The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-08

ly Is behind the scenes,
Just the thing il Miss Barring Will
CO."
dear2'
II do not mind, il it will be all right
and shall not be in the why. should
like very much to have a peep behind
the scenes" Salome replied, eagerly.
"0h, It will DO quite right-we can
put you in our dresslng-Foom u there
Is anybody there, and perhaps Mr.. Lad.
colt may turn up during the show. II
he does We can soc what he says about
Miss Barring"
$50 We can" replied Flo, and so it
was arranged,
Several hours later the White Gypsy
had her first sight OF great theatre
from the point oil view OF performer.
When the trio OF young women reached
the stage quite q crowd Of players, bal
let girls, supers and others were crowd
ing along the passages towards the
dressing rooms. Before they sought the
small den set apart Tor their use, the
girls had a peep at the large tomb'likee
house which was still almost empty and
shrouded in semi.darkness, A slight
SILVER passed through our heroine as
her vision wandered around the great
black vault in front OF the stage, and
she iancied heraelt standing there about
to sing with the footlights blazing full
upon her and the eyes Of multitude OF
people watching her with a rapt, de-
Vo9Eing attention.
Then they hurried along the CORR.
doris and up the stairs until the small
room set apart, for the two artistes was
gained. Flo told Saiome to make her.
self at home, pointing out big box in
q corner for her TO seat heraef upon,
and seating herself as suggested, the
White Gypsy glanced about her.
There was no furniture in the place
save an old chair; on the walls, over
the long bench-like table which ran
along one side OF the apartment were a
couple OF mirrors; and the table itself
was completely Uttered with all sorts OF
odds and ends-rouge pots, powder,
puils, and pigments; empty chocolate
boxes, fragments OF cigarettes, q hare's
foot, articles OF Brnmmagen jewelry,
etc., etc.; while suspended from hooks
on the wall facing the cracked looking
glasses were the gaudy dresses and
bright.colored silk tights which Flo and
Violet were to don during different
parts OF the pantomime,
The dressing'room, wherein Salome
was seated, was surrounded on all
hands by4other rooms devoted to like
purposes, and the latter were filled with
ballet girls, supernumeraries, artistes,
| whose VoClterouS cries-some Of them
merry and thoughtless, others petulant
and angry, rang out without intermis-
sion. All were busy getting ready for
the front scene, and the girls were
shouting 10 one another from room to
room every sort OF statement and inter-
rogation. One damsel had lost shoe,
another's comb and brush were miss
ing, others had got somebody's else's
garments, and the lot Of them were not
only crying out their complaints, but
were actually rushing about the corri-
dor and adjoining rooms in quest OF the
missing articles.
Presently the babel auhsided little.
and when the first call came Flo and
Violet were ready to dart downstairs
and join the throng on the stage ere the
curtain went mp.
There is no occasion to dwell further
on Salomes first visit behind tho scenes.
Only once did she venture to the
wings" TO watch the show at the earn
est solicitation OF her two friends As
she stood there the eyes OF all the crowd
OF men and women waiting to take their
turn were bent upon her, and she
could hear the artistes asking each other
who she was.
There was small occasion to wonder
at the curiosity she aroused standing
quietly there amidst the painted throng
with her superbly lovely face, which
WAS set off TO the utmost advantage by
the large hat and great coat OF sealskin.
When the scene ended and her
friends came of the stage, she was lain
to hurry away with them back to tho
dressing room, from which she did not
venture again until the pantomime was
finished, aud the trio made their way
homeWards.
There was quite a small crowd of
young swells hanging about the stage
door, aud couple OF them stepped for
ward out OF tho dark and spoke to the
artistes, addressing them Familiarity by
their names, as ii they were old friends
But Flo soon rot rid Of their admirers,
and as they trudged quickly homeward
she said to Salome:
"Well, Miss Barring, what do you
think OF your first night behind the
scenes? Not much, dare say" she
added.
"0h, l dare say it IL right enough
when one gets used to it. But | must
say, although | am far from being q
prude, that think lot OF the girls do
not err on the side OF modesty,"
"ModestyW Flo exclaimed with some
scorn. GLOW can you expect modesty
for ten, a dozen, and twenty shillings o
week. But" altering her voice and
manner, II wonder how it was that
our agent, Mr.. Liddcott, did not turn
up tonight, aud just when We wanted
him, too?"
1T is funny" Violet Joined in, "ior
he has scarcely missed night since
the show began to run. l am sorry lie
wasn't there, for Miss Barings sake"
II dare say he was busy elsewhere,
Salome responded, "and | shall have