Year: 1875




cutting up sheets of tissue paper manu-
script with long scissors. The rumble Of
the press in the basement gave the floor
tremor beneath the visitors feet.


'Is the dramatic critic in?' said he, after
moments hesitation.
The scribbler nearest pointed with his left
hand to figure in the corner, while his
right hand kept galloping over. long strips
OF yellowish brown paper. Kingston APP
preached the parsonage thus designated,
who had tipped his chair back against the
wall and was refreshing himself with an
apple and mug of steaming coffee.


"Do you notice the theatres, sir, for the
Dsssensinator ?''


81 have that pleasure" said the gentle
man, rather loftily.


81 should like" said Fred, drawing up
his chair SO near that he could assume
confidential tone, ''to print this, or some
thing like it, in your notice tomorrow morn
ing of the performance at the Lyceum."
The journalist took the manuscript, and
seemed to read it at single glance. Then
he looked at Fred more carefully than he
had done before, and with rather queer
expression in his eyes.


"Were you sent here by anybody with
this ?''


ooh no, sir,' said Kingston. "It is no.
body's matter but my own. shall be very
happy to make it right, of course, ON your
own terms,' and the lad felt for his pocket
book.


"You are quite mistaken, sir" said the
critic, with a fantastic flourish of his pew
ter mug. "This is the Office of the Daily
Dissemsinator. Our praise is unbought, as
our censure is unterrifed. May ask if
have not seen you at Old Cambridge ?''


''It is quite possible, sir,' said the fresh
man, little puzzled, "but l cannot re-
member having met you before"


every likely" replied the other; "I
never forget a face, and I am rarely mis-
taken in student of Harvard College. AS
to your discriminating notice of Miss Grey
it may need to be modified somewhat to
make it harmonize with my own article;
but will see that something is said''
Kingston was dimly conscious of being
quizzed, but there was nothing he could re-
sent; and as the writer took up his pen and
seemed to consider the interview ended, he
| murmureG some rather vague thanks, and
withdrew. AS he reached the first landing
he heard.a burst of laughter; and pausing
inv pfo ori1x f,,
detected his own sentences of panegyric
| read aloud with a rattling fire of comments
| from several voices. Chagrined at his evil
dent blunder, and attributing it to Ben
nett's advice, he hurried away; and it was
not till he reached the bridge that the sooth-
| ing influence of a charming image came be-
| tween his heart and his modification.
Even this did not wholly eradicate the
impression which his visit to the newspaper
Office had made; for he hastened out into
the Square before breakfast in the morning
to purchase copy of the Dissenainator.
There was long analysis of the traits of
the stars performance, as usual; and at
the foot of it Kingston's eye fell upon this
paragraph


'Miss Elizabeth Grey for so we presume
she was christened,) made a moderately
successful first attempt at playing Francois.
| This little lady is becoming pet of the
juvenile class in the audience at the Win
throp, and some of her admirers were quite
lavish in their applause, but maturer judg-
ment finds much crudity and inexperience
in her acting, and only careful study and
assiduous labor can win 11er real success in
that career to which, from her transfer
from farce to serious drama, she seems to
aspire"


To some temperaments blow like this
might have had sting in it; but Fred
Kingston was at an age and at stage Of
passion which tossed such things off very
easily. He saw only virulent malignity il
the words of the critic, probably pensioned
by some rival actress to decry the rising
genius of the stage; and without stopping
to brood over the matter, he set about
thinking in what other way he could serve
the object of his alteration, and give ven
to the feelings Of his heart. He must have
been musing over it in the night-watches
for it was an amazingly short time after hi
had shut himself up in his room before ht
was pacing up and down, running his fin
gers through his hair, and murmuring, will
a careful solicitude for. feet and rhythm
the following lines


Fly over the footlights, my gift, and drop down,
At the feet of the maid that's the pet of the town,
And when she bends DER you, some violet say
|
One may see ON the stage hosts of beautiful girls
And bewitched by their eyes, and ensnared b
their curls,


He may think from the skies they are seraph
astray:


But they're none OF them angels, save pure Bessi
Grey.


All the rest are composed of the commonplace stuf
And for aught that 1 know are good creature
enough;


But there's one has been touched by heavenly IA
And she can be no one but bright Bessie Grey.
There's not one that is worthy with her to compare
Not one half SO modest, so graceful so fair,


And whether she's pensive, or whether she's gay
She is equally charming, is sweet Bessie Grey.
With her dark waving hair DER a brow white a
snow,


With her cheeks where the pink bushes dart t.
and fro,


With her eyes which the soul that's beneath then


betray,


There Is no one can choose but adore Bessie Grey


[Concguded in our mert. ]
II A Sacramento lawyer remarked to th'
court:


i '1ts my candid opinion, judge, that yo,
are an old fool!''


| The judge allowed his mildly beamins
eye to fall upon the lawyer brief moment
fIaaaa Il.