The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-05-13
Select Story.
BEHIND THE seen Els.
nY MRS. AnoIrnrs nELL.

SIS Harold ont again tonight p asked
Mr.. Oakburn, rs he entered his cosy din
ing room one winters evening, where
his wife was seated before cheerful fire,
and the table was in readiness for their
o'clock repast.
"Yes.' she answered, with n despair
ing SIGH, and looking straight into the
blaze. 'although | hinted to him this
morning that in all probability the
lIewetsons were coming in to have some
music. For my part, she added, rising
ut the entrance of Il small waiting maid,
bearing on n tray some covered dishes,
Il am heartily sick of his obstinacy.
Any other young man of his position
would be cnraptured st the idea of
marrying an heiress."
Mr.. Oakburn's only reply was dissatis-
fed grunt the sharp frosty air and Il
long days tramp had given him an ap-
petite. and all disagrceables with regard
to his son were Immediately forgotten at
the sight of a tempting little roast loin
of pork which was now displayed to his
view. If there was anything Mr.. Oa.--
burn enjoyed in this world it was a good
dinner and providing one to his taste
was the only sure way OF putting him i'll
to an amiablc temper on his ruturn from
business.
lie had been a struggling man all his
life, and his father had been before him;
but by keeping Ur a tolerably grand
appearance he had managed to move i'll
HIGH class society, and had trusted to
his son--his one, handsome, much loved
son--to make Il good match by marrying
a daughter of wealthy parents. In fact
this one idea had become the dream OF
his life, and had strengthened. moreover,
in its growth when he saw how great a
favoritc Harold was with the fair SeN-
not for his looks alone, but for his pleas
ING, courteous and gentle bearing.
But Harold of late had been absent
ing himself from the patcrnal rooi more
than was altogether pleasing, especially
as Laura IlcwetSon and her mother had
become frequent visitors thcre,and occa-
sionaly spent one evening III the week
crioying little music, or n game OF
| cards, in the Oakburns' drawing room.
Miss IIcwctson was not altogether pret-
| tv. but she was I'm heiress indeed, her
father had settled fortune upon her, OF
which she was to become the pOSsesSor
on her marriage day and this with MIR.
and Mrs. Oakburn was everything. She
must he none other than their sons wife.
But Harold, Mt present had shown very
| little inclination to conform TO then
| wishes aud If we follow him, on this
all-imporant evening on which our story
opens, we shall he better able to judge
for ourselves whether or not there was
any chance of their ever being realized
lie had been introduced, some few weeks
back, to 4 young actrcss-thc leading
star of the season-who was no less re
nowncd for her personal charms than fol
the talent she displayed in her profes
sion. She had not been very long be
fore the public, not yet having compile
ted her 10Th year. Very little wa
! known of her by any of the company
except that she lived with her invaliO
mother, whom she entirely supported.
Already Harold had declared the pas
sion he had conceived for her, and sh
) had not only refused to become his wife
but kept herself aloot from him as muc
as possible, until the poor young fello>
! was driven nigh to destruction.
And yet she did not seem totally II
different to him. Her color heightene
a at his approach, and her lips parted i
the sweetest smile but there was sac
halitimid air about her, for which h
could never account.
The only member of the company h
ever found her conyersng with, or upo
wnom she appeared to bestow any a
= tcnton, was the ugly old prompter, Ka
Kirkland, who had filed that office fC
years at the theatre where Mildred Gar
n ton had made her debut. But this ever
ing, on which we have followed IIarol
thithcr, the old prompter was i'll an
Mildred, strange to say, was in Il mo
gracious mood, as she had been once b
fore when,he was absent.
"Are you here again TO night ?" 81
said, giving Harold her hand, "llo
3 sad you look Why do you come if Il
sight of me only distresses you 2"
"Because | hope in time to win yo
love, sweet Mildred" he replied, still I
IS tanning her hand
She was playing the part of Lady Te
zle, and Harold had never seen her loo
more captivating before.