Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-08-08

sCcucIy, uaulluS VI 1Opcos stage prop
critics lying here and there, and every
body running about as if they were
possessed. The hurry and hustle only
added to my nervousness, so sought
my dressing-room at once, and prepared
to dress. 1 found to my dismay that
1 had forgotten my para,ol. What on
earth was to do? OF course could
do without it, but it would keep my
hands occupied; and then, my scene
being an outdoor one, could raise it
gracefully on taking my departure. o,
must have it no matter what hap
pened Could not send for it? An
half-hour would elapse before the cur
tain would go up, but my home was
some distance off; would it arrive in
time? At all events would hazard it.
So l dispatched messenger, and told
the call-boy to look out for him when
he came back.
Ten, fifteen, twenty minutes passed,
and he did not return. The half hour
was called, the curtain was raised, and
standing in the wings waiting for my
cue. The cue was given; somebody
put something into my hand, and l
went on tie stage in all my glory, per
fectly unconscious tat | held in my
hand a stage-baby by one leg.
When l saw the sea of faces before
me l became so weak in the knees that
nearly fell; but grasping what took
to be my parasol. tightly in my hand, l
steadied myself, walked down to the
footlights, and began my speech. Not
a word could be heard; everyone in the
house began to laugh; but was not to
be disconnected. l went on with my
speech, and drew near the heavy man
SO that he could hear. But instead OF
going on with his speech, he screamed
in my ear. What the devil made you
bring that OIL? y l only answered him
with look. " was not to allow any
thing to disturb me, the manager said.
81 was to appear perfectly at ease. :"
SO swung my supposed parasol,
looked straight before me, and went on
with my part to the end.
The audience were uproarious, and
cries of lis that one OF the Two Or
phans % my child my child !'"Put
it in cradle and rock it to sleep !"
rose above the screams of laughter that
seemed to follow every movement of
mine. But was not to be put down.
They would find was made of sterner
stuff. l felt it was conspiracy on the
part Of my enemies to make me fail in
this, the hour of my long-looked for
triumph. They could not cheat me. l
would go off the scene as gracefully as
| had entered, and stepping coquettish
ly to the side of the stage, bowed
smilingly to the heavy man, and, with.
graceful swing of my arm, swung
my parasol upward preparatory to rails
ing it, and received most singing
blow on the bridge of the nose. The
blood spurted in every direction, aud 1
saw more stars in q moment than was
ever collected in theater before.
The manager rushed forward ,snatched
something from my hand, and flung it
against the scene. saw with horror for
the first time what had been the cause
OF all my annoyance. I remember
nothing more. But as sank into un-
consciousness the words Fool, ""Nin-
n.y. seemed to float through my brain,
uttered by whom could not tell.
How ever got home was mys1ory
to me. The next morning I had a
bruised nose and black eye. How
could ever face my friends? I was
sure 1 would not hear the last of it.
But out of consideration for my feel
ings, I suppose, I was let off lightly.
But the stage was ever after tabooed
subject in our house. I was entirely
cured of my fancy, and settled down to
doing homework and minding babies.
But cannot help thinking that through
some ones love of mischief the world
has lost great actress, and I-well-I,
perhaps, have escaped being sent to the
lunatic asylum.