The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-18

5 i
beautiful and ennobling thing. The I'M
pulse stirred within her to think with other
minds, to fee! with other hearts, to realize
the conditions of others being.
An orphan at 90, with no serviceable
friends and bare $50 year, it became In
cumbent upon her to choose means of
living, She obtained an engagement to
walk on" al a West End theater, and
there fortune or fate made her acquainted
with Mark Ingolsby, one of the actors.
The interest she aroused in him led to his
giving her course of instruction. In the
attachment of ii parent for his offspring
and the veneTafion of a child for the au-
.tior of her being probably began that
affection betweaD pupil and teacher which
eliminated in love aud marriage. He was
as badly furnished with the sinews of war
as herself, and such union might well be
deemed imprudent. But Esther was richly
endowed withsgenius and Mark had very
fair capital of experience and reputation
upon which he might rely 10 keep the wolf
from the door.
Years passed.. during which Esther per-
fected her dramatic education. They
were generally very poor. for neither pos
sessed the knack of getting on" Happy
friends, and neglected opportunities Of
advancement.
Then came dark period of struggle
and distress. alleviated by brief, precari-
Gus, wretchedy paid engagements in the
sQualid provincial theaters. These vicis-
STUDIES did Esther good service in her art
by widening and deepening her knowledge
of human nature. Experience OF the
phases of life which she had to portray
mi rIy har INN III nn q
From her husband she had acquired
grasp of stage technique. From him also
she learned love, ldeallty, falth. just as
from her religion she gathered reverence
and a true sense of good and evil. Nor
was the great lesson of maternity denied
her. She heard the first cry Of her own
=. flesh ana blood, and within a year she
saw the infant fade and die. ana listened
to the thud OF the earth upon its cofhn as
they laid it tn eternal rest
Thus was Esther's genius trained ana
nurtured SO that it craved irresistibly for
greater triumphs and forced her back to
London. They had established a little
suburban villa home, and it was hard
matter to maintain that refuge for their
wandering feet. Sore had been their
: struggles to keep the gas from being cut
off, and the water, too, and TO pay the
overdue rent and taxes.
81. Coming back from provincial tours with
a little money saved. they again and again
ton. They ere wearing out III heart and
mind, IN body aud spirit ESthers youth,
. that precious possession, was passing from
her Marks courage had so often been
:: bent to the ground that it was losing the
power of recovery. Worse, he was losing
the capacity TO work, either upon the
stage or with the pen. His memory failed
him. He could not co ceGu8te his
thoughts. His nerve was gone-hope was
deserving him.
- The crisis came at last. Bailiffs were
put into. possession Of the little villa, and
:Alr. and Mrs. Ingodsby knew definitely
g. how. many days would elapse before their
furniture would be sold up and they would
;. have nolonGer roof to cover them.
+: Esther went of to town, desperately re-
:.solved to take any engagement. however
; unworthy. that would provide them with
food and shelter.
" That day she trudged from door to door
f of eleven theateFs, and was rewarded by
obtaining audience Of no less than i've
: managers. each OF whom CHANGED TO stand
. in: pressing need of just such an actress as
herself. And yet she returned home dis
engaged" and this was the way of it:
= A. difficulty had arisen at the CoTlDt THAN
Theater about filling the leading female
: role in an old play that was 10 be revived
there Thelady star of the C0rlnthian did
not consider the part good enough for her
to appear in, and was in consultation with
the chief and his stage manager as to how
1t should be 1lted when Esther happened
to arrive.
. The lady star had vainly suggested her
:: understudy and various artists of indffer-
ent personal and artistic attractions. The
chief was resolved that the part. although
a moor one. should be interestingly played
"L0ndoD must be full of suitable women,
=. If we only knew OF them; but I've scarcely
:seen q performance outside of this theater
for twenty wears. You go 10 the mail
j. nees, Poppleioy." ne said, turning to his
stage manager: Haven't you in your
mind some pretty, talented girl?
'''About year ago l saw lady who
.:,woIld play this part to perfection"
= I'VE: don't expect perfection when our
. starts outsof the hill"
And we don't want it," added that
lady, with a little cramp in her beautiful
.:brows.
:: There came a whistle at the speaking
::tnbe and the stage manager answered it,
=: 1.-The girl | spoke Of S'below at this mo-
:. nient." said he. Would it not be as well
. Ia see. herr"
:. Esther >. Ingoldsby was accordingly
): brought into. the presence. Esther was
won't to. dress herself with the design that
no one:should turn the head to look at
:sher. Her face, although it kindled into
= absolute. beauty when viewed over the
=. foouights, was not striklngly handsome
without the accessories of the theater.
:. Her, m anner, was timid and humble and
gave NO Indication of the talent she
possessed. A glance at her disarmed the
Jealous prejudice of the star. She gave
i. little conserving nod 10 the manager and
= walked out of the room.
=. Ittranspired that Esther had many times
! played the part she was wanted for. She
went on To- the stage and rehearsed the
principal srene.
-: Her Interpretation startled those who
: watched and listened.
E: Had it been mistake TO regard the
character as wretchedly written or was j.
:. the throbbing soul Of this Esther Ingolds-
by that magnetized eacn feeble situation,
aid the melody of her voice that gave
beauty to the commonplace lines?
-. TIE great actress who had scorned so
poor a part found tears bli1dIDg her eyes
and her pulses ferceIy beating as she stood
= In the shadow OF private box, looking on
unseen. She could scarcely scrawl mes
:. sage to the manager:
.: !...Do not rngage that woman. L will play
1.-The part myself"
~; A:cabinet council was being held in an
Other stheater when Esther sent up her