Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-07-19
Rise and Fall Of a Star.

strangely. aged with the fates. Even
her parents. though good. God fearing
people. were willing that she should
exhibit her manifold gifts and charms
to the paying public at $3.50 apiece
for orchestra chairs.
Tie trouble began when she was at
school. Her teacher (himself an elo-
cutionist of no ordinary gifts. &c. &c
his great specially being the Queen
of the May) advised her TO leave
school and study for the stage. In
fact he himself was so kind MS to
coach her some in Lady Macbeth"
Queen Catherine" "Medea" and like
parts. Mary Ami mean Marion
was at that time bashful, awkward
girl of sixteen years, so that the wis
dom of the teachers selection of parts
was hey ond question.
After that the desire to shine forth
as a star was ALWAYS with her. Having
taken few lessons il elocution from
lady teacher of the art, she read
several times at church entertain
ments, and her great success with the
critical audiences that arc alwa, pres
cnt at such places encouraged her in
her ambition
During this time. too. she improved
in her appearance and manners, and
by the time she was eighteen wears
old she had quito a reputation as a
beauty in her native city. Any of her
friends would have told You ut that
time that her figure was perfect; her
carriage, grace itself; her head. Greet
an; her voice. the soul of music. These
things taught her the folly of opening
rs Lady Macbeth;" she knew now
that juliet" was her forte.
When she saw various managers take
out various ambt Gus young ladies for
starring tours, with elaborate printing
and wardrobes filling several trunks
the young ladies generally furnished
the cash. but she didn't know about
that--She wished that heaven had made
her such man. The fact that they
usually Camo in soon agajn-sometimes
minus the trunks-did not bother her
in the least, for shO knew that she
would be more successful with the
public.
The advertisements of the new stars
that spring up TO fill the place" of the
dead ''Nirgiuius' or Hamlet" an
nounce that a man is found for every
emergency. Though this does not
apply TO managers. Marion at last
found hers. Mark Downes was the
son of man that had grown rich in
this way: He came TO Ii. Qhe birth
place of both Marion and Mark) when
il was not yet out of Its swaddlinq
clOutS and started general supply
store on a small scale. BY attending
TO business much of what he charged
OH his books rs .molasses" would not
have borne inspection by the prohibi-
tory officers of that day, and by in
vCsting his prOTiis in real estate in tho
growing city. he was In position be-
fore we make his acquaintance to retire
from active business life. The father
was coarse. vulgar and illiterate man;
the son. though he had proiited by
liberal education, showed traces of his
ancestry.
He had been acquainted with Miss
Taylor but a short me when it was
apparent that he had out run all his
competitors in the race for the lovely
ones favor. Whether or not his am
pie income had anything to do with
this is a puzzle that does not concern
this narrative. 10 be interested in
Marion was to be interested in her de-
signs on the stage, and Mark was soon
as enthusiastic over her powers as she
herself But there was more method
in his madness, for it was not long be-
fore he had made arrangements to
take her out for tour. This was
quite in his line, as he augmented the
allowance his father made him by specu-
lation, at which he was highly sue
cessful; and he felt that this new VEN
ture would far surpass anything he
had before undertaken. And it did
but time enough for that
Being unacquainted with the theat-
rical business himself he had the good
sense TO secure really capable mana
ger to rect affairs for him. A COM
pany was engaged and put in re-
hersal; a theatre in one of the large
cities was hired for a week; the com.
ing star was worked up in every way
known to the experienced mana ger.
But we will pass over these prelmua-
rieS, which are. after all, too we'll
known TO be of interest TO any body,
and come to the night of Marion's
first appearance.
vi course she was to open as "Ju-
let 1t was her choice. and the in-
fatuated hacker would have allowed
her to play "Falstatf'' if she had so
elected. At the rehearsals she was
vert attentive to the directions of the
stage manager SO far as business was
concerned. but she required no in
struction from anybody in regard TO
speaking her lines-at least so she
thought and she soon taught the sta 90
manager to look at the matter in the
same light As his employer was pres
ent at all the rehearsais, he took his
lesson very quietly.
Although the first nights audience
was more friendly than critical, it was
easily seen before the act drop fell for
the second time that the new Juliet
was complete failure. Still, she was
kindly treated by the audience, there
being something winsonIe about the
girl that aroused their sympathy
1t seems hardly necessary to write
that It was her reading that was the
most severely criticised the next morn
ing. Her action was said To be bad,
her movements awkward; but no word
seemed strong enough to use in writ
ing of her delivert. unless il might
have been ''elocut onary" though ell
ocut.on is concisely defined as ~ prop.
er delivery Of words"
Besides the criticism of Marion's
work, Mark Downes had TO bear an.
other forn of comment that must have
been even more tr ing TO HIM She
bad bDen advertised as beauty. vet
the people To whom she pla ed, more
accustomed to beautiful women than
Were the provncials In her native place
found multi tllde of faults in her.
Her head was said 10 be too large. her
faco TO lack exprsss'oiI. her hair 10 he
poor color she was accused Of hay
Ing big feet u Il hips mach too broad
Tor her shoulders Had lh;sc remarks
Reached Marco ears, ~ they Il Il
IhoSe Of her hacker. they would have