The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-11-27
And the doner of the roses bows low


not imagine. / can assure you | 90
through life with my ears wide open,
and Mr.. Grundy ialls me more ill-natured
gossip of my neighbors in month than
does madam, his spouse, in year.
F1r@, Speaker. -" There goes Lord
Er>kiues turnout. Bang up, isn't it?
And Anita with him as usual BY Jove!
that girl played her cards we'll. She
knew her value, and still held aloof.
The result"
Second Speaker.-"Aw, there can be
but one, you know. Erskine would
never think of marrying the girl, and
the Camancho is too sensible to expect
it, should say"
First Speaker.-"I think you make
q slight mistake there, old fellow. And
if Erskine makes the same-well, heaven
help him. For Anita has i sleeping
devil in her that should not care to
arouse"
Second Speaker. .-"Aw, that's just it.
AS you say, old boy, she has a sleeping
devil in her eye; and on one occasion
when 1 attempted to pass my arm play
fully around her waist, l, aw, thought
him remarkably wide-awake. Doocid
absurd for danseuse, you know. What
do YOU say to a game of billiards." And
they pass on.
A faint echo from Mrs Grundy.
"Why had no idea Anita danced to-
night, or l assure you, my dear Mrs.
Shallow, L should not have come. OF
course when they all praised her prudence
and all that sort of thing, l never be-
lievcd a word of it. But one must be
amused. However, the creature has
fauntcd this affair so shamelessly in our
faces, driving and dining in public,
and ali that you know, that realty
Bah let lis go elsewhere"
Behind the SCENES I say, Mordaunt,
whose coupe is that at the door, and for
whom is it waitingw
"Don't you know? Why, where have
you kept yourself this month of Sun
days? 1t is Lord Erskine's carriage, and
it waits..tor Rosa's o'cn daughter"
Of such men ossassinS are made.
The stone flung at Anita would not
suffice. The poor dead mother must
come in for a fling. II was "pure
womanly" according to the worlds
judgment.
Do not turn away. I do not wonder
you are tired of listening to those
mouth-pieces of the world. I will only
ask you to pay one more visit tonight.
To Anita herself. Here we are. Ahl
step back and close the door softly.
In hcrsnowy roJe de mutt, this danseuse,
"Rosa's own mother" kneels and prays.
Monsieur and Madame Grundy.-Go
We and do likewise.
Pray the good Lord in His mercy to
forgive your evil hearts and slanderous
tongues.
".Anita, most fascinating of women, I
have something | wish to say to you.
| never thought woman could affect
me us you have done. Day and night
YOU are in my thoughts. | do not seem
10 live save when l am with you. You
haunt me in my dreams. / am unhappy
when am not with you. Is not this
love. my Anita? And will you not love
me in rctun"'
"Ah, Ernest, my loved one, have you
not known long ere this, that this heart
of mine was all thine own? I could not
drive the glad blood from my check as
it lcaped there at the sound Of your
voice, your football, nor the gladness and
10y from my eyes. And I would not, if
I could. Every word, thought, breath
is thine. But. oh, NV beloved one, |
need to be an angel to be worthy your
love and your name-and l am, alas!
but poor little danseuse What a
necromancer is love. / used to think
that to be premier danseuse at the Grand
Theater, one had right to be proud.
that it was position to work for, and to
glory in. Now am ashamed of it."
He does not hear her, has heard
nothing since those words, " / need to be
an angel to be worthy your love and your
name" fell on his ear. Can she be so
blind?
Heglances at her face. Oh, the bright
halo that love had flung round it! Yes,
it is clear she thinks so, that he has laid
at her feet the proud old name he bears,
and with that smile on her lips and in
her eyes, he cannot undcceive her.
4
That night, as Anita steps out on her
balcony, at the Palace Hotel, her own
name, in the voice so dear to her, falls
on the listening ear.
Anita you refer to, no doubt. Now,
see here, old fellow, don't make any mis-
take. There is no better, purer girl in
the world than Anita-not among your
people o1 my own. l was first attracted
by her beauty, which is incompatible.
Then, when ! knew her better, by her
own intrinsic merit-and, l confess, were
it not for my father, who would cut me
of with shilling were to make such
R,esalhiance, would marry her tomorrow
AS it is, it is out of the question to
marry her; quite impossible equally
impossible to give her up. The crisis!"
Anita gropes her way blindly through
the open window into her apartment,
whispering, softly:
Impossible 10 marry her. He said
hat-'impossible to marry herr Then
it is time for thee to die, Anita"
And they find her there the followino