Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-08-25

! ! looked pale and i'll. Her husband had not beei
! home.
h Il think it must have been mistake of your
about Joe,' she said to me. II don't think
could have been him you saw in the pit las
night.
| Il saw him as surely as see you at this mo
ment, my dear, answered. There's no pos
sibility Of mistake Joe came back last night
and was in the pit while you were on with tn
| tiger
| This time she looked really frightened. Sh
| put her hand to her heart suddenly, aud begal
to trsmble.
'Why didn't lie come home he mef' she cried
'and where did he hide himself last night %
| Tm afraid he must have gone out upon tn
drink, my DEAR
| Joe never drinks she answered.
| while she stood looking at me with that pale
scared face, one of our young men came run
ming towards us.
| You're wanted, Waters, he said shortly.
| 'Where?'
| 'up-stairs in the painting rooin.'
'Joe's room. cried Caroline. Then he ha!
come back. nj go with you.'
She was following me as | crossed the stage
but the young mau tried TO stop her.
| Nond better not come just yet, Mrs. Waylie,
he said in hurried way that was strange tc
him. It's only Waters that's wauted OH mat
| ter OF business. Aud then, as Caroline follow
ell close upon lis, he took hold of my arm and
whispered, Don't let her come
Il tried TO keep her back but it was no use
/ u know it's my husband who wants YOU,
she said. They've been making mischief about
me. You shan't keep me away from him.
'We were on the narrow stairs leading to the
painting-room by this time. | couldn't keer
| Caroline OIL. She pushed past both of us, and
| ran into the room before we could stop her.
- ryed her right mutteiel my companion
| Its all her doing'
Il heard her scream as came to the door,
There was little crowd in the painting room
round quiet figure lying on the bench, and
there was ghastIy pool of blood upon the
\ floor. Joseph Wayle had cut his throat
'He must have done it last night said the
manager There's n ster for his wife on the
table yonder. Is that you, Mrs. Waylie? A
| bad business, isn't it? Poor Joseph
Caroline knelt down by the side of the
| bench, and stopped there on her knees, as still
as death; till the room was clear of all but me
They think deserve this, Waters she SAID
| lifting her white face from the dead mans
shoulder, where she had hidden it; sbu, | meant
no harm. Give me the letter.
You'd better wait a bit, my DEAR said.
no, 10; give it TO me at once, please
gave her the letter. 1t was very short
The scene-painter had come back TO the theatre
III time to hear some portion of that interview
between Captain Jocelyn and his wife. He
evidently had believed her much more guilty
than she was.
think you must know how | loved YOU,
Caroline he wrote; Il can't face life with the
knowledge that you've been false to me-
'Of course there was an inquest We work
ed II so that the jury gave a verdict of Temporal
ry insanity, and poor Joe was buried decently
in the cemetery outside of the town. Caroline
sold the watch and bracelet that Captain Joce
lyn had given her, in order to pay for her hus.
bands funeral. She was very quiet, and went
on with the performances as usual week after
Joe's death, bui [ could see a great change in
her. ihe rest of the company were very hard
upon her, as thought, blaming her for her hus-
bands death, and she unlera cloud, as 1t were;
but she looked rs handsome as ever and wenl
through all her perforDan in her OLD daring
way. I'm sure, though, that she grieveI sin-
ee:ey for Joe's death, and that she had never
meant to do wrong.
'We travelled all through the next summer
aii late IN NnTcni'cr went back to uolnrr-
sleigh. Caroline hal seemed happier while we
were away, thought; and when we were 90
ins back, she confessed as much to me.
I've got KIND of dread of seeing that place
AGAIN, she said I'm always dreaming of the
painting-room as it looked that January morn.
ing with ;he cold light streaming in upon that
dreadful figure on the bench. The rooms
scarcely been ont Of my dreams one night since
I've been away from lIamerslcigh and now
dreau going back as t-as IL lie was Shut TN
there =
'lhe r9om was not particularly convenient
one, and had been used for lumber after Joe.
death. The man who came after him diln \
care to paint there by himself all Gay long. On
the frst morning Of our return, Caroline went
up and looGed in at the unused stage furniture
ana broken properties. met her coming away
from the room.
20 Mr.. Waters = she said to me with real feel.
ing, III he had only waited to hear me speak fol
myself. They all think deserved what hap
pehed, aud perhaps did as far as it was .
,, punishment for my fryolty but Joe didn't de-
8 rye such fate. | know il was the malciou:
| talk that did the mischief
Il fame ed after ills that her looks chancet
| Tor the worse, and that she had kind of nery
| Gus way in going through her equestrian per
| iorlnauces, as II there was fever upon her.
| couldn't judge so well how she went through
the tiger act, us | was never on the stage v i'll
| her, but the brute seemed us submissive a.
ever. On the last day of the year she asked on
manager to let her off for the next night. sIt'
the anniversary Of my husbands DEATH sh,
| said.
81 didn't know you Were so rreciol fond c
him. he answered with sneer. "No, Mrs
| Waylie, we cannot dispense with your service
l
strongest features with the gallery, and expec
a full house for New Years night"
| "She begged him very hard 10 let her OIL, bu
II was no use. There was no rehearsal on Ney
| Years morning, and she went to the cemeter
| where Joe was buried, three niles walk i
| the cold and rain. In the evening, when sh
came to the wing, her eyes were brighter tha
| usual, and she sh.vefed good deal, ,-more tina
| liked to see.
IT I
| cemetery to-day she said 10 Inc when nc
ticed this. I.wish could have kept this nigl
saered-this one night to my husbands men
ory. He has been in my mind so much to day
"She went on, and stood at the wing, watcl
ing her, The audience applauded yociierousl
but she did not make her accustomed courtesy
and she went about her work in "a listless wi,
that was very diff rent from her usual snirite
manner. The animal seemed to know this al,
when she had got about half way through h,
tricks with him, lie began to respond to Ii,
word of command in sulky, unwilling maj
ner that didn't like. This made her ahgr,
and she used her light whip more freely tina
usual
"One of the tigers concluding tricks was
leap through garland of flowers which Caro-
line held for lin. She was kneeling in tll
centre of the stage with this garland in he
hand, ready for the animals spring, when he
eyes wandered TO the front Of the house, an
she rose suddenly with shri screan and he
arms outstIetched wildly. Whether the sulk
brute thoIIght that she was going 10 strike hir
or not, don't know; but lie sprang savagely
her AS she rose, and in the next moment sll
was lying on the ground helpless, and the aud
ence screaming with terror. | rushed OH tn
stage with half dozen Others, and we had tn
brute muzzled and roped in few breathles
moments, but not before he had torn Caroline
cheek and shoulder with his elaw3. She wa
insensible when we carried her oil the stage
and she was confined to her bed three month
after the accident with brain fever. When sll
came among lis again, size had lost every We.
tige of color, and her face had that set lool
| AlIi..h Anu nnst laNt nllsnrunl int lIc,u >,