The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-09

harPers' Weekly August I'D,
1t was two or three years before the war
A gay party Of people on q Southern
plantation had been amusing themselves
with private theatricals. There was q
small but completely appointed theatre on
Colonel Floyd's place. Something wa
brought out there every month or 80. To.
night The RiralS had been given. Per
haps the playing had been as good as the
amateur average. Certainly the audience
even more enthusiastic than the aver
age amateur audience. The play over,
actors and audience trooped back to the
house under q covered way arranged fol-
the occasion. The lights were turned of
in the theatre; but it was bright moon
light, and that gtreamed in through the
open windows.
A girl who had been assisting the ac'
tresses in the greenroom stole across the
stage when the last football and the last
voice had died away. She began to raise
the drop with trembling fingers, but YET
with q kind OF nervous energy which
finally accomplished her purpose. Then
in the silence and solitude, and in the
ghostly moonlight, she recited with
dramatic action the scenes in Measure 70,
Measure between Isabella and Angelo.
She was beautiful; head and shoulders
taller than most women; her hair was
dark, heavy, wavy; her eyes were full OIL
deep, intense fire; her red, mobile mouth
showed rows OF even white teeth. Her
profile and tho general cast OF her coun.
lenanCe was only sufficiently removed
from classical regularity to give them a
certain strength and piquaucy. Her figure
was swaying, 1.-THE, rounded. She was
an ideal OF Southern voluptuous beauty.
She was too much absorbed in her lart
TO notice the entrance OF a young Inan
presently. He seated himself in the
shadows OF the back seats; but he watched
and listened intently. As the girl spoke
her last line, she remarked him. She
stopped suddenly.
He came and joined her on the stage.
He was about her height, with q sad,
patient flCc-a face on which all the
patience that his race has for centuries
needed WAS plainly stamped. 1t was ap.
parant that he had African blood in his
veins. "Go on, DOrothea," he said. "rhai
was splendid. You acted better'n Miss
Sue"
THAT wouldn't be sayin' much,'
Dorothenreturned, sc%ornfully. "Shc don't
act at all; but she's all fuss and feathers,
and that goes down with the crowd"
won't YOU do some more? What was
TINT? 1t sOunded like the Bible"
at wa Shakespeare. No, | won't dc
comm in. You startled me thought
every ~ was safe in the supper-rOom,
Help me down with this curtain, will you
Aaron?"
lie did so. She turned 10 walk oil the
stage then came back with u face dark
with emotion. "Oh, it's hard" she cried
tossing up her arms with a sudden, do
spairing gesture-"it's hard! IcOuM act
know | could. It's in me. Ny God
why was l borni!"
Aaron came closer 10 her. He spoke
in an agitated whisper. "You're young
Dorothea; don't despair, | don't. Fl ]
live, you shall be free yet" \
Yes, she was u slave. She wrung he
hands together as though they had beer
chained. Perhaps So" she said-"per
haps so. But it's hard for M to belieyI
it. And in the mean time | lead thiI
dreadful life"
She walked slowly away, he followed
her. She locked the door of,the stage en-
trance on the outside, and put the key il
her pocket. Besides" she pursued
even ifyou should set me free, ! shOult
only be exchanging one kind'oi SLAYER
for another. You want 10 marry me
With a great price bought l this FREQ
DOM"
She was cruel. She could think of NJ
one but herself. He looked at her, q
though for a moment he hardly daret
trust himself 10 speak. Then he said
very quietly, "what l mean'to'd Tor yol
is jist what any man ought ter do for an,
woman. It's neither var nor thar that
love you. FL yon can't love me, that end
it."
This simple goodness touched AM
silenced her. She did not attempt I
speak. She only bestowed upon him
very grateful look; she could throw i'm
mense expression into her looks. He
communion fully understood nov that sh
thanked and respected him.
They parted at the side door Of tn
house. Aaron cut across the lawn, 60
over 8 fence, and 20 across the fields /
the cabin where he lived with his mother
a mile from Colonel Rloyd's. His mothe
had been set free years. ago BY her. mi
tress, after years OF faithful service III
father had also been free, and thus ARrol
had come into the world uushackle(
Aaron was blacksmith by trade, as hi
father had been before him. He coul
read and write, and he had taken ndyar
tage OF every opportunity to Improve bin
soil, All the same, he was . patient, pIol
ding man, not looking much beyond tn
day, simply doing his duty therein, and !
that state OF life in which Il had please
God to call him, as the catcchism puls !
He had a very faint notion Of Dorothea
aspirations and longings, only inasmRch
his love for her deepened his perception
as q great love will often do.
Dorottca went on'up stairs 10 Miss Sue
room, Miss Sue being AFa, Colonel Floy,
who had como here a bride two mont
ago. She Strengthened the room, whiC
gas in some confusion. She put avs
various odds and ends Of finery lyir
/ around. Then sho picked up the copy
the play which had been performed tn
evening, that had beer, tossed on the be
and standingin front Of the loodng.glaI
on either stdb Of which burned lights, +
came entirely absorbed in the little "
tune. She knew the greater part Of it
ready. She knew all but the last pa
@ when Mrs. Floyd ran lightly up staitSa ii
s called, "Doral Dora!'
50 Dorothea laid the bookdown, and tll
ed, She had great s~el-eommand. n
Floyd had no suspicion how distaste