Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-03-28

the direction of Richard Thornton: and
there could be no mistaking his meaning.
The man who Intentionally takes
away a wo--' | was Just beginning.
when Beattie, our second old man, inter-
rupted me-
Look here, Clifford" he said, quietly,
Its no good for you and Kitchum to get
up a row. He has only called your at
tention to what we have all been remark
ing for some time, although he might
have done so in a more delicate manner.
Depend upon it, Lizzie means to play
poor Emerson false"
The next evening all was hustle and
excitement behind the scenes. Indeed,
the fact that the first performance gen
orally makes or mars the business of a
company during its stay invariably en-
genders a degree of anxiety on opening
nights, no matter how perfect the actors
may be in their parts.
We were all dressed and ready to 90
upon the stage a full half-hour before
the time for ringing up" Emerson
was pacing up and down with Lizzie. /
could see he was dreadfully nervous; and
no wonder, for it was to be his first ap-
pearance as leading man. Not that he
had any cause to feel alarmed, for he
was letter perfect in his part, and was
too thorough an actor to experience any
uneasiness when once behind the foot
lights.
For a moment l stood watching him
ocd his tidncee, thinkir of what old
Beattie had prophesied. As | did so, I
heard Lizzie whisper words of encourage
ment to her lover
Don't fear, Arthur, dearp she said.
81 know you will play splendidly; and
you look the character to perfection"
'I'll do my best, darling" he replied;
"but / am nervous, and talking distracts
me. / should like to keep my mind fixed
on my lines until the curtain rises. You
understand, dear?'-and, STOPPING, he
kissed her tenderly.
She took the hint and left him; but |
fancied she looked a little distressed at
being sent away. / felt at the time that
| would rather he had broken down in
his part than that he should at so critical
a moment have repulsed the woman he
hoped TO make his wife.
The time for ringing up" was fast
approaching, The theatre was crammed
so Barton declared-the people being
packed like sardines in a tin, to use his
own somewhat hackneyed smile.
''Well, hope the audience haven't all
lost their heads, like the fish to which
you have compared them, said Kitchum,
laughing.
The gallery was getting noisy; such
cries as Cup with the ragl" "Give us
some musicw "Send out the fiddlersW
reverberated through the building.
Presently we heard a tremendous round
of applause, and cries of "Three cheers
for old Moss!' and in another moment
our manager appeared, cash-box in hand.
"Heavy-eh, governor asked Kitch-
um.
Rather" he replied. "Tvenever had
such house before, Barton, ring in the
music. Egan, play good ten minutes
Now, boys, do your best. All, Emerson,
you there! This is the night that makes
or mars your fortune; don't forget that,
old fellow. There, there-you needn't
look so gluin. just try the weight of the
cash-boX, and see if that won't give you
courage" Thus he ratified ON, more with
the object of banishing our nervousness
than anxious to remind us of what had
long since been arranged.
Everybody is ready to begip," an
uounced Barton.
That's right" cried Mr. Moss Come
along, my boys!'
The first act went very smoothly. IN
erson quite astonished me; | never saw
the part so we'll played before. The So
hloquy, 30 that this too TOO solid flesh
would melt!' quite brought down the
house, and, when the ghost appeared, it
was almost painful to observe the fear
depicted on Emerson's face, while the
terror he seemed to feel in the presence
of the "dead cOrse again in deep steel'
was evinced in every tone of his voice
The audience seemed spcll-bound, a dead
silence reiguing throughout the house.
When the ghost and Hamlet had left the
stage, there was a momentary pause,
followed by deafening thunders of APP
plause
We ali pressed round Emerson, eagerly
offering our congratulations.
where's Lily he asked, looking round
in vain for his tiaHcee.
Then | noticed what did not appear to
have struck EmersOn-neither Lizzie nor
Thornton was present. ! felt annoyed
at this, and determined to watch them
during the remainder of the evening, |
did not get many opportunities of doing
so, however, as in my part of Horatio |
was seldom off the stage. Between the
acts / was able to observe that they were
much together, and were apparently en-
gagged in discussing some matter of grave
import. Once or twice | approached
them, and each time l did so they separ-
ated as if by mutual consent
On the following morning we were to
rehearse OttelO at eleven o'clock. HAD
left my book in the theatre on the night
before, so / went down about ten o'clock
to read up the part of Cassie | had just
seated myself comfortably in the prompt
entrance when | fancied l heard the
sound Of footsteps approaching. Pres
entity could distinctly hear some one
pacing mp and down corridor close by,
but, being anxious to study my lines,
did not attempt to ascertain who it was.
A few minutes later | heard n second
person enter the corridor.
SIS Emerson with yout' asked the first
conner, in "A loud whisper.
"No he told me he was going out early
this morning to wander alone along the
cliffs in order to cultivate q closer ac-
Quaiutance with the jealous Moort'
The voices were those of Thornton and
Lizzie.
Too much astonished to realize that
was playing the part Of eayesdropper, l
sat quite still, and did not attempt to
,,,,l-. INV t,rssoppa lFuo,yD Ia Thorn