Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-02-17

'naIha-strcet style, as she held out To
him "A rose-tipped fore-tinger around
which was deity coiled the same
chewing-gum he had given her at a
San Rafael picnic four swift years
agone.
To the pure all things are pure; TO
the chewer all things are gum.
He shook his head abstractedly.
You needn't take some unless YOU
chews,n she murmured archly.
McGlue shuddered shudder from
Shuddersville. Cease this kittenish.
ness, darling" he said, in n voice all
his resolution could not render steady.
VI want to speak seriously to you,
Cell, IL calm yourself, precious.
do not despise, but. In fact, |
haven't got them" and the strong
man hid his face in his Vanity Fair
tinted fingers and groaned.
Haven't got them, haven't got
them!' gasped the poor girl, mechan-
ically repeating his words, while with
horror-stricken, uncomprehending
Observation-Disclosures gaze, she re-
garded the betrayer of her trust.
Haven't got the matinee tickets?
And tbis-this is the man loved,u
II know you will hate me,n he
moaned, hoarsely, but / couldn't
work 1t nohow. / played poker all
last night at the Louvre, but couldn't
get ahead bean. This morning l
asked old Squills for 'two-and.a-half'
out of the drawer, but he wouldn't
have it.
Celudine glanced at the ormolu. 1t
was thirteen forty-live new schedule),
and the matinee began at fourteen.
"And this, she muttered, bitterly :;
"this was to have been the, happiest
day Of my life. This morning was
sent home this-my new-my first
Substitution which l have bounded
paw all these long, weary years; and
now | am not to go out and show it.,
after all. ]. b. McGlue, farewell ~
"Whither go you?" gasped the dis
carded lover as Ceiudine clutched her
purse containing the regulation two
bits and car ticket, and started for
the door.
~ 20 to the matinee on my own
hook, unreserved, and in the gallery"
Kissed the desperate girl.
1t was too much. There was the
mufll d, sickening sound of bursting
porous plaster, and he young man fell
senseless to the floor.
When McGlue came to his senses
again he picked himself up from the
car track, where he had been laid 10y
the d'Spud menials to cool off, and
wendell his way toward the Kearny
street Saturday afternoon enamel eX-
hibition. A fire-engine Numbered ny
the driver yelling with ecstacy, having
just smashed four express wagons OF
the way.
McGlue's intuition, which he al
ways carried about him, told him in
stinctively that 1t was the Washer Min
strels, whose theater was in flames
and that even Mt that moment the
shrinking form of his idol was being
| licked by the forked tongues of the de
vouring element, or language to tha
effect.
1t was, indeed, true. One of Charli,
Reeds mossy-backed jokes had igniteC
by spontaneous combustion, and rs
| the dread alarm of "FireW rang
through the house, the packed au
dience started fer one of those mad
rushes to the doors that are SO fatal in
such cases.
We say started, but that was all. A
new and frightful danger developed
| itself. The seats of the theater hat
been vanished the day before at al
enormous expense, free list eniirel.
suspended, and the sticky COMPOUND
had not fully dried. Every soul il
that ill fated house was immovabl.
glued to his seat.
When the tremendous heat la,
done the bald-heads in the front row.
on both sides, one of those heroes o.
| humble life that such crises always
produce was seized with heaven
born inspiration.
He slid out of his pants.
Ina moment the motion WAS sec
ouded by the entire committee, ano
the house adjourned sine die. AL
save one escaped.
Celudine alone remained.
Dost ask why, thou male scofier al
the hottest instincts of our fallen ma
ture? Our lady readers Will under
stand The situation at once. The
wretched girl might bear up under the
loss of her lover, but her sealskin-
never. She could "cateh on" to an
other gilly at the pavilion some night;
but to 90 through life seal-less, skin
less-a creature to be pointed Mt and
despised by her more favored sisters
Not much
Welcome death first.
Like the Indian warrior at the stake;
like the pale martyr in his sheet, OF
fire. the devoted girl sat, and, scorched
by the breath of the on-coming flames,
she raised her clear, sweet voice in her
matin-matinee-s ng of death.
"Celudine! Oh, Cell"
II was the agonized voice OF Nc,
Glue. In another moment she heard
the strokes of an AK beneath the
smoking stage, and then through me
demon-trap emerged her sui'or. ith
n single vault he cleared the footlights
and rushed tnwards her.
In his hand he bore n rip-saw.
Courage, darling!n he cried, as he
took of his coat and tied his suspend.
ers around his waist. "Ihere Is yeI
time.r--To be continued in our next