Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-03-06
pI.IVATE THEATRICALS.
Aunt Martha's Story of an Inter
eSting Drama.

small paper bound volume, this Will
not do at all. 1t is stupid"
"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, looking up from her book. There
were six of the girls, and on table,
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
4 of this world are at twenty.
what are you doing?" she asked,
l with mild establishment.
"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 theatricalsy' said Aunt
| Martha, with a very odd smile. ''It
| is long time since l took a part in
private theatricals. Forty years and
more"
"You?" 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.
1.-THE audience was very SMALL" said
Aunt Martha, still with that puzzling
smile, land there were few perform
ers. Still l tell you about it?"
''What was the play?" asked Edna,
perhaps hoping for aid in her perplex-
tiles.
1.-THE Midnight Alarm" said Aun
Martha
"Can get it2'
II 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 q circle near Aunt Martha's
3chair, keenly interested in hearing all
about it.
1T was when l was q young girl"
Il said Aunt Martha, land had been in
vited to be bridesmaid for my very
dear friend, Dora Burke. She was the
only child of Il 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 Il lady who took Mrs.
Burke and Dora as boardcrs for the
winter.
} $50, when it was decided to have u
grand wedding, it was also arranged
that it should be at Willow Banks,
}whcre there were many spare bed
rooms, and which could be reached by
carriages from the city. One peculiar
ity of the domestic life I 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 tho house. A separate
building for their use was connected
, by u covered way and fitted up COM
i fortably. Here Mrs. Jones, wife of
the head gardener, kept house for the
gardeners, stablemen and maid serv-
ants, who were summoned when want
, cd by bell from Mrs. Burkc's room.
A second bell, also connected with her
) her room. was an alarm, only to be
? pulled if the men should be wanted at
night for fire or burglary.
{ Tho wedding was very grand, but,
, while the festivities were at their
, height, 1 was taken i'll with severe
pain that 1 was subject to. tried in
vain to conceal my suffering, and final
r ly whispered to Dora's cousin, Mollie
3 Burke, that must go to my room and
= lie down. She wanted to go with me,
but that 1 would not allow, as she was
filling Doras usual place in assisting
: Mrs. Burke.
"'I will come in before go to bed,
II, Nd c1i
'My room was at the end of a long
.Ientry, room liked because it com
! imanded q magnificent view, but it
o lsccmed lonely to mo that night, going
b 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
q lstowed much of the rubbish that most
? families own, odds and ends whose use
Ifulness is over, but which are too good
Q Ito throw away. In this, l carefully
hung up my fine dress, slipped on a
lwoolen wrapper and crept to the bed,
: Having only the bright moonlight tc
Iguide mo. 1 could not sleep, but the
u pain wore away and l lay quiet, Won
3 lderipg how soon the guests would
y leave. Already Dora and her husband
had driven away to the city, to start
upon their wedding trip, but the rooms
= had been still filed when left them.
!. 81 cannot tell what made me think
\ then of the temptation for burglars
There would be in the house that night
The family plate, usually stored in q
;. bank vault in the city, and only dis
a played on great occasions, was al
J. spread in the supper-room. In tho
library were Dora's presents, valuable
II Jewels, silver. lace and other costly Of
(. Iferings.
L "As if in answer to my fears, I sud
? denly became aware that some one
d moved softly along the entry, creep
ling, creeping, to my door, and SO across