The Story-Teller.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 928, 22 July 1891, Page 4

The Story-Teller.

A SOCIETY ACTRESS, Part I. ' -i {Continued.) When it; first became known that Mrs Adoir contemplated going on the stage, Society could not find enough to say on the subject. Some declared it was Ike wisest thing, under the circumstances that she coqld do ; others pronounced it the cro'wriing act of folly m the . foolish woman's life. Site, upon vrh<*nj Paine Fortune had showered her gifts with so generous a hand, ant) who had so ruthlessly flung her blessings away : wha-t farther bestowal could she; expect I) tine Fortune to have m reserve For her ? fcihf bad shown herself too ungrateful for past kindness jnstly to anticipate f attire I favours. This rushing into publicity was but a vain tempting of. Providence, j and Society decided, all thinga consi dered, that it would have been more becoming, more womanly, if Mrs. Adair had bo. n content to rest m the shade Tr.'nV social untie. But Clarice A<lair judged difiVrenih. Tht opinion of Society af fected her little. She an.l it had hidden a''ieu to oach o'her some time back: am) she had no intention or wish to gain a readmittance within its sacred portals Its approval or c ndetunation carried no weight with her, and m choosing the stage hs a profession ibe acted solely on the impulse of a certain dramatic instinct which had long lain dormant m her, urged on by the spur of necessity. Work for a livelihood she must ; then let the labour be as much: to her liking as was possible One of her few remaining friends ebbneed to be a man of considerable theatrical influence and judgment, and it was a careless speech which had-oncef dropped from his lips that 'had set- the dramatic instinot throbbing anew, m her breast and strengthened the"Vague'longing into firm determination,. _ • What a pity your lines "Were not cast upon the stage?' he MdMiiitfonce i t(*ber. ' You have all the .Attributes necessary for a cliarmjrig^adtrqs, : ftffWjjbeptyy, a melodious ..voice, , mobile -exjiression 'of, co'untehaHcp'.-aii-li r: the J iswift; ! sUbt l e ihtellH' aence. to jgrasp.a situation', and,. ■ cleyerl y interpret it. /You would &al£e : your fortune m no timtf/ 1 -'''-^'"' I*1 '* '^^{uu.-ua i ..;.- Am) when Mrs AlTalr, was jn search of a fortune the % almost^forgdt£eff woi-alliad recurred to her, mini, ,and, the, had acted upo > them. : i „, , . ,■ •-• , "'. ' Six month's hard^labour? m, r the pro vinces first, where her pai^st^fqugeit'orts met with genuinja success^'and t)ien' she' bra vnd the witicis in '6f : ' a 1 s i-Iljii A*ion audience, and; took ;f.h,e nygrld . by «lorm Fashionable ; yyaui-'n,; ligit frieniis of a frivolous 'pas V "wh 'Se hamls had once ptesieu 1 hers m welcome greeting, but whose eyea were now turned away at her neat approach, were moved to. tears by the thrilling tones of her pathetic voice, wooed. t0 smiles by the rippling cadence of her laugh, carried away by the force of the actress's own H»»sion. She had all the emotions at her .finger-tips, and could swaj those of others by a single expression of her expressive face. Her triumph was complete, her success secured, and her rwiiuiieration far beyond her wildest expectations, The future ahone clear before her, but the shadow of the past cast its darkness over the' brightness. The links of an invisible chain cut deep into the soft flesh, and the soul of the woman wat aad within.. Beneath the gay laughter the te&rs: were lying, and under the mask of gaiety remorse hid its face, for memory can live even though love c»n die. Bub was love dead ? That w»s ; the rjaestion — the question to which there seemed no satisfactory answer. A woman may be quick to read the hearts of others, and yet find it difficult to rightly interpret the feelings of her own. Amongst Mrs Adair's many admirers — and they cc-mafised all ranks — none was more ardent than young Lord Bamer. He was a mere lad, but his love, like all boyish worship, waxed hot and strong, A good-tempered, warm hearted, generous-natured youth, with more money than brains. Absolutely his own master, with none to thwart or influence him, he passed light-heartedly through life, gratifying every wish, satisfying every desire ; often falling a prey to stronger spirits tban himself, but never willingly pursuing the paths of vice. Clarice Adair's auburn hair, warm white skin, pathetic grey eyea, and lips curled like the petals of a scarlet flower, worked swift havoc m the boy's impressionable heart, arid of all the adoration offered at her shrine, none was more complete, more pure, more entire. To bask m her presence, to strive to win her love, to make her his wife, was his one longing and endaarour. Partly on account of his youthful years, partly because she really liked the boy, and failed to see m his attentions anything deeper than sincere friendship and admiration, Mrs Adair had admitted Lord Darner somewhat raort completely into her private life than most of her other admirers. He was freely welcome to come and go at all hours. The sound of his gay young roice and genuine laughter had more than once scared the bine devils of remorse from their stronghold m the woman's heart, and Clarice had learnt to look for his coming and to regard his presence as oat of the pleasures still left m her life.