National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-11-08

play the devil You were very middlinp
In the first act, and You would decidedly
pive too poor an idea of me to the good
citizens Of Vienna. You will allow mo
to replace you this evening, and as you
might interfere with me will send you
to the cellar below the stage"
Heinrich recognized the Prince Of
Darkness, and ielt himself lost; putting
his hand mechanically to the little cross
that Katy had given him, he tried tC
call for help and to murmur his formula
ofexorcism, but terror chokod him; h,
could only utter feeble rattle. The
devil seized Heinrich with his hook cd
hands by his shoulders and pushed him
by main force through the floor; then he
entered upon the scene, hen his cue came
like perfect actor.
His incisive biting, venomous and truly
diabolical acting ct first surprised the
spectators. What especially produced {
great effect was that sharp litter like the
grating of q saw, that laugh of the damned
disappearing joy of paradise. Never had
an actor attained such powers of sarcasm
such a depth Of villainy; the audienc,
laughed but they trembled. All the au
dience was painting with emotion; phos-
phoric sparks glintcd from the fingers Of
tho terrible actor; trains of sparkling
fame ran from his feet the light of the
listers grew pale, the footlights shot ou
reddish and grcenish flashes; n sort Of
sulphurous smell reigned in the theater
the spectators were, as IL were, dolirious
and thunders OF frantic applause greeted
each phase Of the marvellous Mephi5-
topheles. who often substituted verses Of
his own invention for the verses of the
poet, and the substitution was Away:
happy and accepted with transports
Katy, to whom Heinrich had sent Q
box, was in q state of extraordinary
alarm; she presaged some misfortune with
the spirit of divination which love gives
The performance ended amid indie
scribablo enthusiasm. When tho curtain
fell the public called for Mephistopheles
with loud cries He WAS sought for in
vain; but at last scone-shifter came and
told tho manager that Heinrich had boon
found in the collar, where he had prob
ably fallen through a trap Heinrich
was unconscious; hc was taken to his
home, and when he was undressed they
saw with surprise that he had deep
scratches on his shoulders, as if q tiger
had tried to crush him with his paws
Katy's little cross had preserved him
from death, and tho devil. vanquished by
this influence, had contented himself
with fiinging Heinrich into the cellar OF
the theater.
The con valescence of Heinrich was long
AS soon as he was bettor the manager OF
the thester offered him very brilliant
engagement. but Heinrich refused IL. for
he was by no means anxious to risk bis
salvation q second time. and he knew,
too, that he would never be able to equal
his terrible duplicate.
After two or three years, having como
into little fortune, he married tho hand
some Katy, and now the two, sitting side
by side in front of q porcelain stove in a
nice warm room, are talking Of the future
of their children.
Plsygoers still speak with admiration
Of that marvellous evening, and are aston
ished at Henrich's caprice which made
him abandon the stage after great tri-
umph.