The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-02-01
LOVES MANY VAGARIES.
TER SIS, THE ACTOR, WRITES OF AN
AMOSING INSTANCE.

TER SIS, THE ACTOR, WRITES OF AN
AMOSING INSTANCE.
Cupid at Work on the Ssage-A Young
Man Who Tired of the Sea and " emit
on the Boards Inspired by Love-
Mr.. Terris' Good Ohlces.
From the Boston Herald.
For loves vagaries there is no accounting.
1 have seen some strange people mated to-
gether. but the strangest couple ars-I
should say were-a pair of my Oldest
friends.
After had left my first profession, the
merchant service. and had Joined the happy
band of mummers, my thoughts used often
to revert to my old messmates and our
merry life; for we were merry, notwith-
standing bad weather, keeping watch, leave
stopped and other small discomforts. And
a good deal of our fnerriness arose from the
mad pranks that we used to play upon each
other. In particular will mention one un-
fortunate wight. 1 must give him a name,
though it was not his own, and will call him
Peter Vanity, for that was his one little
weakness. He thought he was good look
ing.
But he was the best tempered. most for
giving fellow on earth or sea. Not without
pluck, though, for when we put on
him too much he would hit out manfully
against an oldster. l am afraid that his
rather dandy get-up, his very long nose, his
sandy hair and white eyebrows and eye
lashes and little finikin manner enticed us
to cut down his hammock, turn upon him
In dark corners and upset things over his
clean ducks rather frequently. But we
liked him and he liked us. He was never
intended by nature to be sailor, and |
Often wondered how he got on. He told me
he would not take to the counting house (his
father was a merchant), and SO he was sent
to sea in one Of the ships belonging to the
firm.
You can imagine my surprise, years after
when, being called to the reading of new
piece, and the parts given out, one of three
lines, intrusted to turnkey, was taken by
Peter Vanity. / could not believe my
eyesl What could have induced him to
take to the stage. At glance I took in
that things were not very fourishing with
him in a worldly point of view, but there
was that precise neatness which had always
distinguished him. He seemed half afraid
to address me. so took the
initiative, and went up and
shook him by the hand. He told me
got savage, and that he was sick of the sea.
As he would not rejoin his vessel all sup-
plies were stopped, and he had been strug-
Cling on one way and the other till, through
an old actor, who had known his family
and had interest with the management, he
had got this engagement, naturally at little
more than super's pay. l coached him as
much as could with the view of his getting
something better by and by, but did not
nd Of no
PETERS STAGE FRIGHT.
We had at that time very beautiful
girl, who played ingenue parts, and babe
fair to become a great actress. In one of
her scenes Peter had to bring on a card for
her to take from salver, and to announce
that the gentleman was waiting. On the
first night poor Peter could not even do
this properly. He got on the wrong side,
he had stage fright and could not utter a
word, and Miss Dempster the young ac-
tress, had to introduce his line, and so
fortunately got him out of his scrape, but
it ruf1ed her, and as the close of the act
she spoke rather sharply, yet scourteousIy,
to him. Peter was awfully sorry, and /
| put in good word for him, and when
had an opportunity explained to her his
| position, SO far as that he was a gentleman
| though said nothing about his family.
noticed she looked at him with something
like pity, and believe that at that moment
her love for him began.
By degrees she contrived to get him to
talk to her, of which he was very shy at
| first, for he was proud in his way and re-
served, and felt how much beneath her be
| was in the theatrical social scale. But
| gradually learnt that he used to see her
part of the way home, and then it came to
| leaving her at her door, and the end of it
was that he was head over ears in love with
her, and she with him. But he never said a
word, though she must have seen it, and
then, suppose, he thought it would only be
honorable for him not to entengle her in any
way, as he had no prospect of marrying
her. 80 he told me he was going to try for an
| engagement somewhere in the provinces.
told this to Miss Dempster the same even
| ing. She looked very miserable for a
moment or two, and then frightened up
| suddenly.
| That night she referred to his coming de-
parture, and pointedly asked him to see her
home. The next day they came to me in a
very sheepish manner. and contrived be-
| tween the pair of them to let me know that
! they were engaged; how they managed to
come to an understanding don't know, but
l shall always believe she proposed to him,
| though Mrs. Vanity VOWS she did not.
| Would you believe it, they were married in
month? She was earning a small, but
| u6Ccub duO was kobOAuk AObl0
more than at first. Anyhow. they contrived
| to live comfortably on their little income,
| and were as happy as possible.
Then came the trouble. Peter. caught
cold, which led to inflammation of the
lungs. How she did nurse Understanding
rehearsals, always at her work at night,
and then hurrying away to see after him.
He got better, and then, l suppose, the anx-
iety and trouble told upon her, for she got
low fever, was laid up, of course treasury
stopped after a time, and the poor fellow
was like mailman on her account. He had
struggled on bravely when he had only
himself to think of, but to see her want
what money could procure humbled him.
So he put his pride in his pocket, and went
| to his father--I won't say like a prodigal
son, for he had never done anything wrong
but he told him exactly how he was placed.
''sTIFF AND sTARCHY" FATHER.
The governor" was very st ff and starchy
at first, more particularly when he heard
that he had daughter-in-law, but fancy
the old fellow had been hoping that the tru-
ant would turn up and ask forgiveness.
Even when he did consent to do something
for Peter, it must be on his own conditions
the must give up all that play-acting
tomfoolery," and come and take his place
in the Office like any other clerk, and the
only difference he would mako was that,
being his own son, Peter should have a
larger salary, and he wouldn't see Peters
WHEAT least not at present