Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-02
MISS BRETHDRTON.
By MRS. HUMPHREY WARD,

doubtful business, that her acting is as good as anybody's, aud that her special mission fs to regenerate the manners of the stage. To have the naked, artistic view thrust upon her-that it is the actress business to act, and that if she does that well, whatever may be her personal shortcom- ings, her generation has cause to be grateful to her-must be repugnant to her. She, too, talks about art, but it is like a child who learns q string of long words without under standing them. She walked on beside me while cooled down and thought what fool had been to endanger a friendship which had opened so well-her wonderful lips open ing once or twice as though to speak, and her quick breath coming and going as she scat tered the yellow petals of the flowers far and wide with sort of mute passion which sent a thrill through me It was as though she could not trust herself to speak, and waited awkwardly on Providence, wishing the others were not so far of. But suddenly the tension of her mood seemed to give way. Her smile flashed out, and she turned upon me with a sweet, eager graciousness, quite indescriba ble.
 "'No, we won't throw stones at her! She is great, 1 know, but that other feeling is so strong in me. l care for my art; it seems to me grand, magnifcentl-but I think I care still more for making people feel it is work a
 
 it, and asserting myself against the people who behave as if all actresses had done the things that Mime. Desforets has done. Don't think mo narrow and jealous I should hate you and the Stuarts to think that of me. You have all been so kind to me-such good, real frends shall never forget this day. Oh! S,ok, there is the carriage standing up there. l wish it was the morning and not the even- ing, and that it might all come again! 1 hate the thought of London and that hot the atre tomorrow night Oh, my primrosesl What wretch l am! I've lost them nearly all Look, just that bunch over there MT. Kendall, before we leave the common.'
 II sprung to get them for her, and brought back quantity She took them in her hand how unlike other women she is after all, in spite of her hatred of Bohemia and rais- ing them to her lips, she waved q farewell through them to the great common lying be- hind us in the evening sun. How beautifulI how beautiful! This English country is so kind, so friendlyl It has gone to my heart. Good night, you wonderful placer
 ''She had conquered me altogether. It was done so warmly, with such n winning, spontaneous charm. 1 cannot say what pleasure got out of those primroses lying in her soft, ungloved hand all the way home Henceforward, l feel she may make what cSs she won't change me, and have some hopes of modifying her. but l am not very likely to feel annoyance towards her again. She is like some frank beautiful, high spirited child playing Q game she only half under stands l wish she understood it better. should like to help her to understand it, but I won't quarrel with her. even in my thoughts, any more.
 ''On looking over this letter it seems to me that if you were not you, and l were not 1. you might with some plausibility accuse me of beins-what'-in love with Miss Brother ton! But you know me too we'll You know am one of the old fashioned people who believe in community of interests-in belonging to tho same world. When l come coolly to think about it, l can hardly imagine two worlds, whether outwardly or inwardly more wide apart than mine and Miss Breth- erton's"