The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-04-09
THE rRAoED,.M sroRv.s.
How the Curtain Felt with Death Be
hind the &c nee.

THE TRAoEDl~N STORY'S.
How the Curtain Felt with Death BE-
hind the c!ns..
You must not run away with the
idea that was always q tragedian-
Success comes slowly In the heavy"
line can tell you; and I've mounted
up step by step in my profession.
Comedy and tragedy 60 hand in hand
in this life. and shall never forget
the night old Paul Ray mond died.
1t makes me 60 all of creep just
now and yet it's forty odd years ago.
for was a mere bit OF boy then.
about years OF age. having made my
first appearance when was only z.
My parents were both professionals.
you see; SO was nearly brought up
behind the footlights. made my
debut as Cupid. should think about
the best boys part one could choose
and it's made bachelor OF me ever
since.
used to float through the air at q
rope-end. and hated the suspense in
which Ihung lowering over the drama.
Anyhow. was promoted to tragedy
and played Cora's child. interspersed
with some songs between the acts
prosecuting the public on every posi-
BILE occasion. Poor Paul Raymond
he used to call himself Signor Ramoni
was the principal clown at travel
ing establishment and had 20 make
himself generally useful by taking a
hand with the trombone or playing the
bass fiddle in the orchestra -some-
times making twenty-five appearances
in one day, including his performance
at the front OF the booth, when he in
vited the crowd to walk up" acting
as money! aker also.
We we're once playing pantomime
at fair. Babes in the Wood. or
something like it. Now Paul played
the violin in the first part and was
then metamorphosed into the clown.
He used to carry me about the stage
in his arms and was very much con-
cerned for my protector during the
combat which / thought at that time
was more in earnest than 1t was mere
ly acting. 1t all looked SO realistic.
Well we'd just finished the trans
formation scene and Paul. coming on
as clown had to take flying leap
through the shopkeeper's window. He
had been in ill-health for some time
and it was evident he was in a weak
state.
He even trembled beneath nv
feather weight as he carried me across
the stage. and when it came to the
jump. he was as nervous as cat Ono
of the other members of the company
! think it was the harlequin. cried
out Nov. Paul. old man. you've got
to do it you know. You've done it
many time before. Don't funk. lad,
the house is full"
Well, he came back to the footlights
did some comic business, worked up
the audience as usual. ran up to the
window. and SHE'D at it like a hunter
at a gate while the audience. as if it
knew all was not right began to grow
restless.
'Jem," said Paul to the harlequin.
Il shall never be able to do it to-
night"
Seeing there was a hitch. the fid-
dlers fiddled away in the orchestra.
and the harlequin called to the clown:
You're all right Paul Make a
straight run for it and you'll do it.
You'll find drop o something to
pick you up bit in my can n the
other side"
The clown shock his head. looked
strangely across at me. and | could
see his frame shiver with emotion.
The eyes OF the house were upon
him. They began to hiss in front,
and, maddened to take the leap-for
the people who had paid their money
to see this part of the show. as well as
any other were relentless-with a
look OF contempt at the gaping crowd
Paul bolted through the window and
fell. not in the arms of the men who
were to have received him. but with
@ loud thud on the floor which sent a
shudder through the house
The men had waited for the leap
but finding he did not come passed
around to the wing to see what had
happened, just as the clown took the
leap and fell
Then there was a shrek from the
excited audience and a rush. and
cries of He's killed-hes killed!'
And there he lay, with the men who
should have saved him bending above;
but 1t was too late. The life blood
oozed from his painted lips and soaked
his chalked face as he lay, whittier than
the chalk itself.
And he tried to say few words, all
could hear was, There's no panto-
mime about this lads!'
And he quietly passed away. with
faint smile lowering round his red
dened lips REDEEMED more deeply with
his life blood.
The curtain fell on a tragedy behind
the scenes that night can tell you
and ! shall not readily forget my first
pantomime.