Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-04-22
4 CASE OF sOMNAMBuLIsM.

.H.H
A CASE OF SOMNAMBULISM.
q A couple of winters ago went to
Rosemere for week and found small
party assembled there. Ned Stapleton
Ryder dramatic critic of the Weekly
Pdirhan); little Miss Sally Creamer;
Madge Holton, with whom have
flirted any time these five years; John
Legion's cousin, Lucy Freye; and the
pianist, Payne Wilkinson.
l knew the pianist tolerably well in
the city. He was quiet, reserved,
shy sort of fellow, given to blushing,
and very much devoted to music.
When Johns cousin Lucy passed the
winter with the Stapletons, Payne had
given her lessons on the piano, just for
the fun of it, so they were pretty well
acquainted; and Mrs. S., like woman
as she was, had determined that they
ought to make q match. l myself
thought they might do worse; but
hardly expected it, because they were
both so diffident. If either had made
the least advance, it would, no doubt,
have been well received; but Payne
would never forget his extreme delica-
cy enough to evince the faintest sign
of partiality for Lucy before others, nor
would she risk. the appearance of for
.wardness-that terrible bugbear to
sensitive girls enough to allow him
private opportunities forexpressing any
affection he might have felt.
The consequence was that although
everybody. e., Mrs. Stapleton and 1
thought they would make an excel
. lent pair, they seemed to avoid all
chances for such an arrangement most
studiously.
! On the occasion of this visit, we were
all unusually good-humored, for some
reason or another, and had n most glo-
( rious time. We instituted variety of
new games-some of them concocted in
my own fertile brain and most flatter-
ingly received, and the tabIeaux vi
wants, ETC., arranged with wonderful
dramatic skill by Paul Ryder, were be-
.yond all description. / observed, as n
curious psychological phenomenon that
he always contriyed to give Sallie
Creamer soubrette part (Which she
acted most bewitchingly), and took n
character himself that required quar-
rel with her, q subsequent reconcilia-
tion. and of course a kiss. At rehearsal
he insisted on having everything real
on the stage, SO far as was possible
especially the kiss. Payne Wilkinson
was too diffident for the drama and
Lucy Freye was too useful. The former
preferred to execute appropriate music
between the pieces and during the
tableaux, and the latter occupied her
consummate taste in the arrangement
of dresses, making up of faces, etc.
One night we had grand play,
"written expressly for the Rosemere
ITALIAN Association by Ryder; wherein
was Lord Ponsonby Elphinstone lin n
fur-trimmed coat and yellow gloves)
to Madge Holton's Comtesse Marie de
Chassetigre (sweet in powder patches
and peach blossom brocade). Paul was
my valet (with great deal of gold lace
and impudence), and-curious chance
-Sallie Creamer was lady's-maid tc
Madame la Comtesse (with one of those
rcomical little aprons. with pockets just
big enough for three tingers). We hat
some impromptu scenery, cleveriy
painted, in imitation of architecture, by
Legion HIMSELF and all our arrange
ments were on much grander seal,
than usual. Indeed, instead of tn,
draw-curtain we had formerly used W,
contrived q very elaborate drop, to de
scend in stately folds upon the scene O
our histrionic triumphs; and when tn
prompter's bell rang (prompter, Luc'
Frye), and the curtain arose, walked
upon the stage with as much trepida
ton as ii it had been mt the Academy O
Music instead of at Rosemere cottage
and the audience were the elite of Ne,
York instead of my own friends an
their simple neighbors-a score O
whom had been invited in to witnes
the grand performance.
Wilkinson played brilliant an
artistic overture, and the play went o
finely. We were all we'll 'up in on
lines" as the actors say, and the ar
plause we received was most encourae
ing. ] had the customary troubles !
wooing and winning the wealthy wido,
of the Comte de Chassetigre, and m
/, valet had the customary quarrel an
reconciliation with the femme-d,
Misunderstanding the customary kisl
1! Twice only there was little embarras
ment, when the prompter neglecte
her duties. Once she forgot TO promy
Madge, who could not think of ht
speech, commencing:
Ha! some one comes-Bhall i n
store the miniature, or shall | keep il
(Takes locket from table, L.) No;
must have this lifeless image-thoug
fate has severed us Qaughs wildly
this must be buried with mer'
She got as far as 'some one comes;
but there she stopped. Instead of q,
ing toward the table aud looking upo
the miniature, as she should, she turne
and cast an imploring glance at LuC
Freye, who stood behind pap,
column. holding the play in her han,
and gazing with unutterable sweetne
upon Payne Wilkinson, who leane
gracefully upon his piano, watching Il
piece, quite unconscious Of the admir-
tion he was receiving.
The interruption was only for m
ment, and very few observed it. Mr.
Stapleton, who did the ancient al
scheming aunt, In turban and spect
cles, and myself, saw not only the a
straction OF our prompter, but its eau
likewise. and smiled significantly at OF
another
The second disturbance was at h
close OF the first act. when the mus
began, and the characters formed in
taoleau. Here Lucy was so absorb.
10 tile lingering, tremulous melo(
which Payne had composed for h
scene, that she never thought OF rim
ing her bell. The boy who had char
OF the curtaiD-strlng outside waited