A STAGE SCENE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2101, 28 September 1875, Page 4

A STAGE SCENE.

According to the Cincinnati Commercial, Mrs Rousby has had an unpleasant experience in that city in consequence of the native artists to sustain her in "'Twixt Axe and Crown,"., at the Grand Operahouse. We are told that on the opening night Miss Helen Mathews was unable to play as Quean Mary—an important part, ■which one of the young ladies had to read. This was annoying. In the first act, and in the first throne scene, Mrs Bousby during one of her waits on the stage was having ft little " stage talk " with Isabel Markham (Miss Mara Davenport,) when the Spanish envoy, Simon Benard, came on reading his part from a book. Mr W. A. Paul had Jaken Mr J. C. Strong's part and had to read it. This substitution appeared to strike Mrs l Eousby with surprise and anger. i; At the end of the first act Mrs Eousby appeared before the curtain unattended. She was evidently laboring under great excitement, for her voice soon began to tremble, and her hands to work nervously. But what she said was distinctly heard. It was this :—" Gentlemen and Ladies, —It is a painful and uncommon duty to myself and to you that I have to perform. But I must say something in explanation of the disgraceful treatment I have experienced here. This piece has been miserably presented, and to-night one of the actors is drunk, and would not give up his part, and the result you have seen. Is that the way the public of Cincinnati is to be treated ? Is that the way to treat an English artiste—a stranger here ? This is a play I have, played a thousand nights before English audiences with eclat, and before New York audiences. I had wished to

produce it. here satisfactoriy. [Here the fair speaker's voice commenced to quiver.] Ton must pardon me if I show some spirit [she was crying now]' but I can't help it. I have done all that I could. (Immense applause.) But this is simply sh-sh-sh-ameful." (Eenewed applause.) With this the lady retired. But, the. matter was not allowed to drop there, The audience, heartily in sympathy devoted hands and feet to applause, until, bathed in tears, she again appeared, wiping her eyes, and bowed her thanks for their sympathy. Between this and the rising of the curtain again there were sounds of a quarrel on the stage. Dalton's voice could be heard raised in anger. The wait between the acts was long, .and' it was thought at one time that the curtain would not rise again. But it went up, and the second act was on. In the midst of this act, while Courtney was telling Elizabeth of the rising in her favor, there was a noise at the _ back of them as of scenes being rudely jostled— quite an interruption, in fact. This led Mrs Eousby to call to " let down the curtain," which order was obeyed, cutting off the act in the first half.