The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-07-21
THE UNDERSTUDIER.
A Theatrical sketch.

II I
linen and lived stump uously every day-or
IA her, every night. They sat down to |
banqaets that pleased the eve, IL they were I
somewhat hbrous to The ias They drank 1
cold tea out OF beakers, called their servants |
varlets AMI performed most daring actions, 1
sometimes OF personal bravery, occasionally |
OF infinite rascaldom. Murder a matter
that happened among them six days week. |
They drank poison TO slow music, they stabbed |
eacc other TO the heart wi h 4 loud ''Hal hap' |
They smothered their wives with the conunbial
pillow and went oil with the wives of other
men A registering, boisierous, Graf Y,
wealthy, impecunious, murderous, iniquitous,
virtuous crew, whose life was a short, and not
always merry one. community with
whom the great moral, legal or physical in
nucnces which control the ordinary human
race, worked with surprising rapidity aud UNI
errng certainty.
,IonaGab Dlb ,ins lived at the blighted end
of WateFloo Bridge road, a lean and careworn
man, carving prodigions height of forehead,
with frontal development like bay-window,
generally understood in the Dibbns house
hold TO ppr' end enormous but restrained
ability. he Dibb MS household was numer-
Gus and select to the extent that The great
majority OF its members were in tender years.
Any one strayng into the little apartment
which served rs breakfast-room, dining
and drawing-room, might reasonably have
thought that he had happened upon creche,
and il he had remained throughout the day
must have wondered when the children were
10 be called for. But nobody ever called for
them OF late, not even Death, who is more at
teftive on households where there is more 10
eat and more liberal distribution OF clothing
All told, there were nine. IL all had lived
there would have been eleven Two had died,
one consequent upon tee hing, another in the
public streets, sacrificed TO the Moloch of
brewers dray.
This happened when the Dibbnses lived in
Drury Lane, and it had led to their moving TO
the Wa erloo Bride road. IL was necessary for
professional reasons that Mr.. Dibbins should
have his domicle somewhere near the Strand.
A rt-rl s. l.afI ha rrrttsn fhr Afrz
bins, wi the fate of her second-born before
her eyes. would nor live ia thoroughfare; so
they arrived at the compromise of residing In
Waterloo Bridge road, one of the main
tercs of London, which has not yet recovered
from the blighting influence OF the toll-bridge.
At first Mrs. Dibbins suffered unnumbered
anNieties in consequence of the Waterloo bus
This public convenience was, in fact, directly
responsible for the appearance OF q seventh
Dibeins at least ten days before he was due.
In the earlier weeks of the tenancy the neigh
bors were constantly diverted by seeing pale,
anxious little woman, with her sleeves turned
up and an apron on, diving into the middle of
the road and rescuing from imminent peril
(frOm bus Yet in sight whole handouts
of children who seemed near the same age
that it was impossible to suppose they were all
her own But they were, and though house
room was circumscribed, there seemed no limit
10 the possibilities OF her affection for morsels
of humanity that to the cold eye of the stran-
ger were not attractive.
lonadab was in his thirty-ffth year, and
1iSht nave Ueen NJ ali over JnAt age.
He was the sort of man that never grows
old looking after the fashion of ordinary NOR
tails. He had neither whskers or mustache to
turn gray; aud as for his hair, his forehead
was SO st9pendeusly hlgh and SO sggresslxeIy
Considerations Now turn ~ mind ,11o,, f1,s
subject, rememenber he had some, but what
color it was or how worn / have no recolec-
ton.
