The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-02-24
,e that no adverse criticism can Get

me that no adverse criticism can get
nea. her defy the crowd Of you.
And now, though l grieve to leave you.
dear boys, all, I must be of to re-
hearsal."
Two men rose 10 allow him 10 un-
wedge himself from between the table
and the wall. AS he passed the poet he
touched him on the shoulder and gave
him an inviting backward mud. Mr.:
Marsh arose and followed him.
Nov you're a Judge of acting"
said Mr.. Lorrimer, when they were IN
the Strand. "You're Judge of female
beauty, too. First dress rehearsal this
afternoon. You shall just take a seat
in the circle, my boy, and then you shall
give me an opinion. "
The theatrical manager had not
nearly so high an opinion of Mr..
Marsh's critical powers as the young
gentleman himself enjoyed, nor had he,
perhaps, even so high an opinion as ne
express ed, but he reverenced "a mob.
and Mr.. Marsh was undoubtedly mob
of the most influential order. The poet
was hand-in-glove with Lady Mar
guerite Capucine, his sister-in-law, who
had a good deal to do with artistic opin-
ion in the upper circles. Neither she
nor any other lady, however distin-
guished, could make Or break the
fortunes of any production Of Mr.. Lor-
rimers; but the manager had an exalt-
ed idea of her usefulness, and the poet
had the run of the house, and was
young enough to enjoy the satisfaction
of taking off the glamour of a theatrical
performance by getting behind the
scenes.
There were, perhaps, a dozen men
and women sprinkled about the dusky
house two or three in the pit, and the
rest scattered over the dress circle
when the curtain rose and discovered
Adam and Orlando. For those days,
the revival was to be unusually magnifi-
cent and complete. The acting was
competent, though little old-fashioned
and somber until Rosalind came upon
the stage. Miss Churchill bewjtched
the POET as she had bewitched the
| Comet in the little country town, only
when he was charmed the poet felt it
was his duty to be somewhat moro
charmed than commonplace person
could dream of being. He coined
strange epithets wherewitil to describe
her to his friends, and at the fall Of the
curtain on the third act he made his
way round to the back of the stage.
There he met Lorrimer, and fell on him
with praises. tooth and nail.
! 7
formance There's something in it
q je ne Sass quota tenderness in child
ing, a dignity in repose, courtliness
in badinage; one seeks in vain for
words OF enough aptne5s and delicacy
and descriptive amplitude; but one is
delighted-one is borne away. must
really make a point of being allowed
to do the notice in the ScourJe. They
praise so rarely there that one will have
a chance of making an impression. My
dear Lorrimer, you have discovered u
jewel 1 must really make a point OF
asking to be presented. You must pre-
sent me, Lorrimer--you must really
Lorrimer, consenting, led the way.
Rosalind, in u fur cloak which reached
to her toes, was standing, with 4 some
what embarrassed air. looking up at .
picture on the grcen-room wall.
''permit me, Miss Churchill said
Lorrimer. '.Alr: Ronald Marsh, the
most charming of London's poets"
There are few things less pleasant, as
every modest man knows, than TO be
praised etfusively, and yet below ones
obvious merits.
"Mr. Lorrimer hatters me- said the
poet, bowling.
"Not at ALL" cried the manager
'snot at ALL
! The tall and stately Rosalind vouch-
safed one glance to Mr.. Ronald Marsh,
offered him something between a nod
and mutilated courtesy, and resumed
the study OF the picture on the wall.
However much at her ease she might
be on the stage, she had at present but
poor imitation of sclf-possession when
off it. But the gentle flattery of ladies
was the poets social strong-point, Or so
he fancicd. Somebody called Lorrmer
aside, and Mr.. Marsh saw nothing
better than to repeat the speech he had
so recently spoken.
ga supernal performance, Miss
Churchill. Really, believe me, quite a
supernal performance. So sweet ten.
derness in chiding-such dignity in
repose--such courtliness in badinage it
has never been my happy lot to meet
upon the English boards. l assure you,
Miss Churchill, that one seeks in vain
for words of enough aptness and del
icacy and descriptive amplitude. One
is delighted = one is borne away"
| Before Mr.. Marsh had cot more than
half way through his speech Lorrimer
had returned, unheard, and stood with
broad grin at his elbow. The poet,
encountering the managers smile, read
its meaning and blushed at detection.
Miss Churchill, who had kept her eyes
upon the picture While he spoke, looked
round at him like disguised lady in
an old PLAY.
Il am obliged to you, sir, she said.
with something of the accent of the
stage. Excuse nc, sir, my call
She walked to the green,room door,
atwhch the call-boy had indeed at that
moment baw!ed her name. The call,
however, was not for the stage. The
boy handed her q letter, fortuai-look-
ing document, in large blue cover,
with splashed seal of red wax. The
actress seeming, by slight inclination
of her head, to demand leave of the
manager and the poet, broke the seal,
and, opening the letter, began to read.
The poet watched her tue while. and
saw a blush rise beyond the line of
necessary rouge upon her check Look
ing up, she caught him in the act Of
! ct.r;pf, a ba,. ord Will, q oanrtocy che