Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-09

Soou tempered fellow to be my hero both
on and off the boards, who would check
my hotel bills, bully my natural enemies
the managers, and who would hammer
my stage business into those dunder-
heads the stock actsTs at the provincial
| theatres"
Miss Bellaston was difficult to please.
She had plenty of opportunities. 1t was
her painful experience that at the end of
q starring engagement in the country
| as rule, the leading mar always pro-
posed to her. But none of these numer-
Gus aspirsnts succeeded In mileasing her
fastidious taste; some dropped their his,
more had red noses, and too many she
felt that the attraction was not Miss
Bellaston's self, but Miss Bellastons
at her bankers. And so Miss Bellaston
wandered over the United Kingdom
heart whole, in maiden meditation fancy
free-at least, she did so till she came to
fulfill her annual engagement with old
Mr.. Brewer and play her usual round of
| favorite characters and then this expert
enced lady fell head over ears in love
with Jack Walton. But Jack did not
respond. In vain she invited him to her
hotel, under the pretense of gong over
the business of the balcony scere, so
) that it might Ego" better in the evening,
but all to no pupose, TO her intense dis
gust.
| But when a woman is six-and- thirty,
she does not stand upon trihes. She had
actually gone so far to propose to engage
Jack at ten guineas a week, for six
months certain, to support her while on
tour; but the ungrateful Jack had simply
replied that he was very comfortable
| where he was. Women's eyes are pro.
verbally sharp, and Miss Bellaston soon
detected that there was tenderness be-
tween Jack and Nellie. She determined
not to be banked of her prey, and so she
| sent for Mrs. Brewer.
Mrs. Brewer, when she entered Miss
Bailaston's room, sank into a chair; she
never sat down-she always sank into a
chair,
"Chere is nothing wrong, my dear, 1
hopper" she said to Miss Bellaston. "Ar-
chibald John, trust, has not been max
ing fool of himself again?"
Now, Archibald John was Mrs. Brew
er's second son, most deserving young
low comedian. Only last year he had
been impertinent enough to propose to
Miss Bellaston, and had been severely
snH5be6 for his pains.
mo, Mrs. Brewer, it's not about Mr..
Archibald that wish to speak to you, but
about Mr.. Walton"
Goodness me, my dear! he's such a
quiet young man."
"Mrs. Brewer" replied Miss Bellastun,
with an angry toss of her head, "Mr.
Walton is a wolf in sleeps clothing"
"Why, you don't mean to say he's been
| making dishonoraole propositions to you
my dear, do your" cried the old lady, with
| q gasp of horror.
Don't be ridiculous, Mrs. Brewer. Mr..
Walton IS not likely t. make proposals of
any kind to me. All can say Mrs. Brew
er, is that the sooner they are engaged
the better"
90; you mean the extra supers, my
dear?"
"No, Mrs. Brewer, do not mean the
extra supers. mean that great, long
legged super, Mr.. John Walton, and your
daughter Nellie"
''Madam!" exclaimed Mrs. Brewer, ris-
ing suddenly from her chair, "my daugh-
ter Nellie is child"
eff she's child, Mrs. Brewer, the soon
or you whip her and put her to bed the
better. But perhaps the engagement is
with your sanction. l congratulate you,
my dear"
81 don't want to quarrel with you, Miss
Bellaston, but neither Mr.. Brewer nor l
would ever sanction an engagement be-
tween my daughter Nellie and pro-
No, Miss Bellaston," she continued, cit
has been the dream of oar lives that our
daughter Nellie should make a brilliant
marriage. When she takes husband,
Miss Bellaston, it may be that she will
not marry int the nrnfasEiOO Sha hos
Miss Bellaston, before her the fatal ex-
ample of her poor mother; if 1 had not,
in the experience of early youth, listened
to the fatal Establishments of Brewer, l
might at this present moment have been
a peeress, or, at least, the wife of
wealthy baropet. With my daughters
talents, Miss Bellaston, with her beauty,
and her YOUTH" she added, spitefully,
"she need never seek a husband in the
profession. Pm obleeged to you," she
continued with lofty scorn (the great Ed
mund Kean always said Obleeged, and
Mrs. Brewer always followed the grand
old traditions), "for the interest you
take in her welfare; but let ne tell you,
Miss Bellaston, that before the end of
her first London season, my daughter
Nellie will have half the British peerage
at her feet"
Now, Miss Bellaston was not quarrel
some person. She had done all she want
ed, she had had her revenge on Jack
Walton.
That night old Brewer reluctantly gave
Jack weeks notice, for he liked Jack;
but he was prudent father and he lived
in deadly bodily fear of his wife.
Before the week was out Jack Walton
ran away with pretty Nellie Bre yer. But
at the end of week Jack, looking more
pleasant than ever, and pretty little
blushing Mrs. Jack were welcomed back
to their parents arms. Brewer saw hs
marriage lines, and things went on at
the Theater Royal - very much as
they had done before.
The young people were very fond of
each other. For year nothing occurred
to disturb their bliss, but then came
sudden cIimax. A dreadful, i'll clad,
hoarse- voiced woman forced her way on
to the stage at rehearsal. She had an un-
couth speech; she was accompanied by
policeman.
II want my mon," she cried; she's my
mon, and I'll hae un."
Of course there was q scene. The
dreadful woman was Jack Walton's wife,
the once bold-eyed Columbine, Mics Va
vassor, and she charged Jack with biga-
my. The whole party proceeded to the
police court.
A woman will do great deal for the
man she loves; she doesn't hesitate for
moment to sacrifice herself, and she has
but one object il view, namely the happi
ness of her lover. Of course, the proper
line for Nellie Walton-I must call her
Nellie Walton, poor little thing-to have