There does not appear at first sight much in
common between Signor Dibini the associate
OF kings, the friend of emperors, the witness
OF many secret crimes, and poor Jonadab DID
bins with his noble forehead and nine chill
dren. And yet there was the clio est possible
rela ion, Tor they were one and the same
person. Signor Dibini was Jonadab's pro-
Iesslonal name lie was a member of the
company OF the Theater ROYAL, Wellington
Street, though you might look in vain through
the list OF performers for his name. Sgnor
Dibini, in fact, occupied a position in the
company the existence of which is, perhaps
even unknown to the light hearted habitue
OF the theater who takes his place i'm the stalls
and expects everything TO go on right on the
stage before him. Signor Dibini,s profess
sionai existence was striking proof of the
provision necessary for the carrying on OF
great thea er. He was an unders ander. that
is TO say, it was his business to understudy
some OF the principal parts, so that if, in case
OF sudden illness or accident, the actor to
whom part was assigned was not able To nnt
IN an appearance, Jonadab took his place
Often he had learned two or three parts in the
same piece, learning ever work, making him
eSAA VIII CUTS. anu ready TO step
the stage at an hours notice. Every night he
was down at the theater, and saw safely on the
stage the men whose parts he had under
studied.
Jonadab was an ambitious man. He felt
That within him which told him that. give him
the chance, there should step forth on the
stage such Hamlet as the world had not vet
seen. The same remark applies, with only less
degree ~ emphasis, to Louis XII, Richelieu
and score OF the principal characters on the
stage But for Hamlet Jonadab thought that
~ addition 20 many graces Of mind nature
had peculiarly gifted him in the matter Of
presence.
II will easily be. understood when his man
neroi lie is made known, that, quite apart
from the nine ever-open mouths at home
Jonadao had good deal 10 make him look
careWorn- When man has the certainty
that, given him chance, he will blaze before
the world in the meteoric flight of genius
when That chance ever seems within his grasp.
and as constantly eludes it, we have the con
difions Of life that write wrinkles on the
brow, lend stoop to the shoulder and dull
the brightness of the eve
Jonadab was of an immensely saneuine tenn
permanent, orhe never would have lived for the
great occasion to which, at the time this
enron Gle opens, he was swiftly tending He
mad at his tongne's end all of what may be
called the stock parts A glance over the
prompters books brought back to his mind ALI
the dark sayings of Hamlet and the no und
utterances of the rest When the sanguine
disposition came especially into play was when
IL
very often, as the 'rheater ROYAL in Wellington
Street was prosperous, and when a new piece
was placed on the stage 1t remained there for
one or wo hundred nights. But new nieces
came. and Jonadab threw himself into the un-
derstudy with undated vigor. He felt his
time would come at last, and Ii behooyed him
to be ready for it, A false ep in the street,
a sudden cold, a carriage accident and great
people might be laid low, and modest merit
might step forth on the stage 10 retire amid the
plaudits OF an amazed audience
For une, 1t is written, comes to those who
know how to wait. Jonadab had waited he
knew not how long. Certainly for thirteen
long years had been ready and even yearning.
But fortune has passed him by, touching with |
caPricious hand Others whom Jonadab thought |
nasi not waited so long, and whom he was sure /
mad not hoped so passionately. He knew men I
VINO had been supers in country theaters, who /
we're now stars and even managers OF pros
porous theaters- For him alas came no sun
shine, and had it not been for the c instant /
twenty-five shilings a week which his post
brought him in, he would have given up the /
long stern chase. But yearly here came IN
dispense with twenty five shiiiings week So
he waited on, learned his parts, and struggled
with murderous thoughts as he saw Hamlet
come tripping down the dark staircase to his
dressing-room, and thought how changed
might be the world supposng he were some
time to leave by chance bucket midway on
sle stairs, over which Hamlet tripping might
sprain his ankle, and the anxious manager
would rush about the recesses of the stage cali
ing on the name of Dibbins.
II.
One night in January Jonadab crossed
Waterloo bridge at an unusually rapid pace.
His head was erect, his shoulders were
squared, and he whistled cheerfully as the
wind, lodging round the stone recesses,
caught him as he emerged beyond their shell,
ter Ii was nine O'Clock, and he was going
home As he reached the lower end Of the
road aud came among his own people, the
ne'ghhors stopped TO look at him--firstly, be- !
cause this was an unusual time for him to be
'een In the neighborhood OF home; and, sec
'ndiy, because he was a changed man.
"Dlbbs has had a fortin' left him. said
Frs- Perks TO Mrs. Perkins. asJonadab passed |