The Argosy — page 396: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SeORAMATIC CRITIQUE, AND WHAT CAME OFTT. i: ¥ By Mary E. Peny, “ AurHor or DesmMonp’s Mops,” &c. | s RAVO, bravo ! well done, Miss Sylvester!” cried the minazer of the Royal Kensington Theatre. ‘That speech -will bring the house down.” re The beautiful and popular young actress, dropping her tragedy airs all at once, acknowledged the compliment with a sweet smile and a Sweeping curtsey, then came towards the speaker. He was sitting at a little ‘‘property ” table on the stage, with his back to the footlights, superintending the last rehearsal of the new play, the author of which was Miss Sylvester’s brother. ‘You are satisfied, Mr. Hope ?” she asked brightly. ‘¢ More than satisfied! Your acting will save the play if anything can do it.” Her face clouded. ‘‘ You speak as if you doubted its success?” He screwed up his mouth dubiously. ‘Well, you see, it is rather formidable—a blank-verse tragedy in five acts, with Boadicea for a heroine! JI doubt whether it will ‘draw.’” “Then why did you accept it?” she asked quickly. “Tl be hanged if I know,” Mr. Hope replied, rubbing up his hair the wrong way. ‘‘During a temporary aberration of intellect I suppose. I didn’t mean to vex you,” he added kindly, noticing her expression ; ‘‘it is not that I don’t appreciate its beauties, only I am afraid they will be ‘caviare’ to the audience.” | “Don’t listen to him, Miss Sylvester,” interposed the manager's wife, giving her an encouraging touch on the shoulder. ‘‘ You know that Hope never ‘tells a flattering tale’ about a new piece till it hag filled the treasury.” ‘Which this one won’t”—put in Mr. Deloraine, the trazedian’ in a stage ‘“‘aside.”’ 3 “If it fails-as a tragedy Mr. Sylvester mizht turn it into a burlesque,” airily suggested young Carleton, admiring the effect o1 his own feet in sandals. - “Your acting will save him the trouble,” retorted Miss Sylvester, as she turned from the group, and retired up the stage. There was a general laugh, and the jeune premier looked slightly dliscomfited. “You deserved a snub for your ill-nature,’ was Mrs. Hope’s comment. “It’s a shame to discourage her when you know how she has set her heart on her brother’s play succeeding. Whatever we raay think of it, she considers it a work of genius.” . “And so does the author, by the airs he gives himself,” young ECoORnnicloooks (C©)