The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-03-01
A QUEEN
OF OLD DRURY.
a Story Of the STAGE.
20 .%.%: :%9~9>A1~3~.~.~.%.


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sf When Barton Booth was slowly dvins
and Mrs Oldfcld often too i'll to act and
ere Kitty Give had yet emerged into the
sunit path of prosperity. the town was
anxiously awaiting the coming of some
new favortc.
~ Were there to be no successors of Anne
OlIGcl and Mrs. Bracegirdle? Were
the Booths and the Bettertons, then. ex
tine? In the tavern and the coffee
houses, at the street corners, in the
grecnroom Of Drury Lane and within tho
charmed circle of the court itself the self
Same questions were asked and despair.
insly ans Hcrcd and asked again.
A Lying in her sickbed in Il small house
near Clare market. Susan Ford one
n1ht overheard the subject discussed
bnrath her open window. The uncouth
sojces Iwoke her from Il titful slumbcr.
end raising her wasted form on one cl.
boV. She rubbed her eyes and yawned
lauauiiIy.
M "Iounls! ''Tis a pity Anne Oldfcld
W
Ter with some slight elegance of tone.
"a "I faith Wen ne'er see another like
be-" came the reply.
a The pale face in the dimly lighted
broom viviicd with keen interest as its
po~sc~sor caught the purport of the con
Nel~ation.
q What actress have we now worthy Of
4thc namc" another voice exclaimed.
fWho can rouse us to fever hcat?'
"a There is none. nor actor either" chin
lei in Il cautankerous bass. "A plague on
3'em all. There's not an ounce of fire in
The whole fell tribe of en-
"a Yea, but ye make a mistake. Master
#Rayncr. If yc'd have Travelled as |. We
4woull have known of one who'd set all
Nlon3on agog an if she choSc-a little
provincial husSy, mark me, as fiery as
4the devil and swecter than the angels.
saw her near by DoncaStcr now close
8upon two years agone Her name was
K &Su-an-SUSan-aye Susan
u The sick woman had lcapcd from her
4bel and rushed to the window, but the
Nrest of the colloquy escaped her ears.
NI he SoSSipcrs, already moving away ere
She had diSccrned the personal interest
8attaching to their remarks, had passed
Nalong out of sight and out of hearing.
For a moment she stood translixed
#witb one hand clutching the curtain
Susan" she muttcrcd Susan who?
&Oh. can it be? Can it be? Yes. yes, Sill
Hfan Ford in certainty God has sent
8hn TO cheer me in my illncss-to cncour-
Vac me to be well. All. must get strong.
N will. | will be the queen of Drury yet
8and Rupcrt-Rupcrt will love me the
4nore 10 see me idolized by all the high
Hand great, by all the big, the mighty
4public,"'
n In the buoyancy springing from this
8hewly aroused ambition she strobe up
anI down the room, her diShcvclcd hair
&clih.ng round her frail figure, her hands
Htlghuy clasped, keen excitement in her
4eyc>
She thought of all her appearances
4niIcs away in country booths, of her lit
*tle successes in provincial towns. of the
4Loncy of applause even from gaping yo-
kelS, of her longings to do something
tgrcat-to hold an audience entranccd. to
haEc them weep or laugh. just as she
NIIcl. How often had she glowcd with
la'onSe delight as she pictured her tri-
nnph in London. From every box in
~ fury Lane carls and beauX would cheer
fher' the pit would rise to its feet and
N HfhoUt It's appreciation. And aftcrwarl
4court potcntates would crowd round her
M the grecnroom and shower praises up
4on her. But there would always come
8'h' anttheSis to this bright drcam-the
fehrWed contemplation of the duh gray
III stern reality, with all its attendant
&poHvFty' lnSlgniicance, monOtony.
linen Drnry Lane would seem to tower
4'poFe her like Il gigantic frowning rock,
ana could She weak and fricndlcSs, scale
.le prcclWce and gain footing on those
ulzzy heights? Nay, as she viewed the
prospect her heart would quake, and hot
tears, half with anger, half from despair,
would food her eyes.
Aet one day after Il long period of de-
Nspohdency her hopes had been revived to
some good purpose While playing at
Ludlow she met Rupert Vcndovcr, the
elu'St son of Sir Reginald Ncndovcr. "A
p''Fe oId cavalier, who enjoyed the lei
sure earned by an active hunted life in
'ne cause of Charles H. The young ltu-
pert romantically enough. fell in love
WIN her, and for many days followed
H'I win the company of stroling players
iioill one place to another. He urged her
va III the pursuit of fame and. showing
u!uVht love of her beauty, respect for her
virtue and every sympathy with her as
prations, very soon gained her undivided
auection. Ultimately he had brought her
" London, to this very house. promising
4 half.
but suddenly those ambitious schemes
y hers were shattered again. Sickness
e'Iuck her down. For months she had
laln IN this room. weak and spiritless.
oniy Itupert'f daily visits had kept her
eha'nored of Afe. IT, ever act again
seemed an q pssibiity.
but now, iugh a few chance words,
a." 'he Old entss eagerness took hold Of
ut aireSlk iipath of fame stood dis
eioSed an ~ "l she longcd to tread it
"iSh an Elr eonsI hing desire.
nuddeiE NJ, "iuiu Ter reverie a gust of
:, nu sl1 Sh 'h open lattice against
s"e wall IicoI a 'urhd. startled. and with
eEnpta iellprone upon the bed.
IN The s,a; a'er iHtsteps were heard
upoh I've room door was
sentereT, a tall figure peered in at hel
"eeisk spered, May | come inW