The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1893-10-28
HIS LAST ROLE.
Story OF the Riso and Fall OF an
Actor.

The curtain h al already been raised
three times and still the applause was
prolonged. They were compelled to
raise it again. DARTMOUTH, his left
hand pressed against his heart, his
right holding several gilt laurel crowns.
bowed, while his eyes filled with tears.
The braves increased to storm: he
wanted to say something to express his
thanks to the public, but the old come
dian could only open his lips and utter
mum bling sound. He was overcome;
his emotions were too deep to clothe in
words.
Canes beat on the floor with . furious
noise. The entire theater shook with
the sound. Again and again did the
ushers pass up to the stage paper palm
branches bearing ribbons ON which the
principal roles of the actor were
printed. Meanwhile Darzincourt
stood in the midst of the company that
had supported him the stage manager
left the group and embraced him in the
namc of the crowd. At the same time
hc placed one of the crowns on his
head. The crown. far too large, slipped
down to his shoulders, but what of
that?--the scene was beautiful
1t was on this tableau and amid fresh
and furious applause that the curtain
descended, leaving Darzincourt to take
off his crown and receive the fclicita-
tons of his comrades.
Never before in that provincial city
had 4 similar manifestation been made
over a retiring actor, and rs he was to
leave the stage permanently there was
no jealousy among his fellows SO he
retired to the Cafe de Ia Coincide, where
q second ovation awaited him. and the
fragrant smoke from the punch bowls
on the marble tables received the en-
thusiasrn of those who pressed for
ward to do him honor. And there
J,ot. ~
be sure.
The old habitues of the theatcr re-
preached him for leaving them 50 soon.
''Why. if one pIeases the public, one is
always young
And he, rubbing his chin. that had
been shaved for more than half q cen
fury, was obliged to defend his retire
ment. His hair was white; he was
TOO rheumatic to l<neel gracefully in the
love scenes. l.esidcs, he made his
mark. his life had been passed on the
boards Well, he needed repose. He
wanted to see the real country instead
OF faded canvas. He had dreamed of a
little far1n-a little garden where he
could smolse his pipe in peace to the
end Of his days. 1t was time to think
OF himself; he had given enough of his
life to the I,ub1ic And it was amusing
to hear him speak of his farming prof.
ects, seated there in the costume of
Louis Nv, with the ''ina1<eup' still on
his face, which in the heat of the cafe
<.listcned in oily lines.
At last the manager, with his ma jcs-
tic gravity, and also moved by the
libations he had taken during that af-
fecting evening, declared that there
was no telling what the future might
bring forth. Who could say that Darz-
iDcourt vvoAld not come back some
day? But the latter shook his head.
Mo- his dc .ision had been made; no
to e n
ing nothing
Two days afterward Darzincourt, in
stalled in his little house, his head COW
cred with q large straw hat, wearing
n linen suit and wooden shoes. began
to water his flowers in the midst of a
Eroiling sun. while chatting with the
little servant maid,
but you ought to wait till evening""
she said They will perish"
"Isah!' he smiled. "Flowcrs are like
much attention
From that time delicious life began
for him in the peace of his rustic home.
lie thought with horror Of the rchears-
ais of other days, of the constant
changing of costumes and parts to be
learned, and -shivered at the rcmem-
brance of those scenes which called for
nervous action. A. year OF peaceful
pleasure followed. He was very happy,
and why not? he kept asking himself
again and again-so often, in fact,
that he began to doubt if he felt SO sim
cerely.
This happiness at the bottom was
monotonous. Yet he was not willing
TO acknowledge that ennui had crept
into that pretty little house which he
had longed for much, and the more
he assured himself that he needed
nothing the more he saw that the days
that dragged by were abominably void
and dull.
To-day, seated in an arbnr taking his
coffee, he allowed his pipe to go out as
he read over some old plays, OCCASION
ally pausin.s to exclaim as he came to
some familiar role: "Ah, was great
in that And the old memories of the
past that he thought were buried came
to the present and sang a siren song in
his ears. All, the music of applause.
the shouts and braves that set the
lights trembling after an i1npassioned
speech! And the little servant coming
to remove the dishes surprised him
standing there flushed of face, his hair
blowing in the breeze, apostrophizing
an imaginary parsonage
''Ah, monsieur lie comte-at last we
arc face to face!:'
"a count here! Where is this count
of yours7"
And the girl laughed till the tears
ran down her cheeks.
oh, these old habits that we can
never lay aside! One fine day Darzirl-
court was forced to acknowledge that
he regretted the theater. Well, yes,