The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-04
STORY OF THB STAGE,


New York dramatic company, sat on 1
.divan surrounded by On artistic litter o.
gloves, tiny slippers, notes, p~icsufes, etc,
Everyone OF these articles had been the
property Of notable personages, and each
had It's history.
"This," he said, picking up n little
scented box, "is what l value most o
ALL"
He opened it and drew forth a tiny
square Of the finest linen. Around II
was richly embroidered q wreath OF ivy
while in n corner was the name Of
"Ivy."
l took tho dainty thing in my hands
TO examine II, and Is | did 30 an odor Of
violets reached my nostrils, and / men.
tally drew n picture Of the owner.
"She was pretty" / said with conyicY
ton II am sure Of it,"
Pretty" echoed the young man, in
an aggrieved tone. "Sio was more than
pretty-she was q regular beauty
Bronze colored hal, and eyes with Rmbe,
tints, no color in her cheeks, ekin fail
and lips a rich red. l never saw any
one to compare with her in looks. The
joke OF 1t was that she had been tryinG
every theater in tho city for m engage.
ment, and when MY manager accepted
her and it was noised abroad what q
beauty she was, the other managers jus.
gnnshed their teeth TO think they had
refused her. Having had no PROBES.
sional experience, Hne was only en-.
trusted with small roles, but whether
she spoke a few lines, or simply walked
on the stage, every glass in the house
was leveled at her. She made a sensa.
ton in q small way, and ii she had kept
in good health and attended right to
business, there is no height she might
not have climbed.
Learning that several members Of the
company, that is Miss s., her mother.
and myself, dubbed together, she asked
ii she might be allowed 10 join us in our
cooperative housekeeping. 1t was i'm.
possible TO refuse her. She came, and
we were more and more charmed with
her manner, her face, herself.
"She was transformations to the degree
OF simplicity, but there was an indefin-
able something about her that that COM
manded Difference from all. If che en-
tered n room the best seat was i'm
mediately given to her as her Just due.
At the table, it was the same; the
choicest bits were reserved for the
princess as I mentally named her.
Where she had come from, or who
she was (for l do not believe the name
she gave was her ownl, was a myRtery.
That she had never been accustomed
to wait on herself was evident, for while
she brought with her a variety OF ole.
giant dresses, which, with a little in
genuity, would have, answered for her
stage costumes, she seemed perfectly
helpless. I don't believe she ever
sewed on button in her life, and it was
q longtime before she could learn to do
her own hair.
II was only q youngster them" said
the young man, with a blush; hadn't
even raiged a mustache, and, seeing how
much l admired her, the princess used
to treat me with much friendliness. One
day ! asked her for a small souvenir
something that | could look at when she
become famous, and think OF the DAYS
when she used to smile on humble me.
She handed me this handkerchief and I
Immediately pocketed it.
"Time passed on. Our princess was
ambitions and studied diligently, In
some way she became acquainted with
a young and wealthy physician, a well
known club man. 1t was we'll known
that he called upon her occasionally, but
we thought nothing Of it.
"One night-or morning rather, for it
was 9 o''clock-I was returning home.
The gas was out, and as l CROPPED my
way along the hall l encountered some
one coming from the opposite direction.
My first thought being burglars, I grap-
Piled with him and called out, who are
you@
SSH was the quick reply. 4 nm
DR.: W. don't say anything
Mechanically l released him and
walked along TO my room. I was com.
pletely stunned. My princess whom l
had placed on such pedestal! It Was
dreadful! But decided that Miss s.
and her mother must know, and so l
had TO tell them.
I'm spite OF our establishment and in
dignation none Of us had the courage to
tell her she would BIO obliged to move.
"Very likely the doctor told her OF his
encounter with me, or perhaps she no.
ticed some change in our manner, for
she soon spoke Of finding cheaper iode.
ings, and we Immediately set TO work to
get her comfortably situated. Owing to
the smallness Of her salary and her help
lessness, l don't doubt but what the dear
creature did get hard up at times.
"Well, she left us, and such is the
weakness OF human nature that l con.
TESS to feeling only q profound regret
when the cab that carried her turned the
corner, thesun turning her bronse.brown
hair to gold.
I'VE saw her every day at .theater,
but after a few weeks I fancied she look.
ed sad and discouraged. She went
through her work mechanically, and
could see that our manager was displeas.
ed. ! trembled for the princess but
dared not speak to her in regard to her
private affairs. I did make a few in.
Quiries, however, and what ! learned,
together With her distra;te manner, con
WINGED me that the doctor went no more
to see her.
Zone day she was not at rehearsal; in
fact, several days passed without our
seeing her. We were putting on q new
play and Miss S. and myself had very
little time to look the princess up. Al
last she appeared one evening. She sale
che had been i'll, and quietly dressed fol
her part. In the meantime the manager
had seen her.
"'What are you doing hers2' he asked
abruptly.
"she looked up In surprise.
AT nm,'Bhe began, then, confused BY
his manner, she stopped Do you NEAR
to imply that l have no right to b,
here?' she asked at length.
"I don't see that you have. Yor
have been absent several days.
".But l WAS ill-too i'll to 50 OUT
"'fes? ! nm sorry, but you sent mi
no word. The rule here Is no excuse 10
absence save q DOCTORS certificate. You
place has been TAKEN
ITO proud to explain, II sho nigh
have done 50, the poor girl stood thert
fully a minute, then she tottered int
her dressing room.
or irllv iutandad con;no har hafor,