River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-08-01
The END OF The PLAY.
BY Mrs. POultney Bigelow.
, CURIOUS play to bring a young

A CURIOUS play to bring a young
n girl to, isn't it?
"She doesn't understands; she's
saint All her life she has been in
the depths of Cornwall This is the
first time she has ever been allowed
to stay in London"
why did you bring her here?"
Because she insisted upon coming
to see Mrs. Calthorpe Saw her photo
in the burlington Arcade, and said
she must see her play. Look at her
now! Isn't She a picture? She's so
Innocent"
Col. Eastwood, in the back of the
box, watched Daphne Brooke, sitting
in the front. lie could understand
how the girl appealed to kind, world
ly Lady Hamburg, though he could
not imagine why MIR. Brooke had con
fidcd his precious. long-sequestered
daughter to a comparative stranger.
Mrs. Calthorpe meant TO play
something else, rather nicer for the
young person" continued Lady Rain
bury in whisper, but this thing
was substituted at the eleventh hour.
DO you think Daphne's shocked?"
The girls eyes. round and clear,
with u sort of inner light shining
through them. were fixed on the
stage. She sat very straight in her
youthful white frock. which was I'M
ornamented save by the young, firm
figure which rounded its lines girl
the sight of whom recalled every
hackneyed smile OF May buds, spring.
dawn--eyery synonym for freshness,
health. purity.
Mrs. Calthorpe was going through
a scene with her lover. the usual lover
of the usual married woman of the
usual French play. She was the par
tial wreck of beautiful society WON
an. Fifteen years ago she had tired
of her husband and left him. She
was stage mad, aud the one indie
struetible article of her creed was
faith in her own genius. She was her
own sole worshiper, though not hei
only flatterer, She did not go alone
An actor high enough in his art t.
have known better undertook &c
launch her. A prince smiled upon hci
first professional appearance, and the
public. unfortunately, smiled, too
She had kicked away her world anC
the other one which she wished tc
conquer was not at her feet Her
companion. who had the face of {
priest and the reputation of lady
killer, was still faithful. There were
lean years which sowed white hair.
in Marion Calthorpe's gorgeou,
treSses, and drew anxious lines il
what was once the loyliest brow il
London. Dye. greasepaint. facia
massage, CLOSED over the damage foI
a time. The soft, rose-tinted face
became the wooden. haggnrd, thicldy
roughcd couutenance now known L
play-goers; but the figure kept it.
iitheness, the manner still told o
breeding.
And now Daphne Brooke was in ;
theater, two-thirds full of paper" an,
nne-third of people who came TO Sc,
Worth gowns. and to gloat upon til,
NhdAASNN NApuSht ~ tAAC itdt years.
There was something about the ac
tresS which made the young girl wan
TO cry. 1t was not only that the par
seemed to her foolish and wicked ant
dull; there was a tragedy in the grea
eyes deeply underlined with black.
How terrible" thought Daphne
''if she was some ones mother"
She herself had never known he
mother; she did not even possess
picture of her. Her father did no
encourage her TO talk about her Hi
grief was still too fresh.
When the act was over Daphn
turned TO Col. EASTWOOD
Can you tell me about Mrs. Cal
thorpe?' She asked, wtstfully. Il
She married TO the man Who acts witt
hcr?"
"A--no," said the colonel NO; il
Is her ling man, You understand
\ theatrical expression, YOU know"