Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-04-29
DAILY SHORT STORY
She Couldn't Say 1t.
EOriginaI.1

Raiford was but forty, and yet he
had made a fortune on the stage. 1t
had been a hard struggle for the first
ten years, but very easy during the
second. Nevertheless he had so often
| looked forward to a day of rest that
now he wan independent he resolved
to retire.
To his surprise his wife did not share
in his enthusiasm over his prospect OF
rest
"What does this mean, Ida" he
said. "For years you have been fear
ing 1 would break down from over
work, and now that propose to retire
| you are dissatisfied. However, your
past encouragement and advice have
| been too much to me to warrant my
sighting your opinion. Give me your
reasons and if they are convincing
will remain in harness."
But the poor woman could not give
| her reasons. They We're only in her
feelings, intuitions, the germs of rea-
sons. So she made no reply, and the
great actor. after dozen or more fare
wells, gave up his profession. Long
Island is u favorite place for actors
| country houses, to which they go for
! rest in the summer, when most of the
theaters are closed, and the pair bought
choice spot there overlooking the
ocean and built an artistic residence.
Here they lived happily from May till
November then went to the city for
| the winter. For two or three years
Raiford enjoyed his rest thoroughly
He did absolutely nothing. Then he
began to read. There were thousands
| aR -. til, L.,
| the inside, and it seemed to him that
he had found paradise. Half a dozen
years were spent in this pastime, with
occasional trips to.the south in winter.
I Then, having exhausted those subjects
in which he naturally took an interest,
he concluded to make a tour of the
world. His travels kept him amused
| for several years longer; then, return
ing to his country seat, he settled down
once more TO quiet life.
1t was then that his wife first began
to see signs of dissatisfaction. He had
resolutely kept away from the theater.
! fearing that its influence upon him
would be like that of glass of liquor
| to a drunkard. Now, after reading in
the newspapers of the stars of the day.
some of whom during his prime had
been cast in the lowest parts Zone or
two were supers), he began to get fidg-
ETY..
''TO think" he exclaimed one morn
| ing to his wife, that Bradburn should
be considered fine actor! In my time
he was tried in an absurd play he wrote
himself and made an absurd failure"
Perhaps he was ahead of his time"
said the wife demurely.
Nonsense! He was not born to act
and never can act. The stage has de-
generated. In those days we had real
plays-London Assurance she Stops
to Conquer-and the newer ones were
still plays, such as The Colleen Bawn'
and 'Rosedale.' Now performers are
simply shows to attract the crowd"
He fretted and fumed till one day a
New York manager. one who was es-
pecially given to getting up shows to
! attract the crowd bethought himself
that he might turn an honest penny by
| bringing the famous Raiford back to
the stage. He visited the retired actor.
now fifteen years older than when he
had last trod the boards, and in hon.
eyed words informed him of what Raj
| ford had Informed his wife-that the
stage was running down and the pub
lie lOnged for n return to better things.
Raiford was captured and signed a con-
tract for one night.
For a month before the performance
he talked to his wife about how he
would show the people the great gap
through which they had gradually
passed from the old to the new. Ida
listened to him, but said nothing. Then
he scolded her for her want of sympa-
thy and finally drew tears. Having
succeeded in this, he embraced her,
gently Gliding her for at one time wish
ing him to remain on the stage ard at
another opposing his return to it, Since
she was no better able to give her rea-
sons than before, she still maintained
silence.
The night of the great performance
came. Raiford had chosen the play of
"ROsedale,' in the principal part of
which Lester Wallack had been so pop
ular. While Raiford was dressing the
manager came to him to say that there
would not be a very full house owing
to half q dozen incidents which would
affect any performance. A slight shock
passed over the actor.
Had he been forgotten?
Never mind; he would show those
who were there what he could do.
When the curtain went up, the seats
were but half filed. 1t nerved the star
to action. Into the style to which he
had been accustomed he threw an in
tensity which rendered it more marked
even than before, more old fashioned.
The audience sat silent as the grave
stones of a cemetery, and before the
play was half finished Raiford wished
they were gravestones. In one scene
where the hero is awakened by a vii
lain ready to murder him he hoped to
retrieve himself by a splendid GOODNESS. |
He succeeded, but as he would have |
succeeded fifteen or twenty years be- |
fore.
"Ratsw cried a voice from the gal |
A.,