The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1892-10-01

Deeli able to find them. He knew they
Were there. though, and full of the feel
ing that he was acting for their delight
he did his very best.
. Il never saw him act SO well before.
The manager was heard TO remark that
he didn't believe il was i'll him. We
fellow actors knew all about it. though,
and when tie applause came at the end
of the act. and Tom. nervous and ex-
cited. stepped before the curtain. he and
we felt SIRE we could hear above all the
noise the clapping of a tiny pair of
hands IL tie dress circle. and a little
baby Voice saying: Look. mother
There's father: Sat ne beantlruri OH
I'm 50 hapEr.'
p s4nl nv some Of the rest of the
company began looking through the
paepnoic for Toms wife and child. bu,
~ one could see them.
Then as the play went on we noticed
that Tom himself was getting anxious.
He had moi been able to find them either
and lie had begun to wonder why they
werc not there and what had become of
them. Still hope had not left him. He
felt sure thae somewhere i'll the vast au-
ditorium i pair Of bright brown eyes
were following his every movement ami
he did his very best, though with 4
somewhat heavy heart.
He had 4 big change il dress 10 mako
befu"c The fifth act, and as he had beer
on tile stase up to the last moment of
the Eor1 i he had very little time e.
make it il. Therefore IL did not get
time tatake a last peep at the auditorium,
| think some kind Of a presentiment
mast have filled his mind. for he seemed
to have grown careless and did not act
with the same spirit as heretofore. HIS
thoughts seemed anywhere but ON tie
stage. ard every now and then we couli
hear him heave a great sobbing sigh.
The audience, however. had grown
lenicat. Tom had caught their sympa-
tliea i'll the earlier acts, and anything
he did wa good enough now.
The act was nearly over: Tom was
in the middle Of his last speech when
we noticed a oma standing in the
wing with a note in her hand. 1t was
Mrs. Clarkson's servant girl.
almost hurrying through his words.
for Tom had caught sight Of her. too.
we came to the tag the last words Of
the play. They We're Q Q spoken, and
amid an outburst Of applause the cur
tain came down. Scarcely waiting for
the roller to thlmp upon the stage Tom
rushed at the girl and tore the note from
her hands.
Il saw it afterward-this is how it
read:
".Tom. dear Tom, our darling has
fallen and hurt herself. come home
quickly
Without waiting to change his dress.
without waiting to wash off the grease
paint and mascara, in his stage costume.
wig and all, just as he was, just as he
had made the first and biggest success
of his life. he rushed from the stage.
pushing aside every n who stood Won
dering in his way; with eyes staring like
a madman's. all the terror and grief
that was eating at his heart looking out
from his face, he ran headlong down the
staircase and passage to the stage door.
crying: Get me a cab. For Gods sake,
a cab. Oh. my God. my darling. my
darling. be quick. She may be dead.
Just as he reached the threshold
something seemed to give way. He
tripped and fell forward on his face. and
a great gush Of blood spurted from his
mouth and nose.
They picked him up so tenderly.
those supers and stage hands standing
round about, and carried him into the
doorkeeper's room and sent for a doctor.
But when the doctor came poor Tom
Clarkson was dead.
well, no, that is not the whole of
the story. The whole company sub
scribed. and the manager gave a benefit
for Mrs. Clarkson, and a nice little sum
was raised. We have never let her be
in want, besides Tom had always been
a thrifty man. But the most interesting
part Of this anticlimax to me is yet to
ONE Sallie did not die. We had good
doctors for her. and she grew up straight
and strong and tall, and if you will
come to the Adelphi this evening you
will see my little wife make her debut
on the stage. We have been married
eighteen months. Tracy L. Robinson
in New York Recorder.
more people were executed III England