Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-11-17
MADEMOISELLE CELINE.

Mr.. Pinkard laid down his cigar, turned
his revolving chair around with whirl, and
stared hard at the new conner.
"You2" said he. "NonseMse!"
For when MIR. Pinkard, the manager of
the modest little travelling theatrical COM
pany, had telegraphed to the New York
agency for first class dancer to fill up the
yawning void caused by the elopenent of
Mdlle. Rosita Posita with the stage carpen-
ter. he had expected to see far different
sort of person from this little girl in the
neat brown calico dress, the bit of lace
frilling around her neck, and the brown
cotton gloves mended so carefully at the
finger ends. Mdlle Posita had been
large young woman with quantity of I'M
tidy blonde hair, a pink complexion, and
great deal of shabby fnery which she de-
lighted in airing on all occasions.
"Bnt, please, l am, said Cissy. Here
is a note from Simpson Il Co"
You dancer!" said Mr.. Pinkard.
"Why, you look like-ike kitchen maid!'
II can dance" said Cissy, gravely.
Mr.. Pinkard flung open the door of an
adjoining room, and beckoned to little old
man in spectacle who was copying music
close to window there.
jerks" said he come here minute
with your violin. Play something AS for
yon, guidance.
Little old Mr.. jerks, rousing himself
from an apparent trance, flung his whole
soul into wild, swaying sort of mazourka
one of those mad tumultuous melodies
which take one instnctively to the NOON
lighted graves of Spain. And Cissy-
Mile. Celine" they called her in the let
ter, but her real name Was Cecilia Stubbs-
began instantly to dance.
Wild, graceful, following the time of the
violin as a reed sways TO the autumn wind
she hoated to and fro in the room. Mr..
Pinkard watched her with sparkling eyes.
You'll do, Celine," said he. Yes, l
think you'll do"
But the other mem oers of the company
did not receive Mile. Celine with raptur-
Gus delight.
"The little dark thing" said Liss Aivar-
ez, who did the first lady"
With no more complexion than a chest
mutt said Mrs. Terrini, who came on in
the late walking parts, where there was a
good deal of attitudizing and very little to
say.
Its an insult to the troope, said Mr..
Montague, who had been partial to the Re-
sta PoSita.
For Cissy, anxious though she was to
please, did not harmonic with the others.
She did not know how to hirt, and was
manifestly Mortified when Miss Susanette
Sedley told the manager that the reason she
wasn't in time on Thursdays rehearsal was
because her mother was very sick.
But you know Miss Sedley, that ISL
true, said Cissy. you were walking with
Signor Chiardi!'
will you mind your own business, little
Miss Meddle?" Indignantly demanded the
fair Susanette.
So by degrees Cissy fell into disgrace.
She danced as exquisitely as ever. Nobody
could deny that she was beautiful dancer
but OFT the stage she was ignored in differ
ent stages of rudeness by every one, and
by degrees she fell into a sullen sort OF
moodiness and went about speaking to no
one, with her head dropping like a broken
flower. Mrs. Pinkard, the manager moth
er, saw that she was decently lodged and
cared for every place through which they
passed, but even Mrs. Pinkard, good sou
though she was, did not take kindly to the
dark proved silent girl.
i like people with something to say fol
themselves" said Mrs. Pinkard. Made,
moiselle Celipe is very odd. She looks a
You with big eyes like startled rabbit, anG
when 1 spoke to her about her dress-i
really is something outlandishly shabby
~
Up all her salary to pay some debts that he
father owed when he died! Really she call,
herself IS, but l should say that she was
least 1000 years old. l do like young peo
pie to be young peoplel" said Mrs. Pink
ard. with energy.
But, all the same. Celine's dancing wa!
immensely liked by the public. She was
encored every evening-she had flowers
thrown to her, which she picked ND, sayins
to herself, 90, how pretty they are, anC
how expensive they must have been!
would so much rather have had the money
and, in fine, the public seemed to b,
well suited with Mile. Celine, and he
wild, poetic pas souls. And the more popu
lar she became with the audiences, tn,
more the other members of the oompan,
held aloof from her!
One evening Celine was dancing in
new part. Mrs. Pinkard herself had helpet
to dress her. The manager was away bar
gaining for limited series of representa-
tons in neighbOring city, so the old lad
1.-THE weight of a little additional response
bility.
Crline is born artist. " said Mrs. Pink
ard hut she don't always make the use o
her luxuriant hair aud the rich complexion
she has"
Mrs. Pinkard was sitting half asleep il
the little dressing room, waiting for Celin
come off" Celire herself b IL ilSt
toated from the stage in cloud of star
sprlnkle6 white tulle. with i tiny silve
wand held high above hel head, when Their
was binding flash of brilliance across til
stage which did not come from the foot
Jghts-a CRY from the audi5nce- stifin
cloud of rolling smoke.
One OF The Scene shifters had carelessi
rolled a fy too near the slight whic
depended behind the scenes-t6e inf I'm
able Material had blazed up like so mucl
finder, and the whole building was IN
blaze before the audience were we'll clea
OF 1t. The terrified actors rushed out int
the bitter starlight of the frozen winte
night in their velvet and tinsel Just as the
Were-the dancers, finging their cloak
over tulle and stage jewels, fed in will
atrght-and not until they were all gu
in the street did any one notice that Mrs
P1nkard was not among the number.
"She must have fallen asleep in tn
green room, away back of the scenes!
cried Mile. Celine, with cry which seem
ed to rend the vault of heaven itself. sol
God, have mercy upon us, she will b
burned to deathr'
People looked with white, appalled, face
at each other. In this out the wa,
torpid little country town there was n
paid fire department., no gallant heroes I
rush to the rescue. Miss Alvarez caugl
Cissy by the arm as she was making rus
toward the lurid building, whose fran
door and window castings stood out blacl
against the glazing background of fire.
Are you mad, girl?" she cried horsel
The woman is past all rescue now-yo
will only imperill your life!"
But Cissy snatched her arm away.
She was good to mel" she cried. 81
never spoke cross word to me. And
loved her! She shall not perish in Il
flames if can help i'll"
coll" muttered the other, as Cissy di
AIRED, seeming almost to rush into t
gaping jaws of the flames.
We are sorry for poor Mrs. Pinkar
@. said Montague, who in his red velv
age doublet and white silk tights, sto
shiyering in the old blanket which did da
for an overcoat, "but it don't follow th
we are to risk our lives!"
When it can do no good" hysterical
sobbed Mrs. Terrini. ooh, dear, oh, dea