The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-08-30

So Matte invited Mary TO accompany
her, and they went. the theatre was
comfortably filled but not crowded. The
dashIng comedy ratified along and was
acted deliciously. But, notwithstanding
the pleasure the performance gave her
Matte was dissatisfied With herself. She
felt that she had not done right in ac-
cepting the tickets from young mau of
whom she really knew nothing except
that be appeared to be gentleman.
Was his intention iu giving ber the
tickets merely 10 crafty her, or had he
ulterior designs that she was then un-
able to fathom2
The more she thought of the matter
the worse it looked, and great lump
arose in her throat as she reflected how
indiscreet she had been, and how ber
ill.advised action might DO distorted
to her disadvantage. Her reflections
became unbearable, and in the midst OF
the performance she suddenly put her
hand to her heart, uttered low cry, land
tainted.
As she sat back in her seat. limp, un-
conscious, and as pale as death, young
man darted from an obscure corner of
the orchestra circle and rushed to her
side. He hastily took her in bis arms.
and, bidding the amazed and terrified
Miss Draper follow him, bore her out
into the lobby. There was slight
commotion in the audience, but it speed
lily subsided, and the play was not inter.
rupted.
Iu the lobby dash of cold water and
the application of smelling-salts to her
nostrils speedily restored the siling girl
to consciousness. She opened her eyes,
aud the first thing she SAW was the cause
of all the mischief, Augustus Hare him
self, bending over her.
"Oh, MIR. Hare" she said family,
show wrongly have acted"
But Augustus would not hear a word.
He insisted upon silence. and dispatched
an usher for carriage. Assisted by
Miss Draper, he led Matte to the vehicle,
and. refusing to leave her until she was
safely at home, got in with the two girls,
directing the ccachman to drive to the
address that he obtained from Mary.
The waiter,gir mother was trim
and scrupulously neat little body, and
the moment Augustus put eyes on her
be liked her When her daughter ar
rived in the carriage with strange gen.
tleman she was at first dismayed and
then terrified. What did it all mean?
But the sight Of Mary Draper Gained
her. Matte was yet pale and distressed.
She threw herself wildly upon her moth
er's neck and cried out:
"Oh, mother, I haYe done wrongl !
have done wrong!'
The elder lady gazed with horror and
suspicion at Augustus, but he stood his
ground like man, and in few consid.
crate words explained the entire affair,
from the acceptance of the matinee tick
cts to the the catastrope at the theatre,
concluding by saying. in u tone of great
feeling:
If there is any harm in the matter il
belongs to me alone, Miss Matte is en-.
tirely innocent, Perhaps tempted her,
but my intentions were OF the purest,
can assure you"
Matte gazed at him with gratitude
beamipg in her eyes. and her little heart
went out to him, with all its maidenly
affection, as it had never done to any
young man before. Tears of contritior
were rolling down her pallid cheeks, but
Augustus thought they only made bel
look more beautiful and modest. He
WIS enraptured with the little waiter.
girl, aud there was tumultous futter
ing in bis manly bosom-an unmistak
able indication that Cupid had fred al
arrow at him and had not missed hi
mark.
"Well. bless my SOUL" thought th,
dashing Miss Draper, "this is certainly
the quserest filtration ever heard Of il
all my born days"
Their courtship was brief one, ant
when the May byacinths were filling tht
air with their balmy perfume, and tn,
gorgeous tulips were dazzling all eye
with their imperial beauty, Matte anC
Augustus were quietly married. Matti,
had long since eabaudoued the coffe- hous
anu its intoxicating atmosphere of gidd!
Irritation, aud since her Disappearance,
Augustus had not been seen there. Th,
waiter-girls talked the matter over among
themselves, giggling and smirking al
usual, but when they heard that Matte
had married rich. youthful, and hand
some husband, who was passionately de
voted to her, and that that husband wa
her Rdmlrer of her former waiter days
they spoke enthusiastically of her luck
aud there was not one of them who di,
not vote the coffee-house a glorious in
stitution. fraugbt With matrlm o nial pos
sibilities of the highest order.