Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-04-11

and, like all vain women, q heartless
firt In short, of all the women in the
world she was the one who WIGS least
likely to make Arthur Emerson happy.
even doubted If she was free to accept
his love, for there had been a Richard
Thornton in our company the previous
spring who had paid her marked atten-
ton, and whose amorous glances she had
received with evident favor.
Of course tried my hardest to make
Emerson see his folly, and equally, of
course, he refused to listen to reason. He
became engaged to Lizzie, and there was
in consequence a fearful ''fare up" at
Dempster Hall. which ended in Mr.. Bar
rington-Browne turning his nephew out
of house and home.
Poor Emerson was in regular fix. He
had little money by him which his IN
cle's generosity had enabled him to save,
but he shrank from spending this, and
so leaving himself penniless; while the
alternative of marrying Lizzie and living
on her earnings was not to be entertained
for moment. Then he thought of turn
ing his own talent for acting to account.
AS good luck would have it, Mr.. Moss
CHANGED to be band short, and so, to
oblige Lizzie, he engaged her lover.
Emerson had to begin at the begin
ming, and it was some months before he
was allowed to take any part which re-
quired him to speak more than half
dozen sentences. He soon, however, be-
came thoroughly devoted to his art. Not
content with merely learning his own
parts, he would in his leisure hours study
the leading characters, hoping that he
might some day be in position to play
them.
He and I remained close friends: and,
deeply as I regretted the circumstance
that had thrown us together, could not
help rejoicing, inasmuch as it had given
me so many opportunities of enjoying his
society.
Of Lizzie he did not often speak; but
his silence was not noticeable, because,
when we were together, we invariably
talked "shop," to the exclusion of all
other topics.
was, however, forced to observe that
his deep love for his profession prevented
his paying Lizzie the many little atten-
tons which girls prize so highly; yet few
men love their future wives as deeply as
Emerson loved his fdncee. His voice
would soften as he addressed her, even if
he were making the most casual remark;
while his eyes would grow tender when
ever they rested on her.
AS for Lizzie, she had already learned
to look upon her engagement as mis-
take. Having no true love for art her
self, she could not understand her lovers
devotion to it, and was not unnaturally
disposed to resent what she considered
his neglect of herself. | cannot help
thinking that, when she first met Arthur
Emerson, she was more daZzled by the
! prospect of marrying a rich man than
inspired with love for her future hus-
| band, and that she was both surprised
and bitterly disappointed when Mr.. Bar
rington Browne carried out his threat of
disowning his nephew.
They had been engaged about two
years, when Richard Thornton again
| Joined our company. Ihailed his advent
with grave misgivings, for I still had
vivid recollections of the deep interest in
each other which he and Lizzie had pre-
Viously evinced.
| Lizzie did not hesitate to tell her lover
that she and Thornton were old acquaint-
ances. Emerson was certainly not taken
off his guard by Thornton's being thus
introduced, because he trusted his fdncee
| too implicitly to be troubled with any
doubts concerning her; but I believe it
did induce him to throw them more to-
! gether than he would otherwise have
done. LiZzie's spirits had tagged of late,
and Emerson was evidently pleased to
see them revive under the influence of
merry, good-looking Richard Thornton's
boisterous fun.
Emerson had made rapid strides in his
profession, but he was not yet in the re-
ceipt of sufficiently good salary to just
! ify him in thinking of marrying. There
was, felt convinced, brilliant future
IN store for him. ALI that he now want
ed was plenty of practice in principal
parts; and it was therefore arranged that
he should henceforth take the lead as
long as we both remained with Mr.. Moss.
This change was not to affect our re-
! spective salaries, it having been brought
about entirely with view to giving EN-
erson an opportunity of increasing his
experience. Meanwhile, | had offered to
keep my eyes open for an engagement
as leading man in another company, SO
as to leave Emerson free to take my place
and salary, and marry Lizzie as soon as
he liked.
We had played for the last time in the
little theatre of Barminster, and were to
proceed the next day to Bridgenorth,
where Emerson was to make his first APP
pearance in the character of Hamlet.
Naturally enough he was very excited
about it. Possibly had it not been for
this fact he would have observed that
which l was panied to discover others
were talking of all too freely.
Gentlemen, the Shakespeare punctual-
ly at twelve o'clock!'' shouted our worthy
manager, as a gentle reminder that we
were all pledged to take social meal to-
gether for the last time under that hos
pitable roof.
49,
us, to which we did ample Justice. Then
Emerson's health was drunk in his new
character of leading man, and, after
several other toasts had been responded
to, the company gathered round the
hearth.
/ was enjoying chat with our scene
painter, when, glancing suddenly toward
the opposite side of the room, | saw En-
erson standing, looking the very picture
of fear, and trembling violently. I was
about to spring towards him, fearing he
was i'll, when the well-known line, can
gels anu ministers of grace defend usr
burst from his lips. knew at once that
he was only rehearsing his part.
BLESS that fellow-he's always think
ing of lis business!" exclaimed Barton
our prompter.
He doesn't give you much to do, ole
boy" remarked Kitchum, our comedian
"Ail the same, it would be better for hin
if he could spare half an eye to keep OF
that charming little girl of his"
''What do you mean?" I demanded
angrily.
Precious innocent, amt WEI" sneered
Kitchum. "And yet we don't often &c
about the world with our eyes snuu-dc
WEI" As he spoke, Kitchum glanced IL
the direction of Richard Thornton; anG
there could be no mistaking his meaning