The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-04-14

another, with unfailing industrious
mendacity, lining his twigs for the
British public. Next morning, by the
separate influences of the gentlemen
whom Mr.. Lorrimer had primed, the
whole world was made aware of the
facts that an engagement had been en-.
tered into by the Miss Churchill, who
had once disappointed London play.
goers, to appear at the Mirror Theater,
and that she had entered into a three
years contract with the manager of that
| favorite house.
| But Lorrimer did more than this, for
he was master in his way, and could
| puff as well as any man alive. Artful
paragraphs went down to the provin.
cial papers (Which were not so we'll off
for London news as they are now,
when every one OF them is level with
the great journals of the capitaD, and
these paragraphs were artfully trans
planted to the columns Of the metropol-
itan organs, until the bruit of Miss
Churchill's coming was in all mems
ears. Lorrimer kept her constantly
supplied with the news of his achieve
ments in this way, and frightened her
more than he guessed. Every one of
the managers preliminary bangs at the
drum sent nervous fear through her
heart, and she had premonition of
failure and disaster. She had no stage
passion to buoy up her sinking spirits,
and the memory of her husband s scorn
for the business upon which she had a
second time embarked would have
made her run away from the enterprise
| altogether but for her own native loyal
ty and the thought of her child and
sister. 1t was to be all so different,
too, from her actual experiences of the
stage. She would no longer contrast
with the failures of the provincial
theaters, but would have to move side
by side with the best actors of London
and one of its best actresses. For Lor-
rimer, in his own phrase, was "going
for the gloves" and was getting to-
| gether picked company. He meant
to have such a glare and blare of
triumph in London that when the time
came for the provinces, playgoers should
be on the tiptoe of expectation there;
and then, with his one star and cheap
scratch company, he would gather in
money by the handful.
The company being once got together
were rehearsed severely. The pale gen.
tlewoman, young and sad, did not
promise well for the ideal Rosalind or
any one of them when she first appeared
among them. But the spirit of the
scene began to lift her, and when Or
lando, even in his frock coat and tall
hat-most observation-disclosures sup
posed to have overthrown the boastful
wrestler, and she dropped the meaning
words: "'You have wrestled well, and
overthrown more than your enemies"
the sweet voice and perfect information
fingered on the players ears like music,
her figure grew all grace and her face
all sympathy. Rosalind trod the stage
in Victorian attire, and the brightest
and tenderest of Shakespeare's concep-
tons took concrete form for all who
heard and saw. This triumph was
achieved at the first rehearsal, and the
report of it raised expectation high
among those who interested themselves
in the matter Actors are a Jealous
race, and as consequence there is no
class of people who praise each other so
unreservediy;' for jealousy is not
pretty passion, and its owner will gen.
orally 60 out of his way to hide it. So
when Mrs. Tregarthen's compeers had
once made up their minds that she
would inevitably outshine them all,
they gave her the most unstinted lauda-
ton everywhere, and the whole theatre
cal world got into ferment about her.
In the earlier rehearsals the old
stagers went through their work any
how, mumbling inarticulately and cut
ting down the immortal sentences
without remorse in their hurry for the
cue, but Rosalind would not mutilate
her lines, and could not for her life
speak them at all without speaking
them as they ought to be spoken. It
came about, therefore, that from the
central figure of the piece gentle in
spiration shone out to all the rest, until
they began to reflect it; and the dullest
old stager began to work with some
thing of his youthful spirit. Lorrimer
saw this and exulted. He worked as
only theatrical manager has to work,
entreating, arguing, persuading, COM
mandlng-emp1oying sweetest suasive
art on Celia; with more than Chester
field politeness begging leave to differ
with old Adam OF Touchstone on some
point of detail; or pouring forth wild
streams of passionate objurgation upon
the carpenters. He was ubiquitous
and seemed like Ariel in the storm, to
divide and burn in many places.
But all things have an end, and at
length the final rehearsal was over, the
last note of music arranged and prac-
ticed, the last costume perfected, the
last stroke of the paint-brush dry, and
even the clumsiest super had learned
his final lesson. The great night was
upon London, and only million or
two OF its inhabitants were altogether
unmoved and apathetic. The house
was crowded The destiny of the pit
was not yet decreed, and the most
sympathetic and most experienced of
playgoers and the truest of play-lovers
were not scorned, the oldsters were
there, grave almost severe, prepared to
utter Judgment. The professional
critics were 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' acte, as
they are in these advanced days.
Beauty, wit, fashion and old expert
ence filled the house, and Miss Church
ill who has long since been dressed,
and eager in her nervous terror to fsce
them all and get the ordeal over, was
led nv the triumnhant vat apy;ou, ar