644 Pleasing Moments of an Actor's Life. 



"Hark! It is their summons in the thunder's roar ! I come! 

 I come ! " 



Paralyzed and distorted throughout each nerve of his weltering 

 frame in his one hand the convulsively grasped scroll, in his other 

 the fatal pistol, lay lifeless the scarce cold and gory body of the 



unfortunate M . The ball had penetrated the right ventricle 



of the heart, and having made its way out between the shoulder 

 bones, had fallen, flattened like a pellet, at the foot of the stone slab 

 against which it had struck. His death must have been instantaneous ; 

 " but never, oh never (writes a witness of the appalling scene) shall I 

 forget the fearful expression that lingered on his slaty countenance ! 

 The scorn of triumph blending with the fierce death grin ! His 

 thoughts had battled themselves to rest ! " 



THE PLEASING MOMENTS OF AN ACTOR'S LIFE. 



" List, list, O list." 



GOING to the Theatre the first night of a new piece, in which you are 

 to shine on your arrival being told that the part is cut out al- 

 together, the manager having insisted upon its being done upon 

 hearing who was to play it. 



Having to play a prominent part in a procession to " take the 

 lead" of a wild beast upon reaching the centre of the stage, said 

 beast misconducts himself in the usual manner " Picture" "general 

 shout" and, "curtain falls." 



Standing to be sung at (by a lady of course) through a song of 

 half an hour's length, during which time you take as many attitudes 

 as would fill out the " Grecian Statues," and get no thanks for your 

 pains. 



Fighting a " desperate combat'' when suffering from rheumatism 

 in right shoulder, with every prospect of an encore. 



Being compelled to support an actress (the heaviest on the esta- 

 blishment) upon one arm during a long hysterical faint, the other arm 

 being engaged holding a pistol at a demon, or robber, or seducer, or 

 some such person 



" O gods J ye gods, must I endure all this ? 

 All this ! Aye more ;" 



and this is it upon being pursued, obliged to fly with (i. e. to carry) 

 your " honourable load 5 ' to the summit of a " frightful precipice," and 

 it being the end of the act, there you must remain till the drop puts an 

 end to your sufferings. 



NOBODY. 

 (To be continued.) 



