The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-12-09

church TO which she came with her
father and other friends, and they were
made one and went off together. There
was some talk of the count himself be-
coming an actor, but, whatever hap
pened, the old nobleman. his father.
could do nothing now.
Finally, the family held counsel that
they would forgive their son if his wife
would leave the stage.
Now, the beautiful Adelaide was a
born actress, but at the moment love
dominated her soul Her husband was
all in all to her. She yielded to his per
suasions and retired from the profession
she adorned.
She went to live with the great fam
ily, who were very kind to her. She
tasted all the sweets of idleness and lux
ury and was adored by her husband
She was for awhile perfectly happy.
But slowly, surely, a nameless long
ing crept into her soul. She felt her life
dull and uninteresting. The artist with
in her got the better of her. Her one
great longing was to act once more, to
tread the stage as Of yore, to live the
life for which she was born. She
dreamed of it at night, she dreamed of
it by day, but she never spoke Of it
Her word had been pledged and she
must keep it.
Society had ceased to charm her. All
occupation was wearisome. She turned
her attention to the poor and was boun-
tiful to them. Among other wretched
people, she gave aims to the poor crea-
lures in the debtors prison. 1t was in
the year 1847. At that day, in the place
where she abode, creditor who chose
could cast his debtor into foul prison
and let him rot there.
There was, l believe, some law which
made it compulsory to give the man who
owed money which he could not pay
bread and water. For all else he had to
depend on charity, and there were bars
in his cage behind which he could sit
thrusting out his hand for whatever
pitiful strangers chose to give.
The Countess Adelaide had often
spoken to one unfortunate man, gen
! tleman whose debt was very large, and
one day it came into her mind that there
was way in which he might be deliv-
cred from his bonds and restored to his
helpless wife and children. Accord
ingly, she spoke of it to her husband.
| Her idea was to give an entertainment
to the public, the object being specified
in the public prints and in private letters.
The tickets sold at high prices; actors of
position would be inplored to offer their
services, and she herself would take the
principal part.
To this the count gave his consent.
His parents, after some demur, agreed
that acting for charity, and to such an
audience, was not Objectionable, and
one night the play was put upon the
boards of magnificent theater.
Once more Adelaide, in all the splendor
of queenly costume, walked the stage.
Once more she was happy. And how
she acted!
Applause rent the air. Her wonder
full genius impressed all who listened.
The old delight in it returned to her
husband, and none was more enthusiastic
than his relatives. l do not know what
the play was, or would give its name
to my readers, but those who saw ii
that night never forgot it.
How often did they call the beautiful
countess before the curtainl how often
did she smile and courtesy and kiss hel
hands to them! She was happy for the
first time for long, long months. A good
dec1 had been done. The poor debtor
dappy, too, for his debt had been
pad, and he had money besides to begin
the world with on his day of freedom
His wife knelt to kiss the hand of the
benevolent countess, and the poor man
himself, bevildered by his unexpected
good fortune, could only weep. Happi
ness was restored to a home that had
been very miserable. AS for Adelaide
herself, hope arose in her heart. The
sensation her acting had caused was 81
tremendous that the whole feeling o.
her husbands family changed. Italians
are all artists enough to feel pride IL
genius like hers, and when she unbur
dened her heart to them and told of he
longing to return to the stage they CAV
their consent, and so that greatest of al
modern actresses, Adelaide Ristori, be
gan the triumphant career that ha
made her name known in every country
in the world as the greatest of all mod
ern tragic actresses.
Surely no one can say that truth may
not be as romantic as fctiOn.-Mary
KYLE Dallas in Fireside Companion.