The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-05-05
An Overwhelming Success.

Then the curtain was rising. The cathe-
dral scene won round of applause,
and kneeling at the altar, as children say,
Il scringed" at the sound. THEFT after
a little | was coming down the stage and
the audience recognizing Madeline in the
nun. applauded long and heartily. and I
fairly groaned aloud. After that the act
proceeded really with stately
dignity, but to my terrified
eyes 1t seemed indecent haste;
and as fell into line with the church
procession of sisters. of novices, of priests
and acoytes. l felt myself a morsel in a
Kaleidoscope picture of bright colors.
The churchly purple and its red and
white, the brilliant gowns of the women
of fashion, the golden organ piped, the
candles burning starlike upon the altar,
the massed flowers and over all giving
touch of floating unreality to everything,
were the clouds of incense.
Then suddenly out of the blush haze
there cleaned the white set face, for love
of which l was to sacrifice my very soul!
The scene was on, swift. passionate and
furious and almost before / could realize
1t, the dreadful words had been spoken;
and with my foot upon the cross, ! stood
in a silence the like of which / had
never known before. | had not fallen,
stricken absolutely motionless with ter
| ror l stood waiting.
In that crowded building. even breath
| ing seemed suspended. There reigned a
silence like to death itself! 1t was awful
without changing my attitude by the
movement of a finger l pitched forward,
falling heavily at the feet of the dismayed
lover and the indignant priest.
! And suddenly, sharply as by volley
| OF musketry. the silence was broken by
applause Yes, actually by applause.
and beneath its noise heard voice be-
| hind me gasp: well III be blest!"
When all was ended, and after the final
courtesles had been extended and CRATE
| fully accepted there was an outburst of
excited comment, and more than one ex-
perienced actor declared that never again
would they even try to anticipate the
| conduct of an audience. Old Mr.. Fisher
| told MIR. Daily he had felt the rising hiss,
| and he was positive 1t was regard for
! the woman that had restrained its eX-
preston. Mr.. DAILY patted the old gentle
man on the shoulder. and answered:
"Perhaps-perhaps But If for her sake
the public has swallowed that scene one
night. the public have got to go on swal-
lowing II every night, and that's the
| important point for usl'
| Very shamefacedly / apologized for not
falling at the proper time and as | hur-
riediy promised to do so the next night.
to my surprise Mr.. DAILY stopped me with
| q quick: MONO! Cnange nOthingi
was in front and that pause starting
straight up into heaven. was tremend-
| ously effective. 1t was as If God offered
! you a moment to repent in-then struck
you down! Change nothing and to-mor-
row you shall have your hearts de-
SIRE"
! gazed at him in amazement. He
laughed bit malcieusly, and said: "Od
heat registers and things carry voices
/ hear many things. / have heard for
instance about man named .Dovey and
a wonderful toy terrier that weighs by
ounces. l wouldn't open my eyes any
wider, If was you, they might stay that
way. Well, will you show me the way
to Doveys by II tomorrow"
But" failed I'm afraid the price"
That's my affair."" ne answered curt
ly then added more kindly: Goodnight;
you have behaved well, Miss Morris, and
If can give you a pleasure, l shall be
glad"
And next day I owned the tinlest dog
in New York who slept in a collar box
by my pillow; whose bark was like
cambria needle, and who within five min
utes after her arrival, challenged to
deadly combat my beloved BERTHE, who
weighed good four pounds.