CHAPTER XIV.

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.