Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-12-18
CASTING REFLECTIONS.

Yes, I'm as bright as ever, though
I've had some hard rubs in my day
particularly from the hands of do
mestics. No wonder ! am called cold
and hard, but nevertheless | am the
oStsympathetic creature in the world.
Ismile with those that smile and weep
with those that weep. At times it is
difficult, for no matter how dull Imay
be feeling | am expected TO reflect the
look of the most casual passerby how
ever, / always manage TO present a
smooth surface, and am acknowledged
by all to be highly polished. And
though | have met reverses, | have
never yet had a fall. With ladies |
am, tand always have leen, a great
favorite. They consult me on all oc-
casions-it seems as i they could
never tire of me and | am not
sighted by tile men either, but some
of them do dread to look at me in the
face in the morning after a late sup
per at the club.
An artist strolling through lie
Temple" in Paris threw a glance
my way; | reflected his look of appre-
citation, and he at once purchased me.
Iserved him faithfully, but never fat
tered, assisting him almost daily in
criticising his sketches; in fact, Icould
reverse anything for him, except his
luck. We had been together some
time, when one day she came into our
studio.
Now, Tn a keen observer when
people are in front of me, and am ac-
customed to study faces, but she rather
puzzled me. She impressed me as an
actress, but still her general appear
ance was almost too artistic for that.
She was accompanied by a literary
friend, who had persuaded her to pose
as the heroine for a novel which the
artist was to illustrate.
While all this was under discussion
her eye fell on me, and | realized Miss
Swansdown was what would be called
In simple ~parlance "a society beauty"
And the effect she was producing on
Brown Lake made my heart ache for
his peace Of mind. Naturally. in look
ing around the studio she took me up,
and | will acknowledge it Was a mu-
tual pleasure. and as she laid me down
with evident regret on leaving | felt
that / had been TO her what she had
been TO the illustrator-a bright spot
in that day.
Well, they came more or less regu-
larry 10 the studio, and the posing be-
gan. Ii was a long Ms. and some Of
the situations were rather pleasing.
AT times she had 10 stand as if in a
conservatory with the hero Of the
novel whispering in her ear. Then
she was placed at the piano as if he
was turning the music. Again he was
supposed 20 he holding her hand as
she stood on the stairs. All these po-
sitions she took with grace and case.
II was then that | learned she was eel
ebratcd os an amateur actress, which
explained the impression she 1T FIST
made on me.
Brown Lake often foundit necessary
70 pose with her in orderthat hemight
get the right action; then he'd leave
her and rush at his pencil to make the
sketch, but in some Of the scenes he
took much more time, il seemed to me,
than was really required in posing her,
particularly when the situationallowed
him TO assume a tender attitude. On
some occasions he used his friend
Roberts, who was a regular visitor, to
assist in the grouping. During the
"rest," she devoted herself with COM
mendable zeal to playing the banjo and
depicting the bonbon box. | learned
she was deep in rehearsing one of Gil
sert's comedies, The Wedding March"
in which Lake was persuaded to take
a minor part; SO besides the meeting
at the studio they saw each other at
the rehearSals.
Now, though / have seen n great
deal Of life, and consequently n great
deal Of acting. i had never been pres
ent at n play-and 20 was delighted
when taken the first night to the -
Club theatre.
II was entirely o new world TO me.
There was only u small looking
biaNe III " uTtSslIB Tbblll' anu ~ Wiz
ilattering 20 me 10 be 50 much in de-
mand; il was also n revelation 10 sec
with how much cagcrness the ambi-
tious amateur looked into my tell tale
face. ! had always been accustomed
TO this from the "gentler sex, but TO
be 10 sought after and consulted by the
men was a new and amusing expert
enc.
Afterward / was taken into the
make up room, where two busy deco
rators were making the peachy cheeks,
the Jetty eyebrows, the cherry lips and
the alabaster arms for the stage; and
though there were two large mirrors
In the room, they were so crowded
about, that, when my presence became
known, l was nearly crushed by the
general eagerness 10 get one look into
my clear face.
The room was as bright and pretty
rs a bed Of flowers in full bloom. Tho
costumes were picturesque and becom-
ing 30 the young ladies, who wore any
dress that suited their particular style,
while tho men, according 70 the play,