Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-08-28
LILLAIs WIDowER.
rdIla and Her Widower---A Little
Tragedy In Green Street


Drawing-room in Mayfair. Enter COL
THEoPHILUs STACER, handsome man OF
20 with dash of gray on the temples;
and Miss LILA DEIANCEY, sweet girl
of 10, with no visible temples at all.
Lila, lovely, but irate = No,
couldn't have believed it; no, couldn't
No. Theophilus. all is over between
u: you have deceived me, duped me,
made fool of me-
Theophilus "A fool Of myself,
rather"
Lilla-"After you had yourself heard
me. and ever so many other people
had heard me, too. say that | would
never. never, never, marry widOwer,
and you to be widower all the time!
o Theophilus, / couldn't have thought
it of YOU, and you to be a widower all
the time"
Theophilus-''M darling. own"
Lilla-.'O yes, you own it now-now
when you have got me to love you and
all! And you know. you know, sob
bipg, .show L hate widowers, and If
had ever had the least, the very least
idea. would have hated you! But
now-when-I-have = got Toto
love-you-
Theophilus-''Yes, now when you
have got to love me, you find you have
got to forgive me, too. )"
Lilla-sHow-how could you ever do
it?"
Theophilus-'1 was tempted and
fell. Your, may call it prejudice on
the subject was well known-better
known than my history; had but to
hold my tongue and no one would in
form you of my early and unhappy
marriage. 1t was soon over. and as
had no children the very memory of it
had almost passed away. If my bro
ther officer, Jack Doodles, had only not
happened to be in England at this mo-
ment, and to go about telling every
BODY"
Lila with start, tears falling to
the right and left)-''Then, o Heavens,
every one knows as well as Il o, this
Is TOO dreadful, thisi" Wrings her
hands.
Theophilus (very gently)-'H made
great mistake. and am most heartily
sorry for it; but, Lila, you will not for
this" takes her hand, draws her
within his arm and was just about
to-
The door flies open. and in whirls
the Lady Blanche Malingerer, the veri-
est old cat in town; has an eye to Sta
Ger for herself, no objections to widow
ers, and every sort OF objection to girls
of 10, Lila Delaney in particular.
Lady Blanche stops Short and throws
M both her -.'Goodness-gra-
cious-mercy-saint and aDgels-O,
la! what have l done? o, we know all
about it you naughty, wicked, gay de-
ceiverl And this is the reconciliation!
o. pardon on my knees. fly like the
wind! And yet it is too delightful! .
you base man to play her such a trick
as that-hai ha! ha! Delicious! Come
my sweet Lila, join in the laugh.
What though he did hoax you just
little bitp o fie, what face! The
tempest isn't over yet thene | am
Just little premature, am L? Then
send for me when all is smooth, and
I'll Just cree-eep in. Ta-tar' kisses her
hand. "I'm of. d"
Lila. quiyering with passon like a
big lily Knocked about by the wind
''You needn't run; am going. Col.
Stacer, you may think that because l
am only foolish girl, and haven't
seen the world. nor been to India, !"
with scornful emphasis. ''that you may
cheat me. and laugh in your sleeve, and
make all my friends"
A grimace from Lady Blanche.
Lila, stamping with the prettiest
little foot in the world-''But you are
mistaken, siri l hold myself free from
this moment; anything may have said
last night"
Deep interest on the part of Lady
Blanche.
Lilla-"If cannot hold me now. A
gentleman who under false pretenses
gains a lady's regards"
Deep gravity on the part of Stacer.
Lilla-"Must understand that it is
all at at''-tremolo-"an end-between
them-when-th truth is out
Lady Blanche 'tBahl nonsense!
Hear the silly little birdie chirping its
little ridiculous defancer'
Lila. Ridiculous! Do you dare"
Lady Blanche, retreating precipi-
lately in mock fright-''O, dare moth
ingl dare nothing! have pity! Col.
Stacer, let me hide behind you! o, she
is comingIn Tries little scream and
clings to him. Stacer throws her of
as though she was a wasp, and rushes
from the room.
Lila, tragically-'1s he gomez Oh,
is he gone?n
Lady Blanche, dryly, all traces of
either mirth or terror vanished
s'Gonea No doubt about that, my
dear"
Lila, sinking back into chair
''And sent him awayl And he will
never come back again.
Lady Blanche, mockingly-''O, you
want him back again already, do you?''
Lila, remembering herself-''No in
deedI Want him backP Never, never,
never do wish to see his face more!'
Lady Blanche-"Come, come, my
dear, there is no need to make believe
before me. And you are quite right,
too. Theophiius Stacer is catch in
his way-fye thousand year, and a
fine looking man, though little, a lit
tie too old for you, perhaps; but that is
nothing to his being a widower-bess
mel what am l saying? 1t is you,
yourself, you foolish child, who have
set us all against widowers; and, to be
sure, it was too bad of Theophilus-but
there, we'll say ne more. Take my
advice, my dear, and welcome back
the dear Colonel with your sweetest
smiles the next time he comes"
Lila. with dignity and resolution
That's enough. l see you do not be-
lieve in me. Waitr'
Lady Blanche, with renewed spirit
''Yes, Pll wait; am not afraid to wait;
shan't have to wait long. A very few
hours will see the gallant soldier ad-
vance again to tine attack, the sly wild
over will try another trick. Now, my
dear, now spare my ears" putting up
her fingers TO them. No use, no use;
shan't listen; he comes back, he comes
backr' Escapes, laughing and nod
ding. (Aside)-"BuT if he do it will
be no thanks TO me"
SCENE II.
A week later. A little drawing-room in
Green street. Everybody knows all about
everybody, except the host and hostess
who are delightfully."- innoCent and igno
rant-Only just passahle, you know; in
short, not quite ''the thing"
Enter LADY BLANCHE MALINGERER anC