A Peep Behind the Scenes

A Peep Behind the Scenes

The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Peep Behind the Scenes, by Mrs. O.
F. Walton Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to
check the copyright laws for your country before downloading or
redistributing this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook.
This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project
Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the
header without written permission.
Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the
eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is
important information about your specific rights and restrictions in how
the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a
donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved.
**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**
**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since
1971**
*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of
Volunteers!*****
Title: A Peep Behind the Scenes
Author: Mrs. O. F. Walton
Release Date: February, 2005 [EBook #7437] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 30,
2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A PEEP
BEHIND THE SCENES ***

Produced by Timeless Truths Online Library, Charles Franks, Juliet
Sutherland and the DP Team

A PEEP BEHIND THE SCENES
BY MRS. O. F. WALTON
Author OF 'CHRISTIE'S OLD ORGAN,' 'SAVED AT SEA'
'SHADOWS,' ETC.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER
I. ROSALIE
II. THE LITTLE THEATRE
III. THE DAY AFTER THE FAIR
IV. THE ACTEESS'S STORY
V. ROSALIE'S FIRST SERMON
VI. A FAMILY SECRET
VII. THE CIRCUS PROCESSION
VIII. LITTLE MOTHER MANIKIN
IX. THE DOCTOR'S VISIT
X. BRITANNIA
XI. THE MOTHER'S DREAM

XII. A LONE LAMB
XIII. VANITY FAIR
XIV. BETSEY ANN
XV. LIFE IN THE LODGING-HOUSE
XVI. A DARK TIME
XVII. ALONE IN THE WORLD
XVIII. THE LITTLE PITCHER
XIX. SKIRRYWINKS.
XX. MOTHER MANIKIN'S CHAIRS
XXI. IN SIGHT OF HOME
XXII. THE LOST LAMB FOUND
XXIII. THE GREEN PASTURE.

[Illustration: ]
A PEEP BEHIND THE SCENES

CHAPTER I
ROSALIE
Rain, rain, rain! How mercilessly it fell on the Fair-field that Sunday
afternoon! Every moment the pools increased and the mud became
thicker. How dismal the fair looked then! On Saturday evening it had
been brilliantly lighted with rows of flaring naphtha-lights; and the
grand shows, in the most aristocratic part of the field, had been
illuminated with crosses, stars, anchors, and all manner of devices.

But there were no lights now; there was nothing to cast a halo round the
dirty, weather-stained tents and the dingy caravans.
Yet, in spite of this, and in spite of the rain, a crowd of Sunday idlers
lingered about the fair, looking with great interest at the half-covered
whirligigs and bicycles, peeping curiously into the deserted shows, and
making many schemes for further enjoyment on the morrow, when the
fair was once more to be in its glory.
Inside the caravans the show-people were crouching over their fires and
grumbling at the weather, murmuring at having to pay so much for the
ground on which their shows were erected, at a time when they would
be likely to make so little profit.
A little old man, with a rosy, good-tempered face, was making his way
across the sea of mud which divided the shows from each other. He
was evidently no idler in the fair; he had come into it that Sunday
afternoon for a definite purpose, and he did not intend to leave it until it
was accomplished. After crossing an almost impassable place, he
climbed the steps leading to one of the caravans and knocked at the
door.
It was a curious door; the upper part of it, being used as a window, was
filled with glass, behind which you could see two small muslin curtains,
tied up with pink ribbon. No one came to open the door when the old
man knocked, and he was about to turn away, when some little boys,
who were standing near, called out to him--
'Rap again, sir, rap again; there's a little lass in there; she went in a bit
since.'
'Don't you wish you was her?' said one of the little boys to the other.
'Ay!' said the little fellow; 'I wish our house would move about, and
had little windows with white curtains and pink bows!'
The old man laughed a hearty laugh at the children's talk, and rapped
again at the caravan door.

This time a face appeared between the muslin curtains and peered
cautiously out. It was a very pretty little face, so pretty that the old man
sighed to himself when he saw it.
Then the small head turned round,