The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-25

II
week, when | began TO take notice Of &
young officer who was In front every evening
| and who watched CarOline's performance will
| evident admiration. saw him one night In
| very close conversation with Mrs. Mugglcton,
| the moncy-takcr, und was not over-pleascd 10
hear Madame Delavanti's name mentioned In
| the cyuisr of their conversation. On the next
| nigh. .u;S.ti him lotcrinT about nj Tic stage
| door. lie was very handsome man, AMI
| could not avoid taking notice of him. On in.
| quiry, ! found that lis name was Jocclyn, und
toned in the town. He was The only son OF II
| wealthy manufactures, was told,' and had
plenty money TO throw about.
| h;.i llnisllcd my performance earlier than
! usual one night soon after this; and was wait
| Ing for friend ut thr st,gc-tloor Mhcn Captain
JoccIyn came ZIP the dark b"strcct, smoking.
| his cigar, and evidently waiting for.sOInc one.
| fell back into the Shadow OF the door, and
! waited, feeling pretty sure that lie was OH the
watch for Caroline. ] was right She came
out presently and joined him, putting lcr hand
under his arm, rs II II were quite usual thing
| for Kim 10 bc her escort. | followed them nj u
iittic distance as they walked off, and waited
till / SAW Jocs wife safe within her own door.
The captain detained her Oh the doorstep talk
| ing for Il few minutes, and would lain have
kept her there longer, but she dismissed him
with that pretty iuperious way she had with
all Of us nj times.
Now, as very old friend of Carolinc's, /
wasn't going TO stand this sort or thing so {
| taxed her With 1t plainly next day, and told
between her and Captain Jocelyn.
"Aud no harm need come OF it either, you
silly old fellow" she said. "l'rc been used TO
that SORT Of attention nil my life. There's moth
Ing bu, the most innocent Irritation between
u.s."
"Wllat would Joe think of such an innocent
Irritation, Caroline - asked.
Joe must learn lo put up with such things"
she answered, "as long rs do my duty to
him. cant live without excitement, and ad-
miralion, and thai sort of thing. Joe ought TO
know that as well as do"
:" should have thought the tiger and the
horses would have given you enough excite
mcnt, Carollne,' | said, without running
into worse dangers than the risk OF your lilc."
" But they don't give me hall enough excite
ment," she answered and then she took out
Il little watch in Il jcwclcd case, and looked at
ii, and then 1T me, in y half bOastful halcunS-
ioIs way.
why, wh;.; n pretty watch, Carry !" said |.
" Is that present from Joc?"
'As IL you didn't know better than that -
she said. Country sccnc-paintcrs can't afford
70 buy dlamOnl watches for Hcir wives, Mr..
Waters"
tried TO lecture her, but SHE laughed on nv
reproachcs ami saw her that night with II
bracelet on her arm which knew must be
another gilt from the captain. He wus III u
staSc-box, and threw her u bouquet Of choice
flowers after her scene with the tiger IL was
the prcttcst sight In the world to see her pick
up the flowers and offer them 10 the grim look
Ing animal 10 SMELL and then snatch them
away with laugh, and retire, curtscying 10
the audience, and glanclns coqucttisIly to-
wards The box where her admircr sat applaU,l-
ing her.
Three weeks went by Ike this. the captain
In front every night. | kept a close watch
might carry ON hcr Irritation. Jocs wife was
true ut heart, and would not do him any de-
liberate wrong. She was very young and
very WilIil, but fancicd my influence would
so Il long way with her in any desperate
emergency. ,,n SO kept m eye upon her and
iier aumlrcr, and there was rarely Il night
uld not see the c;.ptalns back turned upou Mrs
Waylic's lodgings before l went, home TO INV
supper.
week, aud the regiment was to leave town in
couple oi days: Caroline told me this one
morning with evident pleasure, and | was
orerjoyed 10 find she did not really care for
Captain Jocelyn.
I" Not Il bit, you silly old man, she soil ar
iike ms ndlniration, and like his presents, but
! KNOW there's no one in the world worth joe.
I'm very glad the regiment will be gone when
Joe comes back. ! shall have had nv Lii or
llln, yon know, and shall tell Joe all about il;
and as Captain Jocclyn will have conc TO thr,
other end of the world. he can't object TO tho
picscnts--tributcs offered to my genius. ns fho
captain says In his notes.
felt by no means sure that Joseph Wayllc
n M9 con consfn. Ii 70 ms w.les I rsaaiii"" ''''
80, nonsense. she said % can do what
like with Joe. He'll be quite satisfied when
lie sees Captain Jocelyn's respectful letters. /
couldn't part with my darling little watch for
the world.'
When went TO the theatre next night
found the captain standing talking to Caroline
just outside the stage door. He seemed very
earnest, and was begging her to tlo something
which She said was impossible. 1t was his lust
night In the town, you sec, and have very
little doubt that he was skiing her 10 rln u,ynv
with hilA-for believe the man was over head
and ears In love with hcr-and that she was
pulling him OIL III her laughing coqucttish
way; ~
very seriously. 81 shall wait for you at the
door tonight. You can't mean to break INV
heart, Caroline the answer must be yes"
She brokeaway from him hurricdly. clark
she said, "thcre's the overture; and in half
All honr must be upon the stage"
passed the captain in the dark possooo
and IL few PAGES i;,rthcr on passed some one
else, whose face / could not see, but whose
short hurried breathing sounded like that of n
person who had been running. We brushed
against one another as we passed, but the man
TOOK 10 notice Of me.
Half nm hour afterwards was lounoIn,. I'm n
corner OF the ring while Caroline went through
Jocclyn was In his usual plitoc, with a boliourt
In his hand. II was New Years Might. and tho
house was very full. / had been looking nil
round Tor some time, when was startled by
the sight OF II face in the pit. II was Joscnh
Wayiie's face. ashy pale and fixed as dcathEa
face that meant mischief.
1" He has heard something against his wife. !,
Thought IN rlin round to him directly
Gun gel out OF the ring, and make matters
square. Some cOntOunded scandal-nonrcr
has got hold OF him, and has been poisoning
his mind about Caroline and the capinin.n
knew there had been good deal of talk i'm the
theatre about The two-talk which had done
my best to put down.
Captain Joee!yn threw his bouquet, which
was received with n coquetllsh smile and n
bright upward glance th seemed to express
fl,atf !,
stasc-play; but how must it have looked IN
the Jealous man.. glarlng with fixed eyes from
his place at the.back Of the pit! / Turned to
look loo, at him as the curtain fell upon the Stage,
speak 10 his wife, no doubt. ief, the rIno
Immediately, and went to prepare her for the
Interview, and, If ncedfhl, to stand between
her and her husbands anger.
quet In IN absent wa,
"IInve You seen j. ., nskcd