The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-05-31

| Iwent the other evening ant
caught Robert J. Burdefte, Of th'
Burlington Hawker, in the ante
room Of chickering Hali, just befor
going upon the stage with bis funn,
| lecture. A-h! - be exclaimed
with q tremulous inspiration
,,.Well, but / am glad you have come
Now talk to mel Talk to me" and
he continued walking up and dowr
the floor, after shaking hands.
Whats the matter What sil'
YOU? What do you u,eans" | said
Are you rehearsing? Have Inter
rupted yon? DO you want TO h
alone?n
No, No. he exclaimed eagerly
walking up 10 me: don't leave me
Don I 30 AWAY.
"WlIat on earth is tie niattcr?s
asked.
Scared lie said, with a quer'
ulous laugh. Then ! laughed
.@You don't believe me. It's true,
though. I'm afraid to go on the
stage
.'Psllaw, man - / said. "Why,
you are joking. You have lectured
for years. .
.Yes-saventy-iive times this win
ter-but it don't make any differ
ence. / have to go through this alb
surd experience every time.
There's no getting used to it."
How does it make you feel?a
Feel? Light as a cork. If |
were outside / could fly right over
this building. Honestly and seri-
ously, if knew / had got to die to-
night / should pray that the Lord
would take me just before / went on
the stage" 3
"Many have the same experience.
That's some satisfaction" l suggest
ed, IF misery loves company" -
Yes he said, II told Beecher
about my troubles, and he said, i
can tell you one thing for your con-
you'll never get over it.
suffer every time l go before an
and am afraid of my own
But his experience
loesn't give me much comfort"
"Does your fear vanish when you
yet on the stage?" ( &lsl
"No, it lasts some time, usually.
poke around among the audience
or familiar face, and when find
, friend I lecture right at him and
lon't notice anybody else. Cough
ellis me that he does thesame thing.
He says he often finds himself talk
ng to some sympathetic and respon-
i've little group in one corner, tell.
ng his stories to them alone, as if
hey were in little room together"
He looked at his watch. Its
most time to go on the stage. If it
vas respectable. I'd run away. The
notion of feigning sickness often
,omes over meas it does over school
Boys who want to play hockey.
Are you my jailer ?" looking up at
gentleman in a swallow-tail who
eemed waiting for him.
"Yes; you have four minutes yet"
Cant / get a reprieve ?" asked
he culprit, forcing a grim smile.
Not this evening. Any other
evening. You remind me of Theo-
lore Tilton. When he appeared
here, though he had lectured five
times, he was so frightened
hat we couldn't get him on the
tage for a long while. The hall
illed up, the audience clamored,
md he, hesitating to face them,
walked up and down his room, deaf
O our entreaties, washing his hands
With invisible soapin imperceptible
vater.' Finally we got him through
hat door at halfpast eight"
l told Burdette that Wendell
Phillips assured me that he had had
imilar experience; then l slipped
Iround into the orchestra. The
unny man came on the stage, be-
,an in tremulous voice, and his
roubled eye wandered over the
.reat audience till he found friends,
With whom he quietly settled down
md made himself at home.-N y
J6r. Indianapolis Journal.