Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-05

-A'''o-~s
Punch and Judy.

ABOUT fifteen actOrs and actresses who
might have served as models for their bet
tor known comrades Of the larger Partisan
theaters. They were never discontcnted.
never III; they never arrived too late Tor
Fehearsal. nor had they ever been known 10
miss representation. Their docilty was
marvellous. their modcsiy exemplary. Ao-
tors and actresses played what they were
tod to In the manner desired and when
ordered to. They never refused part.
respected the authors text. never demanded
a raise Of salary extra fircs, nor notices on
inc bill posters; they never dreamt OF be-
corning meinbers Of the Coincide Franchise
making tours In the provinces. In Russia.
OF both the Americas.
the happy direotress Of this happy the
alter was never IN trouble with the press.
never argued with the critics. nor quarreel
with her artists. These excellent and indie
iatigabie comedians were always In good
humor. Everything suited them, every
thing pleased thom; In fact they were n
model troupe. 1t 10 true they were but
troupe OF Marionettes.
Nine, Lamblin had become drectress Of
one OF tho little Punch and Judy shows In
the Champs Elysees during tho last years
OF tho Empire. Aud this is how had the
honor Of becoming the friend OF this ro-
! spectacle woman. In 1855 they were play
/ ing one Of ofonbaoh's opera eomiquea at
/ the Varieties. At that tine there was
\ httlo roly-poly OF woman IN the chorus.
not very young.not l; AL prettyVery home
| W IN fact; she was my despair. She was
always In evidence. seeming "a look for the
opportunity Of putting herself In the front
RANK she was not one OF those inert aud
eomnoloscont chorus girls who march with
llstless air, hanging arms and mourntul
yisage, through the ltveliest pieces. Her
gestures were correct. she took IN the s9nu-
inent OF the situation, but she insisted upon
putting into undue prominence Il supremely
ugly face, and by her overanxiey to act,
disturbed the whole misnn-seeac; 80 much
so that said 10 the prompter one day:
What Is that womans Nance
Nine. Lamblin."
We'll. this Nine Lamblin is unbearahle."
BUT she is anxious TO please"
she Is too much So and sho Is fright
fully uEly. Toll her to remain mudestly
IN the last row. II is her right place. But
toll her quietly"
l assisted at distance, without taking
any part In tho explanation between tho
! pFompter and Mmc. Lambln. She was
! furious showing all the slrns % most vlu-
lent Indignation. but all at once, turning
| her back TO tho prOmpter the poor woman
left the stage gnStlculatlng distractodly,
"she was not easy to manage' tho
Q NA"'ANhNA lahAA W AAN az NN AfhNAANA 70 Nlh
place IN the front OF the stage, 'she has
gone away furious and think wa Will not
SEQ her again"
But was doomed 10 soc her araln, never
thuloss. An hour afterward an was lcav-
Ing the theBter nftor rehearsal / found my
chorus gin In the Passage dos Panoramas.
standing beside the stage door. Upon per-
cclying me she Htralghtened herself up and
came toward me. and can assure you the
Passage des Panoramas has never witnessed
20 ridiculous sight before nor since
ESQ Monsieur" she said. crossing hor
arms, "thero Ia nothing left for me to do
but to give up tho theater2"
why Is that"
because I am too ugly: tho promptor
told me that from ou,that was too uglyl"
Aud then there was torrent, NOT Of
words but OF tears. She burst out amid
sobs into broken sentences. for sho sull
continued to talk;
'Nu, ! am not beautiful know that
| but 1 have an intelligent face. and | put
! sorle life In your chorus. This Is not my
FIRST appearance. | come from Montpelier, /
have sung Ia Favorlm, not Lconorei but
Ines; Il is not great part, but II IS a part
Notwithstanding have voice, 1 am a
musician, and no Que over told mo ] was
too ugly at Montpelier"
These phrases we're broken by sohs, The
poor woman was Htrangling sufocatcd by
an excess OF conyulsiye despair And al
this because tho prompter had forbidden
her to take the Premier Plan. The paEsers-
by had stopped and now formed lutte
group around US. What Is It? What Is
the mnttor with herr" / had never found
myself In so sorry and pitlable a situation
before, and / was deeply touched by the
poor w0man's grief | took her gently by
the arm and persuaded her to SO IN again
I seated her In chair In the cOnclorge'S
room. The latter was an excellent woman
Mere Sagot, accustomed to tho trials Of the
stage and we'll aware that thoy were not
eternal
"Ah. Monsleurr she said after ehe had
Gained down little. 81 ask you 10 pardon
me; ! am SO unhappy, Yes. you are right.
I am too ugly
Il did not say that"
you said 1t to the promptor and he re-
poated Il TO me. Then, as | am no longer
20, nor 30. nor 40. am too old for tho
stage; yes, too old. see there Is only one
thing to do | have hnsltated but I will
hesitate no longer. viii purchase tho
'Guignol' Of the Champs ElysGas.''
Nothing could sound stranger than this
last phrase uttered In an accent " re-
signed melancholy, with voice still re-
talning traces OF tears. could not resist
saying: 1.-THE Punch and Judy Of tho
Champs Eiysees?'
''Yes. am In negotiation with the pro-
prietrcHs, Nine. Rlnard. She Is anxious to |
retire and live In the country. She had |
offered me her privilege 1t ~ not bad |
lnNGhlINtuts hilHts AhiAAlA HAtuN n luI- i
tune out Of Il. She wants 1000 francs. 1 |
have thom, my Aunt Peggy'a legacy. Yes. |
Will buy the Gulgnol."
She arose, readjusted her bonnet and |
hair before tho mirror, wiped her eyes. and |
Ia softer voice said:
'Onoe more, pardon. Monsieur"
Making me very dlgniAcd courtesy she |
went her way. Che was never toen at the
thoater again.
All this had happened In the middle OF |
winter; two or three months later as / /
was crossing the Champs Elyseeg, was
stopped before one Of the little Marionette |
Theaters. / always liked Guignol, hts |
comedies, comedlonnos and public; his |
public above all else. This parquet Of |
bnbles are ferocouH critics. do not mean
the non-paylng public who gaze upon tho |
piay from '.dsrrlcre Ia corde;" I speak u |
the children. who. for the most part, belong |
10 the rich bourgeosie and khopkeepers |
Thoy possess a purely revolutionary IN |
stinct. they arc always ready 10 battle |
arainst authority; they side With the poor |
aFalnst the rich with the robber agains,
the robbed; they are always opposed 10 the
the gend'armes and the 4and-
lord.
Therefore. stood outside the charmed /
circle. In order 10 take Il all IN, tho public
and the stage. The PAID seats were niied 4
WITH rotlonleks children. thsir eyes nxel
ttcir counlenancea beaming with pleasure
and admiration, The curtain had just
rieeu on one Of those Interiors whish dls- /
traurht an perspective. The play was one
Az 4 Z