The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-03-03
THE cove NeT0IR.

.A'tib ~ sAVliltF Alilgttlfi 4.4
Thank you, ihy friends good eygnirg
and good night,
%, tucking pp Tie collar Of iils over.
cost, With both hands deep in his pOck.
ets Martin, the comic actor d Nont.
martre, went bis way, walking al q
brill, iinble pace; he p0ssel before die
cafe d the theatre, followed tie Rue
diorel, turned 70 tllerigllt andacended
The Rue DIS Martyrs, A few minutes
sitter, he raised bis head, and, sldncfng
70 the top Of the llonse-tlie lifth story
hiseye rested q moment on q window
WHICH despite the late hour, stu formed
. joyfgl, luminous picture IN tie sur
rounding darkness; then, smiling, he
crossed the street mug the bell, called
out his nanis in a sonOFOusy voice as he
went BY the pJrtersIodge, and assembled
Che staircase four Steps ut q time. Be-
forefle had reached tie fifth flight,
door opened, and an old woman, her
face illuminated by the nays Of the lamp
size heldin ller hand, exclaimed:
rs that yo,i CllarlOtT
Yes, NINA; gUod evening, m'Ina!r
He flung both Ills arms round the old
woinan's neck, half sitting her with his
Kisses; then both sat down before table
iThereon two covers were carefully labl.
Tben, In tie moist heat tliat lafyadad
the neat little dningrooln, they had
their supper, while he rCcodntel all the
details Of the evening, giving import
ance to the slightest incident, noti gthe
parts fills role in which ho ha pro-
duced some effect telling stOries about
his comrades, cllattering and gcssiping
about everything and everybody.
Martin loved her so deeply, his
motherl Wbmstill ut school his father
dol, and all his mothers tenderness
from that day conferred in him. She
hadbrought him up somewhat like q
girl, surrounding him with every atten-
ton, starting at the slightest cough,
working day and night to supply all his
wants and satisfy his merest craving,
and when. grown n big boy, he had said
tohcr, 4M'ma, / should like to he I'm
actor |" she not only consented, but en-
couragel him; 80 he entered the pro-
fCssionat the theatre Of Montnartre,
whore he was still one Of the troupe.
He was not great actor, certainly,
but he WINS a general favorite with the
frequentes Of the place; his thin face,
with It's high, red cheek bones, his big
mouth, his tremulOus voice which
seemed to issue from clarinet, md
especially the good humOred manner he
had Of saying a funny thing, made poo
pie burst out laughing us soon as Ile APP
peared on the stage, and gained for him
quite a rcnown throughout the quarter;
his success, however, never extended
beyond. But what was that to him,
since he had his mothers whole admira-
toni
His calm, quiet, hum.drm life, suited
him 80 thoroughly that he could realize
no other, and when, after the perform
ance, some one invited him out to
party Of pleasure, he would exclaim:
swell, and whatabOut ma'ma at lon,eN
Once only, Martin had had big grief.
The evening when this occurred, great
discussion had arisen in the green.room;
each Of those present spoke in high
words, sworc Justify and spoke Of send.
ing seconds; a wind OF battle was in the
air. When our actor arrived, a news.
paper WIS placed in lis hand; he read
a long article in which comedians were
sorely treated; hut, amid all the insult
ing languages used, one thing struck
him more lOrvibly than all the rest; it
wins said that stage players We're incapa-
bic Of harboring u single genuine senti.
inent. lie Slid nOta word, but an OK
preston Of ineiFable sadncSs came over
his face, In the evening, when he came
home, without saying word, he handed
the newspaper to his mother, pointing
to the article, and when she had read 1t
through, he exclaimed, as two big tears
rolled downliis checks:
"Say, is It true, NINA, that l don't
really love yon:7
Already mother Martin had Rugged
him to her bosom, aud, with wild
glitter in her aged eye rs il to defy the
author Of the scurrilOls article, she
yelled out frantically:
1.-THE villainl let lin come and see
whether You don't love your mother,
my dear boy?7
One evening in December, the theatre
was crammed with spectators, because
it hnppened to be the first performance
ola piece wherein her boy played the
chief role, aud his name appeared in
large characters on the posters outside!
II proved u real triumph for Martin.
Each time he walked of the stage, the
applause burst forth with redoubled
vigOr; never before had his comicality
shot over the iootllghts with such ire
sistible effect, provoking laughter
among the coldeSti never had he 50 well
personatel a part, tasking himself to his
utmost, The fact is That, in that great
crowd, lie saw but one person, at the
other end of the pit, hoisted in her seat,
and applauling with rapture - his
mother! Poor mother Martin, he
played for her alone that evening!
When the curtain fell on the lust act,
Martin was called back by name-one
Of the greatest honors on any stage.
Mother Martin, quiet beyond herself
for Joy, quickly sought to get out,
stumbling over those who were next to
her; size made her way to the back Of
the house, where she took up her sta
ton in the dark alley through which the
Hrtistes came ont. Her head was 10
flooded with joyous thoughts that she
forgot to wrap around her shoulders
warm shawl she had on her arm; she
went aud came, spoke in audible tones,
got impatient, and found that he had
never before been 80 long in changing
his drs35. A. last he appeared. She
bounded toward him, and, putting her
arms round hir G.Jk, murmured in a
voice half sttanglcd with emotion:
Oh!-my hoy my own, dear hoy -
Martin, deeply moved PIT his arms
around her waist. ami pressing her
iondly to his heart stammered:
-Then, you axe pleased, are you, dear