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Show CONDENSED CLASSICS I PEG WOFFINGTON I By CHARLES READS I t f Condensation by v X Edward H. Crosby PEG WOFFINGTON stood before the mirror In her dressing room at the Theater Royal, Covent Garden, London. She was alone with her thoughts, and they were both serious se-rious and pleasant, if the play on her mobile features could be taken as a criterion. She was summing up her eventful career from the time when but a child of eight, cold, ragged and hungry, she had been found on the Desmond quay in Dublin by an actress who undertook her professional education, edu-cation, to the present moment, when, as the reigning actress of the British capital, she had the world at her feet. She had many admirers and quite a few flirtations, but they had all been ephemeral, as Peg Woffington could quickly detect idle flattery and the sycophancies of the jeunesse doree which hung about her shrine. She was a woman of the world, keen, suspicious and cynical, and while she toyed with her galjants, her heart and soul were in her work. But one evening eve-ning she noticed in a box, a face new to the theater. He was a man evidently evi-dently from the provinces, but he gazed at her with'undisguised admiration. admira-tion. Night after night he was at his post, listening intently to every word she spoke and with an unmistakable air of respect. She waited, thinking like all the" others, ha would seek an interview, but as time went on and he made no attempt to bring about an acquaintance, acquaint-ance, Peg's curiosity was piqued and by guarded inquiries she learned that he was Ernest Vane, a country gentleman gentle-man of means and reputed a bachelor. One night, however, Mr. Vane was brought to the green room by Sir Charles Pomander, a man about town who had long but unsuccessfully sought to win Peg's favor. Miss Woffington Woff-ington was not in the room when Mr. Vane first arrived. He quickly adapted adapt-ed himself to the novel surroundings and launched into a eulogy of Peg's personal charms and histrionic ability. During Mr. Vane's remarks Teg had entered the room and overheard her praisos so' eloquently sung and. knowing know-ing that Mr. Vane was unaware of her presence, she was impressed with his sincerity. Then they were introduced and Mr. Vane was almost speechless with admiration. All that his imagination imag-ination had painted, was more than realized. Her beauty, her - intelligence, intelli-gence, her graciousness were overpowering over-powering and Mr. Vane, in his embarrassment, embar-rassment, could only stammer a few commonplaces. Here indeed was a novelty, and her ciiriosity turned to interest. She was still cautions and would treat her new-found friend with varying vary-ing moods. As she stood before her mirror, she was awaiting the arrival of Mr. Vane. They had become warm friends, much more, on the part of Mr. Vane, who had openly declared his love and had sent her many tokens of his affection, which Peg had accepted, but with her peculiar whim she had declined anything any-thing save some inexpensive gift, telling tell-ing her lover that it was the sentiment senti-ment which she desired, not the intrinsic in-trinsic value of the present. She had decided to reveal to Mr. Vane that she, in turn, loved him, but the old, suspicious sus-picious feeling would not leave her. When they were alone together Peg placed her hands on Vane's shoulders and gazing fixedly into his eyes said: "Ernest, we actresses make good the old proverb, 'many lovers, few friends,' but no one outside our circle knows how much we need a friend, Will you be .one to me?" And Ernest promised faithfully. Then she gave herself up to the intoxication in-toxication of the moment. With all her adulation Peg was lonely. There had been no one to whom she could go and open her heart with a sense of security, and when Vane poured into her willing ear his avowals of undying un-dying love and devotion. Peg's hungry hun-gry soul drank in his words as the thirsty earth absorbs refreshing showers. show-ers. She was supremely hnppy. Sir Charles Pomander did not at all relish the turn affairs had taken. He had planned many schemes to win Peg's affection, and when he witnessed wit-nessed the triumph of one he regarded regard-ed as a rank outsider his love turned to hate. ne endeavored insidiously to poison Vane's mind with stories of Peg Woflington's past life and on one occasion he was nearly successful. James Triplet, a hanger-on at Covent Garden, was recognized by Peg as one v.'ho had befriended her in the early days of poverty. Triplet was a playwright play-wright and scene shifter, and to give him assistance Peg offered him a commission com-mission to paint her portrait. Peg's visits to Triplet's studio were told by Sir Charles to Vane as evidence of Peg's faithlessness, but the falsity of the charges was soon proved and Vane's infatuation was stronger than ever. Sir Charles had almost abandoned aban-doned hope of defeating his rival until un-til one day. when returning to London Lon-don from the country, he gave assistance assist-ance to a woman whose coach had bo-come bo-come disabled. Tin.