The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-03-01
A QUEEN
OF OLD DRURY.
A Story of the STAGE.
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M When Barton Booth was slowly dying
an Mrs. Oldfield often too i'll to act and
ere Kitty Give had yet emerged into the
sunlt path of prosperity, the town was
anXiously awaiting the coming of some
new favoritc.
N Were there to be no successors of Anne
Ol3dcld and Mrs. Bracegirdle? Were
tn Booths and the Bcttertons, then. OK.
tinct? In the tavern and the coffee
houses at the street corners. in the
greenroom of Drury Lane ana within the
charmed circle of the court itself the self.
same questions were asked ana despair.
my ans Ycrcd and asked again.
M Lying in her sickbcd in a small house
near Clare market. Susan Ford one
nisht overheard the subject discussed
Beneath her open window. The uncoutb
goices awoke her from Il ftful slumbcr.
and, raising her wasted form on one 81.
bow, She rubbed her eyes and yawned
hugndly
a POUNDS! Ills a pity Anne Oldfcld
w. not young again." quoth one speak.
er, with some slight elegance of tone.
"a 81 faith Wen ne'cr see another like
be- came the reply.
II The pale face in the dimlv lighted
room viviicd with keen interest as its
poSScSSor caught the purport of the con.
Fcr>ation.
81 What actress have we now worthy of
thc name" another voice exclaimed.
FWho can rouse us to fever heat -
s. There is none, nor actor either" chin
81 in cantankcrous bass. a plague on
Ven all. There's not an ounce of fire in
til whole fell tribe of EN-"
N Yea, but ye make mistake, Master
Rayner. If ye'd have Travelled as |. We
would have known of one who'd set all
london agog an if She choSr-a little
provincial missy, mark me, as fiery as
the devil and swecter than the angels.
saw her near by Doncastcr now close
pp6n two years agone. Her name was
ku-an-SuSan-aye Susan
Il Ihe sick woman had lcaped from her
be- and rushed to the window. but the
fest Of the colloquy escaped her ears
Nhe gossipcrs, already moving away ere
Sic had diScerned the personal interest
attaching to their remarks, had passed
along out of sight and out of hearing.
4 For a moment she stood tranShXed,
%ith one hand clutching the curtain.
Susan" she muttcrcd. Susan who?
Ch, can it be? Can it be? Yes. yes, SUI
fan Ford in certainty. God has sent
PIN to cheer me in my illneSs-to cncour-
ege me- to be well. All, must get Strong
y will, | will be the queen of Drury yet,
snd Eupcrt-Rupert will love me the
nore TO see me idoliZed by all the high
sand great, by all the big, the mighty
spublic"
"a In the buoyancy springing from this
sheWly aroused ambition she strobe up
ani down the room. her diShcvccd hair
1cllnsIng round her frail figure her hands
tgAtly clasped, a keen excitement in her
'fycS.
n She thought of all her appearances
nIleS away in country booths. of her lit
r. successes in provincial towns. of the
boncy of applause even from gaping yo-
keIS of her lodgings to do something
great-to hold an audience entranced. to
hakc them weep or laugh, just as She
NiI!rd. How often had she gowcd with
lnlonsc delight as she pictured her tri-
enph in London. From every box in
l'rury Lane carls and bcauX would cheer
ber the pit would rise to its feet and
fhort It's appreciation. And afterward
eourt potcntates would crowd round her
p the grccnroom and shower praises up
Son her, But there would always come
9he antitheSis to this bright drcam-thc
fenowed contemplation of the duh gray
stt stern reality. with all its attendant
PoyeIty. inSigniiicancc, monotony.
a linen DruY Lane would seem to tower
fboye her like Il gigantic frowning rock,
8ahd could She weak and friendlcss. scale
lhe prccipice and gain a footing on those
Splzzy heights? Nay. as she viewed the
NproSrcct her heart would quake, and hot
pears, half With anger, half from despair,
would food her eyes.
Yet one day after Il long period of de-
&fpondoncy her hopes had been revived to
3soAe good purpose. While playing at
Ludlow she met Rupert Nendover, the
NeIdest son of Sir Reginald Ncndover, a
pta'o old cavalier. who enjoyed the lei
3furc earned by an active hunted life in
'he cause of Charles III. The young Ru-
- i'L4ldulltdlli tIbuEus ltu III l'Nt
WIN her, and for many days followed
Ier with the company of strolling players
prom one place to another. He urged her
oh IN the pursuit of fame and, showing
aldcnt love of her beauty, respect for her
&'lftue and every sympathy with her as
plratIons, very soon gained her undivided
3alection. Ultimately he had brought her
70 London, to this very house. promising
70 use what influence he had in her be-
\ half.
But suddenly those ambitious schemes
h OF hers were shattered again. Sickness
struck her down. For months she had
IAN in this room, weak and spiritcss.
only Rupert'l daily visits had kept her
enamored of Aife. To ever act again
seemed an III possibility.
But now, uugh few chance words.
al the old eagerness took hold of
her afreSlR lipath of fame stood dis
closed ARK IN she longed to tread it
Suddern "ilid Ter reverie a gust of
wind slf " ei IN open lattice against
'he walV; She turnd. startled. and with
hysteh val cry fellprone upon the bed.
A mEnu'e iater footsteps were heard
upon stairs. Tie room door was
opened ana the goodwfe who tended he
enterem, a TAN figure peered in at hel
heels whispered, MAY come in?"