The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-03-23

but M liihSs W. s' an END, ana NJ
length the final rehearsal was over. the
last note of the music arranged and prac-
ticcd, the hst costume perfected. tho
last stroke of the paint-brush dry,
and even the clumsiest super hal
learned his final lesson. The great night
WAS upon London, and only million or
two of its inhabitants were altogether UNI
moved and apathetic The house was
crowded. The destiny of the pit was not
yet decreed, and the most sympathetic and
most experienced of play goers and truejt
Of play lovers were not scorned. The old
sters were there, grave, almost severe, pre-
pared to utter Judgment. The professional
critics We = in the dress-circle where they
could really see the piece and were not
half Drained by the cymbals and
the cornet in the entr'dct as they
are in these advanced days. Beauty,
wit, fashion, and old experience
filled the house, and Miss Churchill, who
had long since been dressed, and eager in
her nervous terror to face them all and get
the ordeal over, was led by the triumphant
vet anxious Lorrimey to take a peep at tho
crowded benches and the wide sweep of
the glittering circles, She went back 10
her own room quaking, and when she tried
to think Of her part she discovered that
she had forgotten her first words. She re-
ferred to them, and they looked at her I'M
familiary from the manuscript. Il show
more mirth than | am mistress off, Great
heavens! She had to be mirthful, and in
the presence of that terrible crowd.
She had heard of this swift and sudden
disease many time, and knew it 10y the
s fsi, l1,t cba nd
guessed what it might mean until now. 1t
numbed every faculty Of the mind. She
could think of nothing, and remember
nothing. 1t left her physically helpless,
too and reduced her TO a very statue Of
cowardice.
The orchestra was industriousy scraping
and blowing its way TO the final musical
spasm of the overture, and she felt that
the time of disgrace and despair was near.
The music ceased, the house applauded, a
bell rang thrice, the house applauded
anew, and the time of disgrace and des-
pair was nearer still. In a little time
there came a tap at her door, and
the call-boy demanded Miss Churchill She
must needs go-there was no help for it
She took hasty sip of water and walked
like an automaton to her place in the
wings. Celia was there already, and
slipped an unsympathetic arm about her
waist. in readiness for the business OF the
stage, for they went on twined together
like two of the three Graces. The band
finished its little intermediate flourish, and
somehow Rosalind was on the stage, with
a sound like the noise of the sea coming
into her ears, and she was ready to sink
and die Celia spoke;
IL pray thee, Rosalind, sweet my coz, be
Merry
The two women melted apart from their
embrace at this point, and Rosalind stood
alone. There was pause. 1t came out
afterward that it was no longer than it
well might have been, but to Miss Church
ills heart it was quite gulf OF time.
Then-but how it came about she never
knew-she found courage and memory 10
speak, and before the first little speech was
over hsr stage flight had flown az the r.
assurlns sound Of her own voice. and she
knew by an instinct which is common to
actors of both sexes that the
house had settled down with that new
resolve to listen, which is the 49,
suit Of a first favorable impression Be-
fore she had taken the chain from her own
neck to gave it to Orlando she had won
every heart in the house. Lorrimer stood
at the wing to welcome her with rubicund
smile and outstretched hands, and the
house Numbered behind her 1t was a
night Of triumph, and the triumph mount
ed in a steady crescendo. The actress cour-
tested her acknowledgements again and
again before the curtain, and then went
home and cried bitterly, with fame and
fortune at her feet. While she cried half
a score Of practiced pens were running
nimbly in her praise and half a score OF
critical intelligences were doing their best
not to be run away with, and some Of
them were not succeeding, as the result Of
the next day declared. Miss Churchilrs
name was newly blown abroad - Mss
Churchill's fame was established and her
fortune made
But Mrs Tregarthen had defed her hus-
band, and now began to see all manner OF
possibilities which might have come aboslt
to reconcile him, if she had not made this
fatal step. A day before all these posi-
bilities had been impossible, but now she
believed in them. She was unstrung by
the nights excitement, and had real cause
for sorrow and self-blame enough. To
shine in the eyes of the world, to charm,
to dazzle, to be applauded by listening
crowds, to have her comings and goings
chronicled in the public prints as
if she were a queen--what was all this
to her when she had lost Arthur
Curious that any one human being should
mean so much to any other, and yet be no
wiser, no handsomer, no more loyal, val
liant, tender, than a round million Of his
fellowmeul
TTo he TyytjUUe61