- iK'iuny or tne uuly so. impressed im-pressed Sir Charles that he sent hl9 servant to learn her identity, and the wan brought back word that she was Mrs. Ernest Vane. A deadly weapon was thus placed in Sir Chrfrles' hands, but he refrained from making public his information until the proper moment. mo-ment. A banquet had been arranged by Mr. Vane in honor of Peg Woffington Woffing-ton and Sir Charles managed to have Mrs. Vane appear when the festivities were at their height. His scheme was successful and the effect of Mrs. Vane's advent was electrical. elec-trical. Mr. Vane, not knowing that his wife was in town, was filled with consternation, but Peg's tact did not desert her even in this trying moment , and she Introduced those present asi members of the nobility. Mrs. Vane was not 'suspicious, and accepted the situation in good faith, but Triplet, who had brought verses in honor of Miss Woflington, and being unaware of . Mrs. Vane's identity, revealed the true facts and the wife was heartbroken. As for Teg, she was furious at the deception placed upon her. She fully ' believed that Mr. Vane was free to woo her and then in a moment, her dreams were rudely shattered and her faith in mankind destroyed. She determined de-termined to take desperate revenge. She would, keep Vane at her side in spite of the wife and then, when he was firmly in her toils, she would publicly pub-licly discard him. Filled with these thoughts she went to Triplet's studio where the portrait he had painted was to be exhibited. The first glance showed the picture to be a wretched failure, and even Triplet acknowledged his defeat. But there was no time to lose, for the critics were already approaching tb.e studio. Peg, with a sudden inspiration, inspira-tion, cut the face from the portrait and, having arranged the draperies so that her body would be concealed, she placed her own features in the aperture. aper-ture. The comments of the connoisseurs connois-seurs were ludicrous, some declaring there was not the slightest resemblance resem-blance to the original, others that the flesh tints were imperfect, and still others that the drawing was out of all proportions. When the opinions had been expressed, Peg came from behind the easel and expressed her views in true Milesian manner. Peg remained after the others had departed and told Triplet of her intentions in-tentions toward Mr. Vane. Unexpect-Sdly Unexpect-Sdly Mrs. Vane knocked at the door of the studio. She had been followed by Sir Charles Pomamhr and had sought refuge from his attentions. Peg had no desire to meet Mrs. Vane, but there was not sufficient time to escape, es-cape, so once -more she went behind the easel and placed her face in the portrait. Mrs. Vane, after explaining explain-ing her presence, noticed the picture and exclaimed : "You are a great artist, Mr. Triplet, the likeness actually breathes. Oh that she were here, instead of this wonderful image of her. I would speak to her. I am not wise or learned, but orators never pleaded as I would plead to her for my Ernest's heart." She paused for a moment and then, addressing the picture, continued: "Oh, yes, you are beautiful, you are gifted, and the eyes of thousands wait on your every word and look. What wonder that he, ardent, refined and genial, should lay his heart at your feet? I cannot take him from you but oh, be generous to the weak and give him back to me! Give him back to me, beautiful, terrible woman, and I will love you longer than men can love !" Suddenly she started back with a wild scream. "It is alive !" she cried, and running run-ning to Triplet, hid her face on his shoulder. For Peg had been so affected by the piteous appeal of the heart-broken woman that with all her self-control she could not check the tears which coursed down her cheeks. Peg ordered or-dered Triplet to leave the room and when the two women were alone Peg turned to Mrs. Vane and said calmly: "I trust, madam, you will do me the justice to believe I did not know Mr. Vane was married?" "J fUS sure Of It," replied Mrs. Vane. "You are as good as you are gifted." ; Peg then promised to so degrade herself in Vane's eyes that he would leave her in disgust, but to this plarf Mrs. Vane refused to agree. Finally' Peg arrayed herself in Mrs, Vane's, cloak and hood, threw a note from the window to Sir Charles, who was waiting wait-ing below, which they knew would bring that worthy Into the room, and then dispatched Triplet to summon Mr. Vane to the studio, Mrs. Vane concealing con-cealing herself in an adjoining apartment. apart-ment. Sir Charles responded to the summons immediately and In a moment mo-ment was making violent love to Peg, whom he mistook for Mrs. Vane. In the height of a most impassioned scene, Vane entered and made the same error as did Sir Charles. Swords were drawn, but Peg disclosed herself before matters became serious. The thought that his wife was beloved by another produced such a shock to Mr. Vane that he realized he still loved her and the two departed togettier, leaving Peg with her unhappy thoughts. Peg Woffington never recovered from this episode. She plunged once more into her work, but life had lost nil its interest. She did not remain long on the stage, but retired to private pri-vate life and devoted herself to charity, char-ity, Mr. and Mrs. Vane being her stanch friends while she lived. Copyricht, 1M9, by the PoBt Publishing Co. (The Boston Post). Copyright in the United Kingdom. th Dominions. Its Colonics Col-onics and dependencies, under the copyricht copy-richt act, by the. Post Publishing Co., Boston, Mas., U.S. A. All rights re-! served. i |