The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-16

We stepped through Q swinging VIM
dow into the cool night and looked for
q few moments at the most unrivaled
scene from the balcony. There is no
night scene that can compare with the
view from the balcony of the Paris
Opera House. Three streets branch out
from it-wide streets with q uniformity
of buildings and double rows of electric
lights. The electric bell. however,
called away all viewers of the electric
light. The brilliant promenade room
was again emptying itself into the thea
ter, and only few Slippers of coffee sat
at the little round tables in the banquet
hafl deserted.
As we went up to our box the little
tired woman's head rested heavily on
nv shoulder. l attempted to lay her
gently on the sofa, but she started up
and called loudly for her mother. As
she sat on her mothers knee two lines
down the forehead and scowl at her
anxious father showed me that act Sec
ond had, indeed, begun.
"Do you want to see the most miser-
able man in this audience?" said.
Never mind; she'll drop asleep in
moment"
"Oh, don't mean myself. There he
is, down on that camp-stool by the
stage. See him watch US through his
opera glass. He's on nettles. That's
Louis Napoleon, whom bribed to let
us in"
"He does seem anxious"
"Anxious? Why, he has sold him.
self to lie Diable."
you are not at all conceited!'
"Oh, didn': nean-why, metaphor
ically, you know"
Here the hope of the family demanded
the opera glass with which had been
returning the gaze of the man on the
camp-stool. Grefused it, We were too
near the edge of the precipice, and l had
some consideration for the folks below,
besides, l didn't want to lose the glass
She demanded the opera glass. There
was no chance for DISCUSSION there. ]
handed it over rather than have row.
She placed it on the plush edge of the
box, and the cold sweat began to come
as watched her toy with it. She re-
sented all my attempts to interfere
with it.
my GIRL" said I. through my teeth,
"you Just wait till we get out of this.
Til teach you something about theater
etiquette"
With this she flung the glass on the
box floor and gave indications OF
screaming. apologized--.
Mamma" she cried.
'Well, dear"
Mamma" with vicious little kick.
"Well, pet, what is it?"
"Mamma."
Are you sleepy, dear9 Go to sleep
like good little girl"
"Mamma."
"What do you want your mother to
do, you little witch?" Kissed at her
under my breath.
Il want mamma to sing hushaby."
The idea of her mother singing
hushaby in the Paris Opera House
might have seemed funny to me at
another time. but then it was toe
serious. If the young woman insisted
on having more music than her ticket
called for there would be row.
"Let us 60 home"
"No, lam rot going to capitulate
like that"
Mamma"
snow, girl. don't start that again"
mamma"
1 felt like Othello when he said:
"What needs this iterance, woman?"
"Mdnmar'
"Hush, hush, child" said her moth.
er, for things were getting critical. The
chorus had retired and the prima donna
had approached the footlights for solo.
tried to fix the little outlaw with my
glittering eye, but she untiinchingly
returned my gaze. There was in heI
rebellious face an expression that 4 had
never seen before, nor have l seen it
since. 1t said as plain as words: ''Old
man, l have you in q corner. You
daren't whip me, and you know it."
l leaned over and said to her as saw
her prepare to speak again:
"Girl, if you dare to CALL your mother
again I'll shake you"
There was a moment of silence as we
looked at each other. She half reclined
on her mothers lap with her feet dang
ling down and swaying discontentedly
to and fro. The prima donna was sing.
ing soft and low, and a breathless still.
ness prevailed. Just as l thought had
conquered, the word,
"MAM-M-A-wn'
Rung out at the top of her voice.
gave one despairing glance at the man
on the camp-stool so far below. The
stool was upset and his coat-tails were
disappearing past the hanging port.
tierres. The young rebel knew She had
crossed the Rubicon, and chung to hel
mother. l caught her up in a passion
and made for the door, when she gave
a piercing shrek that l in vain cndeav.
ored to stem by placing my hand ovel
her mouth.
You'll catch it, my girl" 1 said,
and meant it. The instant we were
out she sobbed: ...
"Oh, papa, Twas bad, but 1 love you
so much!'' 3 10. "
The arms went around my neck and
the wet cheek was pressed against
mine.
Your little girl s very tired. papa
Will you undess me?"
never knew the current of an enter
prise of such great pith and moment
to so quickly turn awry and lose the
name of action as did my resolution
about punishment. The head wen
down on my arm and l walked bacl
and forth.
"Will you sing hushaby?' SHIT
drawled, sleepily.
"Well, that wasn't what I came OH
in such hurry for; but anything to &C
commodate."
The next instant she was souuC
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