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

|
Joseph had not been gone much more than
week, when | began TO take notice OF 0
young officer who was in front every evening
and who watched Caroline's performance WIN
! evident admiration. / saw him one nignt III
very close conversation with Mrs. Mng9leton
the mopey-taker, and was not Qvcr-pleased tC
hear Madame DelavantiS name mentioned IN
the course of their conversation. On the mex!
night found him lettering about at the stage.
door. He was very handsome man, ana
could not avoid taking notice OF him.. On IN,
| o,liry. found that his name was JOcelyh, an0
that he was captain in the regiment tnen Sta,
toned in the town. He was the only son OF q
| wealthy manufacturer, ! was told, and had
plenty of money to throw about.
had finished my performance earlier than
usual one night soon after this, and was wait
inc for q friend at the stage-door, when Captain
| Jocelyn came up the dark bv-street, smoking
| his cigar, and evidently waiting for some one:
| | fell back int the shadow OF the door, and
waited, feeling pretty sure that he was on the
watch for Caroline. l was right. She came
out presently and joined him, putting her hand
under his arm, as if it were quite usual thing
| for him to be her escort. | followed them at a
little distance as they walked off, and waited
| till saw Joe's wife safe within her own door,
| The captain detained her on the doorstep talk
| inr for few minutes, and would lain nave
| kent her there longer, but she dismissed him
| with that pretty lnperlous way sr' hau Will
| all of us at times.
Now. as very old friend of Carolnes, !
| wasn't going TO stand this sort OF thing so |
| taxed her with ii plainly next day, and told
| her no good could come of any acquaintance
| between her and Captain Jocelyn.
"And no harm need come OF it either, yon
silly old fellow" she said. "rve been used to
that sort of attention all my life. There's moth
ing but the most innocent Irritation between
What would Joe think of such an innocent
filtration, Caroline - | asked.
s'Joe must learn to put up with such things,
she answered, "as long as | do my duty to
him. l can't live without excitement, and ad-
miration, and that sort of thing. Joe ought TO
know that as we'll as do"
- should have thought the tiger and the
horses would have given you enough excite
ment, Caroline l said, without running
into worse dangers than the risk Of your life"
But they don't give me half enough excite
ment,n she answered and then she tooh Out
little watch in jewelled case, and looked at
it, and then at me, in half boastful, hall-anX-
ious way.
"Why, what pretty watch, Carry !" said /.
lis that present from Joe ;"
WAs If YOU didn't know better than that ~
she said. :. Country scene-painters can't afford
to buy diamond watches for their wives, Mr..
Waters"
i y
reproaches and I saw her that night with
bracelet on her arm which l knew must be
another gift from the captain. He was in
stare-boX, and threw her bouquet OF choice
flowers after her scene with the tiger 1t was
the pretticst sight In the world to see her pick
up the flowers and offer them to the grim look
ing animal to smell, and then snatch them
away with laugh, and retire, curtSeying to
the audience, and glancing cOquettishly to-
wards the box where her admirer sat applaud
ing her.
in front every night. / kept close watch
upon the pair, tor thought that, however she
might carry on her filtration. Joes wife was
true at heart, and would not do him any de-
liberate wrong. She was very young and
very wilful, but tancied my influence would
20 q long way with her in any desperate
emergency. So kept an eye upon her and
her admirer, and there was rarely night
did not see the captains back turned upon Mrs.
Waylie's olsings before went home to my
supper.
Joe was not expected home for another
week, and the regiment was to leave town in
q couple OF days. Caroline told me this one
morning with evident pleasure, and | was
overioyed to find she did not really care for
Captain Jocelyn.
like his admiration, 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 l shall have had my bit of
fun, YOU know, and shall tell Joe all about it;
and as Captain JOcelyn will have gone to the
other end of the world, he can't object to the
presents tributes offered to my genius, as the
captain says in his notes.
felt by no means sure that Joseph Waylie
would consent to his wfes retaining these tri-
butes, and told her as much.
80, nonsense" she said " / can do what
like with Joe. He'll be quite satisfied when
ne sees Captain Jocelya'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
lust outside the stage door. He seemed very
earnest, and was begging her to do something
which she said was Impossible. 1t was his last
night Ia the town, you see, and have very
little doubt that he was asking her to run away
with him-ror believe the man was over head
and ears in love with her-and that she was
putting him Off in her laughing coquettish
way.
II won't take your answer now" he said
very seriously II shall wait for you at the
door tonight. You can't mean to break my
heart, Caroline; the answer must be yes"
She broke away from him hurrledly. "fIark,'
she said, there's the overture; and in half
an hour must be upon the stage"
passed the captain in the dark passage,
and a few PAGES farther on passed some one
else, whose face l could not see, but whose
short hurried breathing sounded like that of a
person who had been running. We brushed
against one another as We passed, but the man
took no notice OF Inc.
Half an hour afterwards was lOunging in q
corner of the ring while Caroline went through
her performances with the tiger Captain
Jocelyn was in his usual place, with bouquet
In his hand II was New Years night, and the
house was very full. | had been looking all
round for some time, when / was startled by
the sight of a face in the pit. 1t was Joseph
Wayics face. asSy pale and fixed IS death-a
face that meant mischief.
"IIe has heard something against his wife,
| thought. ''I'll run round to him directly |
can get out Of the ring, and make matters
square. Some cOnf0unded scandal-mOnger
has got hold Of him, and has been poisoning
his mind about Caroline and the captain" |
knew there had been good deal of talk in the
theatre about the two-lalk which / had done
my best to put down.
Captain Jocelyn threw his bouquet, which
| was received with cOquettiSh smile and u
bright upward glance that seemed to express
profound delight. knew that this was mere
| stage-play but how must it have looked to
| the Jealous man, glaring with fixed eyes from
| his place at the back of the pit | turned to
| look at him as the curtain fell upon the stage,
but he was gone. He was going round to
sneak to his wife, no doubt. | left the ring
| Immediately, and went to prepare her for the
| interview, and, if needful, TO stand between
| her and her husbands anger.
hnr fl,n hon