The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-04-28

dog and a little rest" and so sank into
the sound sleep / so desperately needed in
preparation for the ever 10 be dreaded
first night of "L'Article A. of the French
penal code.
The house was packed-well known peo-
Pile were seen all through the theater Act
first represented the French court with a
trial in fun swing-it played for one hour
lacking three minutes. | was on the stage
ten minutes only. l was told MIR. Daily
shook his head violently at the crutan
fall.
The next act I was not in at all-but it
dragged and when that was over Mr..
Days peculiar test of public feeling
showed the presence of disappointment.
Like many other managers, he often plac-
ed men here and there to listen to the
comments made by his patrons, but his
quickest, surest way of judging the effect
q new play was making, was by watch
ing and listening at the very moment of
the curtains fam If the people instantly
turned TO one another in eager speech,
and a bee-like hum of conversation arose,
he nodded his head with pleased satisfac-
tion-he knew they were saying, How
lovely?" That was fine effect?" We've
had nothing better for long timer 1T 5
just divine!" Its great" etc.
When they spoke slowly and briefly he
shook his head; but when they sat still
and gazed steadily, straight ahead of
| them, he called new pay for rehearsal
next morning.
That second act had made him shake
his head-the third came on with Cora S
| rejected lover-her stranging tears of
| self-pity-her whirldwind of passion end
| ing with that frantic and incredible
threat; the people caught at it! | suppose
| the swiftness of its action the heat and
| fury, followed so c,ose upon the two slow,
| dull acts, pleased and aroused them. The
| curtain went up and down, up and down,
call after call, and when al last 1t was
| allowed to remain down, myriads of bees
might have been swarming in front, and
| Mr. DAILY, nodding and smiling, as / rush
| ed past on my way to change my gown
said: Hear 'em-hear the bees buzz
that's good! Now if only, you"
| | waited not the rest-too well / knew
how to complete the sentences: IF only
| | could safely hive those swarmins bees
| for him. Could I? Oh, could /? For the
moment was at hand-the mad scene,
| SO dreaded, SO feared!
The Great Moment.
Three things 1 had counted upon-to
help my efforts-the crouch. the laugh,
the scar. The crouch had just done
splendid service at the end of act third;
would the other two be as effective?
| | went up to the stage-I was to be dis
covered lying on a lounge. Miss Daven-
pore, magnificently handsome in person
and gown, beside me-the others at the
gambling table. AS she took my hand
| she gave a sharp little cry: "Heavens!
| she said; you might be dead-you are
| like iJe." She touched my forehead, ask
| ing: Are you ill-why your head is
burnig hot! hot! Mr.. DAILY, just touch
her hands and head!'
He looked down on me in slence-two
pairs of frightened eyes met-he gave a
| groan-threw out his hands helplesly-
stepped off the stage, and signaled the
curtain up on what was to make or break
| the play-end he knew no more what to
expect than did one of the ushers out in
front.
Under cover of the music and the APP
pause accompanying the curtains rise, /
| caught myself muttering vaguely: 1.-THE
power and glory-the power and glory,
and knew that Involuntary l was reach
| ing out for the old staff on which had
| leaned so many time before
The scene was on the laughing cynid-
ism of the Baroness; the chatter of the
payers-then at last George and Cora
were alone
My terror had slipped from me like a
garment, / was i'm the play once more
safe for just one awful moment George
had torn the veil from my distigured
face and casting in my teeth the accusa-
ton: You are madr' had left me there
alone standing, stunned by the word
That was the moment of actual dethrone-
ment of reason, and as I slowly. stupidity
turned my eyes, | saw Mr.. Days white
face thrust forward eagerly. His gray
eyes wide and glowing, his thin hands
tightly grasping the lapel of his coat-his
whole being expressing the very anguish
of anxiety!
One moment 1 felt was lost! 1 had been
dragged out of the play at the crucial mo-
ment, / clasped my hands across my eyes:
1.-THE kingdom and the power!' groaned
i faced the other way The low erie mu-
sic caught my attention-awakened my
Imagination, in another second / was as
mad as a March hare!
The first time the low, gibbering laugh
swelled into the wild, long sustained
shrieking hal ha! voice said low and
clear: "Oh, dear God!'
Yet I who had heard the genuine laugh
at the mad house, knew this to be but
poor, tame, soulless thing, compared to
that Mecate-like distiIlation-the very es-
sence of madness, that ran through that
real gibber of laughter.
Yet it was enough At the end there
came 10 me one Oh lilOS6
grants now and then as a reward for long
thirst. way WEAKNESS and heart-sickness
patiently born One of those foolishly di-
vine moments you stand with the gods
and like them are young and fair and
powerful. Your very nerves thrill har-
monious, like harp-strngs attuned-your
blood courses like quick silver for swift
ness; like wine for warmth, and on that
fair peak of Triumph where one tarries
but by moments; there is no knowledge
of sin or suffering-of death or hate there
Is only sunshine the sunshine of success!
Love for all those creatures who turn
smiling faces on you-who hold their
hands TO you with joyous cries!
There is no question of deserts-of quail
ifcations! No analysis-no criticism-just
them-they follow later. That is just a
moment of delicious madess-and to dis
tinguished it from other frenZies, it is