate, jealous woman, anu
n successful rival might well tremDle al
her rage. ..,..,,.r oo,,od
upon the manager. ,,..
gan, with, believe, great talents for the
Stage. Is there an opening here?,
HNo, sir" the manager SAID. My
company is full. =,
Ifhe expected answer" said the oid
gentleman, smilingly. II will come to
the point at once. have had some stage
experience, and think can hardly be mis-;
taken as to the young lAdy's ability. |
would like TO engage your company ana
theatre for one night, and am willing to
INV any reasonable sum therefor. am
resolved to make a DEBUT"
Tho manager smiled skeptical smile,
whcreat the other, flushing, said hastily
q He laughs best who laughs last"
Pardon me-" was the reply; you say
Won have had some experience, and you
mnst know we managers have little faith
in prodigies." -..,,...,,.;on NO. a
,,.ii,, ,I,ot in two weeks Miss Lillian was
N make her flrst Appearance on any stage.
People were amazed at Miss Lillian s au,
doc;ty for the play and character selected
wcre those in which Madam kaynor hGn
made her greatest triumphs. That tragic
"mSen laughed her to scorn, and her black
avcs twinklcd with real merriment.
70 An" She snid, mirthfully,"l am vastly,
owrscdl I'M be thereof, I'll be there!
7 wouldn't miss the farce for months
salary It's really too good q joke!
And Madam Raynor shook with laugh
ter. THO thoo.
ire WINS packed from pit to dome. EroWIs
arc selfish, brutal and, from the whiIe-kia'
ded lady TO the coarse rough, all came 70
mock and jeer. 4 thousand men ana We, we.
men against one inOiicnsive grill MM!ail
! Raynor, sitting in her box, looked IKE
iolIy tigrcss waiting for her victim.
The play has begun, the preparatory
lines are spoken, and the debutante sleps
mon the stage. She stands there, trem'
Ming with the fright Of the terrible mo.
ment, But what a strange silence Is that
into which that thoughtless crowd Is aTed!
The The spell OF beauty such as they have
never an seen IL upon them, No jeers and
and laughter have they for such Q vision ~
that Madam Raynor j. jolly tigross, NC
longer. Some one, boller and more losi
~ Shame than the rest, dares TO hlsa,, a
thousand frowning faces were turned 10
ward him, till he shrinks and covers,
She speaks, and every word riYets INC
throughout the act stillnesbs eigns-it !
! the homage OF silence. But when the &c
IL over. like tho burst Of mighty storm
, anpiause shakes the old building. =,
When she Is called before the curtain
tfand bows with such becoming modesty,
men shout I'LL they arc hoarse, Such 2 u
umph has ne'er been seen before, and TN
star Of Raynor Is dimmed before the SUI
NJ Lillian