MY STAGE EXPERIENCE.
I was now in the hands of a pretty little "_danseuse_," who ran with me
into the "green-room," saying, "Oh! mother, see this beautiful Dolly,
that was thrown to me in a bouquet; isn't it pretty?"
"Yes," said her mother, "it is very pretty, but hadn't you better put
it down, and go and dance the "Craccovienne," which you have got to
dance?" "Certainly, mother, as soon as I have got my heels on." I found
out soon afterwards that it was her dancing heels. My new mother's name
was Caroline Eldgrave. We soon went home to a very nice house, where we
boarded. That night how thankful I was that I had got away from Madge
and Martha, for now I felt I should enjoy myself very much; and besides
that, I should see behind the scenes, and be in the dressing-room,
which I had often wished for. The next day my mother took me to the
rehearsal, and when she began to dance, she put me beside one of the
wings, so that I might learn to dance. We lived out in the country,
about ten miles south of my late mother's house, in a very neat
cottage. My new mother taught me a great many fancy dances, among which
were "La Cachuca," "La Craccovienne," "La Smolenska," "Highland Fling,"
and a great many "hornpipes," besides quadrilles, polkas, waltzes, and
the Mazurka, Redowa, and Schottische. My mother was to dance and act
in a new pantomime, which was called "The Elements and Fairies;" and
which she was determined to have me act in. So she asked the manager
if he could not have me do something in it. The manager consented, and
when my mother told me, oh! how happy I felt. My mother took me to the
rehearsal every day with her, and made me a dress. It was of white
gauze, over white satin, with gold spangles, and a gold paper crown on
my head. Of course I had little silver shoes and fleshings. I was to
represent the Fairy's guard in the clouds, and to appear in a sun. I at
first felt rather giddy when I mounted the pedal behind the sun, but I
soon got accustomed to it. I appeared to a lover in a dream. I did not
feel degraded, and I hope my readers will not think less of me.