DeSoto times. (Hernando, Miss.) 1879-1898, 1890-02-27
MODERN MARTYR.

lUDUll1N uIlltI l. LIE
och Arden Who Game Not
Pathetic Little Sketch.
&ty.fve years ago, when l was {
BAL agent lit was an eminent
i who Spoke), | saw many an ode
teresting bit of life. 1 was a
lOse sailor to the wind in those
nd sought humble lodgings
b to rest myself when the bust
the day was over, because my
Ould pay for no other.
Fas busy at the theater much OF
/ night and day, I always hunted
as near it as I could, and
hes | found myself under strange
undergoing queer experiences.
h winter of '64 the star whose
Rances | arranged for was to play
arch Street Theater, in Philadel-
8hen under the management of
7ohn Drew. AS usual, l went
be about in the near neighbor-
the theater, looking for cheap
+, 1t was dark when l began my
|and | could but dimly see the
fhite cards on the walls announc-
\ furnished rooms could be OBJ
within.
ked at room after room, but all
leyond my mems, oven IN tho
quarters in which | ventured to
At last, feeling unusually tired,
lttle discouraged, l saw a card on
little frame house which prom
rom its appearance, a scale
les low enough to satisfy my
tied purse. 1t was a very
little place, indeed, yet it had
nothing which suggested that
lie belonged to the low classes.
contrary, a certain daintiness sat
and almost overcame the dismal
poverty which hung about it.
such a thing as noble poverty,
w it for the first in that house.
the bell, and remember to this
: Its loud tinkling startled me,
was it to the outer door and so
le house. You know how iang-
pervasive is the noise made by
door-bell.
quite dark by this time, and as
On the narrow little step l Won
the house was not, after all,
'SS. After a few moments the
ned as noiselessly as doors al
en- in blood-curdling stories, and
'od before me a woman-surely
est-faced and most worn-spirited
woman | ever saw-and at first
Ihe Oldest. For a few seconds |
le object of my call, so strange
lie affect me.
l engaged a room in her house
possession of it at once. Pow
marked every thing for its own
nose walls, but it was not pow
the repelent order. 1t was
factlVe and commanded ones
espect, for over it cleanliness
tlness had spread their refining
so That it's terrors were put out
my hostess but seldom. She
about the house more like q
an human being, and of after
nd nights sal. sewing, sewing,
tly sewing, in the little sitting
Ihe hrst floor. Beside myself,
The only inmate of the house.
an to notice her more | saw
appearance of age which had
ne SO forcibly at first sight, was
There was some
OUT 1t not real. If you can i'm
ny one who is old, and yet not
Will know what | mean when l
her age was not real. l can't
IT, but l understand it. Say
W a woman who was but twenty,
one night some awful thing
weep over her soul which would
u appear sixty. You would
EN- That her apparent age was
wouldn't you? Well, it was
ny hostess. She was like one
been suddenly stricken, and
grown old with years. 1t was,
Out the external appearance of
enveloped her like a garment
which covered and smothered
Is always in the sitting-room
came home after the theater,
sewing as all women sew who
other weapon with which to
wolf than a needle. Some
asked me to sit down a few
and talk, and I found her intel
ID interesting in conversation,
Ier grave, serious manner never
to animation.
! was playing "Enoch Arden, :"