Out of her sphere - University Library

284 OUT OF HER SPHERE.
were alike inimical to its interests. Con-
certs and concert-singers did well at St.
Bede's. But the play-house and players
were looked upon shyly by the stricter
religionists, and regarded with a little con-
tempt by those who were more lax in their
ideas. To-night the theatre had made a
great eJBPort. Its display of gas and play-
bills was almost metropolitan. At least a
dozen carriages had driven up to the box
entrance, and the pit was more than half
full—an event which had not happened for
the last twenty years.
The new manager had not been long in
power. This was but the tenth night of
his reign. People spoke well of him as
an actor in broad farce, of his wife as a lady
who took every part that nobody else was
capable of filling, and performed them all
equally well ; but to-night, of course, the
London star was the great attraction : even
the fact that the leading lady, who would