The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-07-01
A" "MODEL FATHER"
Story Of Scheming Tragedian
and His Pretty Daughter.
Low Cunning and Selfish Ambition on
the One Hand, and Innocent Purity
and Dutiful Devotion on
tho other.
BY DAVID CHRISTIE MURRAY.
CHAPTER In.-ooNrrSUED.

He played Macbeth that evening, and
the newspaper critics next morning told
their readers that he had never played
30 finely. 1t was a tradition in that
school of tragedy to which Mr.. Mont
gomery Bassett belonged that at GER
tain portions OF the play the actor him
self should be so wrought upon that it
should be dangerous to interrupt the
flow OF his emotions, even behind the
scenes, where the spirit of the part was
to be kept up by much solemn striding
to and fro, and many savage execra-
tory murmurs. The eminent tragedian
had always supported this tradition,
and now, with genuine mental pas
sion added to an assumed mental pas
sion which had grown almost real
through years of habit, he was dreadful
TO the supernumeraries, and the car
penters read terrors In his eye. Mr..
Bassett's last five nights at that house
were long remembered, and became a
tradition Of the local stage. When on
the Thursday night he played 0thello,
the rising young artist who was cast for
Iago suffered terribly at his hands.
The great tragedian's deep voice throb-
bed with anguish and rage as he took
that Iago by the throat and shook him
at the line:
"If thou dost SANDER her and torture me"
He hauled the young man about the
stage, and dashed him hither and thith-
er with prodigious strength and vio-
lence, and the stage manager at the
flies almost whispered as he addressed
the leading lady with the statement that
Bassett was in force tonight There Is
probably not much more humbug be-
hind the scenes than there Is elsewhere.
But there is little humbug there, and
everybody agreed TO believe that Mr..
= Montgomery Bassett was not acting
when he left the boards, but that he
was absolutely inflated with the passion
of the part, and could not help strldinG
.stagily, and scowling and muttering
and folding and unfolding his arms, a,
he awaited his cue in the slips or hi
call in the cramped limits of his dress
ing room. So that the great tragediar
began 10 make capital Of his remorse
and TO draw satisfaction from his owl
misery Of spirit
Mary had expected reply from Jacl
on Wednesday morning, and ha'
watched the postman on his rounds
When his knock came down the street
her heart would flutter until it had gon
by, and had faded out OF hearing ol
the other side, and then for while sh
would be listless. Wednesday passe'
and Thursday came, but no letter, ant
she began TO be nervous abou
Jacks health, and TO have fancies abou
railway accidents and street disasters
Thursday night found her at the thea
ter, where she watched the play wit
little interest, and her mind was wit
her lover all the evening.
The door-keeper knew her, and sh
ran round 10 her fathers room In th
pause before the last act She foun
him in his paint and his stage jewell
pacing up and down and mutterinl
and there was scent of Scotch whisk
in the air.
''Wait here" he said, abruptly, whe
he saw her, and left the room at once
wander in semi-darkness about the bac
of the stage, or to stand still with fol,
ed arms. staring gloomily at the worl
people until they shook under his gaz
and the hading lady, hearing OF b
mood, chose TO think him dangerou
and fatty refused TO play the part o.
unless he gave promise through Il
stage-manager 10 murder. her mo-
gently than he had shaken Iago
"Mr. Bassett," said the stage-mal
agcr, "Miss Montmorency. Is afraid
you. You are in such magnificent for
tonight, sir. that the poor thing
actually trembling at the thought
the bolster"
q sTell herr said the great man, in b
magnificent hollow tones, ''that 81
ned not fear me. / viii deal gent
with her." And he took TO striding
and fro again, with his chronic humbt
and his logged artistic rage, and }
real fears and miseries all mounting
high IN a mingled tide within him tn
he felt absolutely proud OF himself,
ifhe were really dark and noble criI
NAL Of fiction, ike the Corsair Of 10
4 Byron.
Mary was not unused TO this sort
display, and was not surprised at
She know her fathers reputation, aI
! had . great pride In IL and she was