Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-06-28

will not force ourselves into your conf
dence."
"Not so; I can relate to you the |
reason why the sight of the laurel filled
my soul with horror, without a blush
There is nothing in the remembrance of
the past, sad as it is, to mantle my
cheek with shame. Will you hear the
story of my fatal triumph ?'
Certainly" responded Eckhof, 'if
the recital will not cause you pain and
renew your agitation"
All present gathered around in a
circle. full of expectation while Beck,
with voice yet trembling, gave them the
explanation which in his opinion was
their due.
81 am, as you know, the child Of
poor but honest parents, who stiS
themselves in order to afford me the adj
vantage of good education. My faith
er especially would have been pleased if
| had shown an inclination to study
theology. But resistless impulse
drew me toward the painted world-the
mimic pageantry of the stage. You all,
my friends, more or less know the pre-
judices against which the young actor
has to contend in the infancy of his ca
reer. Is not our occupation, at this
very time, looked upon as being less
honorable than any other even by the
educated ? although the writings of a
Lessing, the protection of the high
minded Dalberg, and the example of
our own Eckhof, have done wonders for
its elevation.
"As long as my father lived, I could
not bear to follow the bent of my in
clination; but after his death, l could
no longer suppress the wishes of my
heart. You may conceive the strength
of my mothers love, when | say to you
that she would not oppose my resolu-
tion, although she regretted my choice.
She would not leave me, but aided me
in providing the means for supplying
our daily wants.
cat first the world went very hard
with US. My salary amounted to no
more thon three gilders per week; and
even this was not punctually paid. Yet
l did not actually suffer; for she work
ed until after midnight, on sewing and
embroidery for others, until her eyes,
already weakened, gave way, and she
was threatened with total blindness.
"out of her ad%forffn lH5s for me she denied
small attic-room. which suO ~ ia
and tidy as lady's boudoir. The fru'
gal meals prepared by her hands, tasted
better to me than the most expensive
viands; and it was her constant study
so to arrange them, that some favorite
dish of mine daily graced the table
So much affection and self denial spur
ed me on to renewed exertion. | hac
but a single wish to become distin
guished actor-that l might be able tt
compensate her for her untiring devot
. edness. | revered her as saint, anC
no other woman on the face of the eartf
appeared worthy to unite the latchet O
her shoe. What wonder then that
advanced rapidly in my professional
. careerl With every new character
assumed. rose more and more in tht
favor of the public, till man of educa
tlon and refinement acknowledged tn,
power of my genius. With what pleas
ure | looked forward to the first laure
e wreath that should be bestowed upol
: me not from pride, or vanity, or am
e bition, but solely that l might lay it a
the feet of my dear old mother.
+: 81 had never succeeded in persuad
ing her to visit the theater. Whethe
s this resulted from religious scruples, o
+ from the fear that the excitement nigh
t prove too great for her strength,
know not; but she always firmly. bu
d kindly, declined acceding to my wishes
u therefore ceased to urge her on tn
: subject, though l regretted that she di
S not hear the rounds of applause wit
4 which my appearance on the, stage wa
u now frequently greeted.
r cat length, for the first time, m
name was upon the bills in Lessing'
: play of Emilia Galottii, and I was cas-
s for the part of the prince. You ar
3 aware what enthusiasm was excited b
d this creation of the immortal bard Th
German stage could present at tha
time no production of equal merit.
!. was the first beam of the sun shinin
n forth after long, dark and storm
= night I was so much inspired by tn
d skilful delineation of character-th
spirit and elovuence of the language
k the dramatic power of the poem-tha
d l strained every nerve to render the pei
e formance of the play worthy of the ne
BILE author. l devoted myself to stud
t by night and by day-with one fxe
s idea-to present an embodiment of tn
e authors creations in the highest pc
/. fection of art.
it "'This time said | to my mothe
, with that confidence which sometime