The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-03-23
PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
Aunt Martha's Story Of an Inter-
esting Drama.

'Stupid!" Jennie cried. "Is that all?
All the rest are too long, or too short,
or have too many parts, or some other
insurmountable objection. But mere
stupidity"
don't be sarcastic, Jennie" Dollie
said, lool ing up from her book. There
we're six of the girls, and on table,
chairs and even the floor were sixty, at
least, Of the books.
1t was just as Dollie spoke that Aunt
Martha came in; tall, prim and stately,
but as sweet as a rose for all that, and
prettier at sixty than half the women
of this world are at twenty.
"What are you doing?" she asked,
with mild astonishment.
Selecting play for private theatri-
Gals. We want to help the fund for the
sufferers at the b street fire." said
Tassie, collecting scattered books in
one great pile.
Private theatricalsH' said Aunt
Martha, with very odd smile. 'It
is a long time since l took a part in
private theatricals. Forty years and
more"
"YouP" we all cried in chorus, for
Aunt Martha, although she never in
terfered with us, was we'll known to
disapprove of theaters and all that be-
longed to them.
"The audience was very small" said
Aunt Martha, still with that puzzling
smile, land there were few perform
ers. Still tell you about it?"
"What was the play?" asked Edna,
perhaps hoping for aid in her perplex-
ities
"'The Midnight Alarm" said Aun
Martha
"Can get it?"
81 think not. 1t was composed for
the occasion and never written out"
By this time we had deserted the Ia
BILE and array of "acting copies" of
popular dramatic works, and were
drawn up in a circle near Aunt Martha's
chair, keenly interested in hearing all
about it.
.sIt was when was young girl"
said Aunt Martha, land had been in
vited to be bridesmaid for my very
dear friend, Dora Burke. She was the
only child of very wealthy widow
who lived in Willow Banks, and had
one of the most luxurious homes ever
visited. But it was in the country, ten
miles from large city, where Mrs.
Burke owned another house in which
her winters were passed, but which
was rented to lady who took Mrs.
winter.
$50, when it was decided to have a
grand wedding, it was also arranged
that it should be at Willow Banks,
where there were many spare bed
rooms, and which could be reached by
carriages from the city. One peculiar
ity of the domestic life must mention
here. Years before, Mrs. Burke had
been robbed by burglars, admitted to
the house by dishonest servant, and
from that time she would have no serv'
ant sleep in the house. A separate
building for their use was connected
by covered way and fitted up com
fortably. Here Mrs. Jones, wife OF
the head gardener, kept house for the
gardeners, stablemen and maid serv
ants, who were summoned when want
ed by bell from Mrs. Burke's room
A second bell, also connected with hel
her room, was an alarm, only to be
pulled if the men should be wanted al
night for fire or burglary.
"The wedding was very grand but
while the festivities were at theil
height, 1 was taken i'll with a severe
pain that was subject to. tried il
vain to conceal my suffering, and final
ly whispered to Dora's cousin, Mollis
Burke, that must go to my room anG
lie down. She wanted to go with me
but that would not allow, as she wa.
filing Dora's usual place in assisting
Mrs. Burke.
"'I will come in before go to bed,
she said, and l slipped away unnoticed
'My room was at the end of Ions
entry, room l liked because it com.
manded magnificent view, but il
seemed lonely to me that night, going
there from all the light, gayety and mu.
sic in the drawing-room. There was an
immense closet in it, as large as many
modern bathrooms, and in that was
slowed much of the rubbish that most
families own, odds and ends whose use
fulness is over, but which are too gooc
to throw away In this, carefully
hung up my fine dress, slipped on g
"OSiSh "ioPPSh oho SiO Po w Vic DCu
having only the bright moonlight tc
guide me. could not sleep, but the
pain wore away and lay quiet, won
dering how soon the guests would
leave. Already Dora and her husband
had driven away to the city, to star,
upon their wedding trip, but the rooms
had been still filed when left them.
~ cannot tell what made me think
then of the temptation for urglars
there would be in the house that night
The family plate, usually stored in a
bank vault In the city, and only dis.
played on great occasions, was all
spread In the supper.room. In tho
library were Dora's presents, valuable
Jewels, silver. lace and other costly of-
terings.
"As Il In answer to my fears. 7 sud