Litchfield enquirer., 1880-06-24
THE GUINEA BOX.
CHAPTER I.

l CHAPTER l.
 Nothing is more common in these days than
 to see advertisements at the libraries of "a
 guinea box" to be hired at this or that theatre
 for the evening. They probably belong to
 shareholders who have agreed to take portion
 of their dividends in that shape or to families
 who have got tired of going to the play sooner
 than they thought they should, and are glad
 to get back some portion of their luxurious in-
 vestment. But in the days when 1 was young
 such things were less common, and there was
 a cestan guinea oox'' at Covent Garden for | which three or four guineas were sometimes
 given by reason of the woull-be hirers bidding
 for it contemporaneously on some popular
 night; for the box, though only holding six,
 was an excellent box in the grand tier. with a
 little withdrawing. room attached to it, where
 you could have refreshments in private and
 those who were acquainted with such matters knew that Box l6 at guinea was a great bar gain. Yet 1t was always advertised to be let at that price, and never by any chance occu- l pied by its legitiisate owners. The matter
 was openly discussed in play going society at l that time, Lut it had never reached my ears
 when was at school at Rlackheath, at never
 mind what date, but during certain Deeem-
 Der, i'll which my fathers lawyer. Mr. Trcd- | gold, sent me an invitation to spend Saturday IL, l ny his family to the theatre.
 My uncle and guardian, Mr. Ralph Tressl- Han, lived in the far north of England, and 1 sad nc connections nor any friends in Lon- don. so that the proposition was even great CT treat than it would have been to most school boys. Moreover, it was enhanced by tue fact that Lucy Tredgod was a very pretty girl | whom thought most charming. and whom | believed to be expressly created to be my bride-theugh in that case she had been ere ated a little early, for was but sixteen at the time of which l speak, and she was twenty one. That, however was the only difference (though of course it had always existed) that | had ever happened between us moreover
 was tall and tolerably mature looking for my years, with quite distinct line of fluff on my upper lip, and in mY new tail coat, which was te wear that evening for the first time, might have been taken, l f1attered myself, for an undergraduate of the university, or gen. tleman Cadet at Woolwich, at the very least. | 1 remember the footman at MT. Tredgold's announced'm as ''Mrs Frank Garrard," with | out that fatal indecision between Mr. and 1 Master that had hitherto marked my introduc- tlons into society
 | took my wine at dinner like man, but | (though this afterward became a moot point) l not too much of it, and comported myself in | every way as belonging to that section of the | human race entitled the ''grown-ups," and | one who had no connection whatever with that | other and antagonistic section denominated | the young people," Sometimes, it is true I 1 looked for thy handkerchief ir side pocket, l (where DO side pocket was any more to be found, and occasionally experienced a senti- | ment of surprise at sitting suddenly upon | couple of tails Gone of which had six-bladed knife in it ); but my presence of mind was al- fO fla ,I,arr that followed upon those little contre temps.
 My uncle Ralph was somewhat Puritanical in his ideas, and had been brought up in his old Lancashire home with strange mixture of strictness and laxity. had been suffered to take my own way, that is, so far as country sports and amusements were concerned, but had been forbidden those of the town. My guardian, as it happened, had an especial ob- jection 10 theatrical exhibitions Of all sorts; so that, though would not have had tknown to Lucy for millions, this was the first occasion of my introduction to theatre. To hear me talk, however, I fatter myself you would lave thought had had seat in the 'omni- bus box" for years; and, after all, it is far more reasonable that young fellow should wish to represent himself little older than he is, than that an old man should ape being !. young. In the former case it is sort of nat ural defense since einexperienCe and simplicity are always looked down upon.
 The play which we were about to witness -"Hamlet"-I was perhaps better acquainted with than any of the party. They consisted wholly of Mir. Tredgold's family-namely, his wife, three daughters (of whom, my charmer was the youngest ) and son, Gilbert Tred- gold, of about twenty years of age They were not given to reading, and (with one ex- ception, which l need not indicate) struck me as somewhat commonplace; but they were very kind, as was the host himself, and en- joyed their hospitality very much. MT. Tred- gold did not go to the play, having certain papers, he said, to look ovr. These were re- ported, however, by his offspring to be only newspapers Papa could never by any chance they said be induced to move after dinner. and he only made business an excuse for stop- ping at home. Goodness knows didn't want him to go, and should have been very well content to have escorted Lucy alone. Yet, for all my tendresse for her, looked forward to the play itself, remember, with quite as much pleasure as to her cempanionship, whicl showed what mere simple hobbledehoy was after all. -H &-.
 We dined early and arrived at the theatre in good time, which gave us an opportunity of admiring the box and It's withdrawing room. So far as l knew, every box had this addition to it, but 1 learned, from what was said, that a bargain. It was next but one to the stage on the grand tier, and held four chairs in the front and two behind very comfortably. At first the ladies occupied the former, but Gilbert lredgod was very near-sighted, and present. ly, to my delight, Lucy changed places with him, so that had her all to myself The dear creature was sublimeiy ignorant of the plot of the piece Ca rare thing in those days, when Shakespeare was much more acted, if nor read, than he is al present), so that had plenty to tell her, and it was told (so as not to disturb the audience) in very low tone. The ghost of Hamlet's father had interested me immensely on his first appearance, but SO soon as the change of position was effected, my interest in the drama began to fail. The touch of Lucy's hand-for ventured to place my own upon it occasionally to emphasize my explanations-sent thrill through me such as the spectre could not compass; and as to Ophela, felt that had an Ophelia of my own worth two of her, and that there would certainly be no necessity, so far as was con- cerned, for her to go out of her mind or drown herself. " Se~t
 The play had not proceeded far when, to my great surprise, the door between our box and the retiring-room was suddenly opened without noise and in walked lady of great beauty. Shee was tall and very dark; her dress was much more splendid than that of any of the Tredgold young ladies, and I par ticularly noticed that on her jet black hair, which was arranged ID a manner had never before seen, there was a circlet of diamonds, on which the rays from the chandelier spark led like fire. She looked neither to the left nor the right, but moved straight on with a majestic sweep of her white satin train to the chair on which Isat. rose at once (fer po- liteness was not among the extras at our Blackheath Seminary) and made room for her: She took the proffered seat rather coolly, with the manner of fine ladies), and without even the acknowledgment of a bow. What was still stranger, she took no notice of the Tredgolds nor they of her. They retained their seats and gazed on the stage just as though there had been DO. e.ihcrease inathes nun. ba pftheoccu ccupants.of the box With, regard fo those in the front row I thought if nnita