The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-07-15

disturbed by dreams, by turns i was
he fond and tender lover, the proud
and powerful general, the erazed, re-
l~entless murderer.
The morning dawned and developed
M my home 9 more horrible trag-
sdy than was ever conceived by dram
.tist. for while / slept and dreamed q
iastardly assassin had crept into my
mothers chamber and strangled the
life from her sweet body. Upon her
lair white throat was the cruel imprint
IF the murderous hand. and. ID God!
while i slept, unconscious of her agony,
the was struggling with her slayer.
Weeks and months passed. but no
,lue TO the murderer could be discoy-
.red, nor the object of the crime imag-
ned. Ny life, robbed Of its truest
friend, seemed dull and melancholy.
There was but one thing left for me to
10, and that was to recall and act upon
ier admonitions, so that, If haply her
ipirit looked down on me, she might
less my efforts. / left the stage and
ought in q western State 10 give . new
direction to my life. But sven here my
equation as an actor had preceded
ne, and i was waited upon one ven
ng by the manager of the local theatre
With the request that l would take the
place of his leading man on the follow
ng evening. he being incapacitated by
dckness from appearing. The piece
vas to be Othello. accepted the pro-
posal. ple"sAd that my name had not
been eni forgotten by the public.
Che hot which l stopped was over
.rowde the landlord informed me
hat ] l have 10 share my room J
with a stranger. But the stranger
when he came in, proved to be an old
friend, and we talked far into the night
OF old times, mutual acquaintance. but
especially Of my forthcoming appear
ance rs Othello on the next night. /
slept, and dreamed once again that l
was the ycritable Moor of Venice,
breathing into D~esdemona's ear my
vcngeful, cruel purpose. l was sud-
denly awakened by a terrific pull at my
hair, and found myself standing out in
the middle Of the floor engaged in a
struggle with my friend. Ny hands
were fastened in u vise-like grip on his
| throat. and, even MS ] walked, his hold
on my hair looscd, and he sank help
| lessi, Ia the floor. There are moments
| IN life when, like an electric flash. all
| that has been and much that is to be
stands out clearly revealed. and, awe
| struck. we gaze at the fearful prospect.
The mystery of my mothers t~aking-off
WAS nc longcra mystery; 1t was these
accurscd hands that had done the deed.
and condemned me. like Ahasucrus, TO
wander over the world. seeking relief
and limiting none"
Wlii these words the yonng man con-
clndei his tragic story. aud. scizing his
hat. oi cnsI The ouler door and disap-
pcascl in the darkness. Ncttie, with
wi ito face. bnt moistened eyes, hast
cnel 10 tie door with her purpose so
cle,riy expressed in her manner that
Charles cried out:
''Have n care what you are doing!
You surely can mean TO offer that
sleep-walker n bed here! Ughi / choke
Mt the thought Of itr'
Nettie shuddered, hesitated for a mo-
ment only. then, leaving the door ajar.
stepped out. We could hear her voice,
| but could not distinguish the words,
but his reply was distinctly audible:
You are right. To me it seems as
if my mothers voice spoke Throughout,
bidding me cast off this burden of re-
morse and return to my art, with the
resolve to win the name the future
surely has in store for me.
.
Several years later our family were
surprised by the receipt Of a note. in
closing passes, from the manager of the
B theatre, inviting ms to be present
on the following evening, when Ameri-
cas- greatest tragedian would open o
weeks engagement. The play was to
be Othello. We were punctually on
hand. and were politely conducted to a
side box, whence shortly afterward we
had nc difficulty in recognizing in the
swarthy Moor who strobe the stage,
Nettie's quondam acquaintance.
Between the acts the actor entered
our box and claimed the privilege of
renewing an acquaintance so inauspi-
ciously begun. F..
II shall invite myself once more to
your home" said he, 'nor will you find
me the Objectionable guest that l for
merly was. Before fame and fortune
the dark spectres that haunted my
brain have dissolved like the mists Of
morning and left me light-hearted and
clear-visioned." f.
Since then the actor has often been
our honored guest; and idle rumor has
it's the rumor idlep What then do.
Nettie's bushes mean as, bending over
my shoulder as / write, she asks the
question: I.
Father. don't You think it would
sound better II you were to christen
your story The Tale of a Tragedianr"