Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-10-04
S4lqtt Dlist&llanp,
A STRANGE STORY.

"A y NhNU1 ~ VAV -
THE gentleman on the left, Kate
do you know him3 He has look
ed frequently toward YOU
HAS he 2 as
who is it7' 81. ..a '1
4 cannot tell. have not seen
him. sl
Suppose you looki'
III prefer not. came to see the
play. Is not Helen 'Faucit superb =
so, 80. Iwish you would tell me
who the gentleman on the left is. l
am sure he knows you, and he Is
strikingly handsome.
AT present the stage interests me.
Besides, if men are rude enough to
stare at strangers, there is no occa-
sion for us to initiate them. Il.
your ladyship has 10 curiosity
Not any exhausted it some time
ago. -,
Her ladyship was not telling the
truth she was intensely curious, but
it pleased her at the time to pique the
Honorable Selma Dorset. That
strange sympathy which makes us in
stantly conscious of a familiar glance,
even in a crowded building, had 80
llcited her regard just as Selma ad-
vised her of it. If she had not been
asked to look toward her left, she
would probably have done so; as it
was, she resolutely avoided any
movement in that direction.
The play was finished in a tu-
multi of applause. Lady Kate Talbot
forgot everything in her excitement,
and, as she stood up, flushed and trem,
bling, she inadvertently turned toward
the left. Instantly she recognized a
presence with which she ought to
have been familiar enough. ".
The gentleman bowed with an ex-
IRENE respect, Lady Kate acknow-
lodged the courtesy in a manner too
full of astonishment to be altogether
gracious, and the elaborate politeness
Of the recognition was not by any
glance implying q more tender In
timacy than mere acquaintance.
My lady was silent all the way
home, and for some reason Selma
was not disposed to interrupt her re-
verie. 1t did not seem to be an un-
pleasant one. Kate's face had .
bright flush on it, and her eyes held
in them a new light-a light that re-
sembled what Selma would have
called hope and love, if my lady had
not been already married, and her
destiny apparently settled.
Selma, when you have got rid OF
all that satin and lace, come to my
room l have something to say to
you,' -,
Selma nodded pleasantly. She
was sure it concerned the gentleman
on the left. She had no love affairs
of her own on hand or heart at pres
ent, and being neither literary nor
charitable, her time went rather
heavily onward. A little bit Of TO-
mance-nothing wrong, Of course,
but just little bit Of romance,
especially ifconnected with the cold
and proper Lady Talbot-would be
of all things the most interesting.
She was speedily unrobed, and with
her long black hair hanging loosely
over her pretty dressing-gown, she
sought my lady's room. Lady Talbot
sat in a dream-like stiffness, look
ing into the bright blaze on the
hearth. She scarcely stirred as Sc.
lima took a large chair beside her, and
scarcely smiled when she lifted one OF
her loosened curls, and said,: "What
exquisite hair you have, Kate!
True golden
yes, it is beautiful. know that
of course
of what are you thinking SO in
tently 2
of the gentleman on our left to-
night
7Ah! Who is hei He seems to
know YOU
HE ought to know me much better
than he does. He is my husband,
Lord Richard Talbot
Kate
1T is trne.'
4 thought he was in Africa, or
Asia, or Europe, or somewhere at the
end of the world
He is now in England, it seems, l
suppose he has just arrived. l have
not seen him BEFORE
Where is he staying, then 2
Il presume in the left wing of this
mansion. noticed there are more
lights than usual in it tonight. His
apartments are there
Nov, Kate, do tell me all, dear.
You know / love romantic love
affair, and am sure this is one.'
'You were never more mistaken,
Selma. There is no love at all in the
affair. That is the secret of the
whole position. | thought, AS you
were staying here this week and might
probably see or meet my lord, it was
better to make all clear to you.
People are so apt to associate wrong
with things they do not understand.
TO be sure, dear. suppose Lord
Richard and you have had little dis
agreement. Now, if l could only
do anything toward reconciliation
l should be so happy, You know
mo, Selma, there has been no quar-
rel, and you can do nothing at all be-
tween us. I don't want you to try
just be kind enough to ignore the
whole circumstance. Lord Richard
and understood each other nearly
four years ago.
But it is not four years since yO,
marrieds .... .....
Just four years-yesterday.'
And my lord has been away
Three years, eight months and