Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-10-10

REFoRE THE T RISES.
Ihe guestsassemb1e. Down the stairs steal
A If Tddressed;,hcentury before,
And pause, acourtly beau from head to heel
Close by the grecn-room door.
khe frelight ~glowsMithin; the leaping blaze
AShincs oman eager face. What %lappy-spel
Summoned that sweetest glimpse of oiden
days,
Ready to play her part in quaint disguise
Ofpowdered hair and old brocaded gown,
She warns a dainty foot, nor turns her eyes
Where, with an anxious frown,
Coming his book, our crafty Villain sits;
Tall, handsome, honest, he's q wealthy
A triac hcavy-in our telling bits
He rather misses fire.
q push the door, and meet a smile from each;
; Mylady's eyes are lifted from the flame;
4he Villain keeps his finger on a speech,
And greets me by my name.
Tam the happy hero Of the play,
With Love, and Luck. and Valor on my side;
4 am to conquer everything to-day,
I ar to win my bride.
And I will win her! All, they do not know
This eo u rIs Of a hundred years ago "'
Is living in my heart.
Yet 1 can plead my cause without the aid
OF studied phrases-they are poor and weak;
wait only till our comedy is played
This is no time to speak. "
The actors hurry in, and one and all
Appeal to me to listen or to look.
The footman's livery is q size too small.
The prOmpter wants his book.
Ny father comes to show his wrinkled face,
And lOiters nervOusly behind the sceneS;
praise his badness and his feeble pace
He's only in his teens!
There are SO many duties to perform.
And at a moments notice I must say
Who is to see about the thunderstorm,
And who takes in the tray.
Where is the fatal deed that must be signed2
l give them all their answers, and by chance
Lounging beside the window, lift the blind
And cast q careless glance.
Nothing to see-how heavily it rains!-
Nothing but here and there. q gliding spark,
Where carriages along the country lanes
Come rolling through the dark.
Beyond, there lies q world Of gloom unknown;
Our little space of glitter, warmth and light
Is but a manv-colored bubble, blown
On q black sea of night.
We'll, let the bubble break without a sigh.
And let tomorrow come, as come 1t will;
ham the happy hero till l die.
IL she is with me Still!
And when hereafter we recall this day
OF painted, powdered courtship from the
past,
We'll la s!sh at stage and prompt'r. Wills I
The lover to the last.
AFTER THE CURTAIN FALLS.
kfs over, now 1t was a great success.
Our Honest Villain did the best he could,
Took pains, and plodded through his wicked
ness
He's really very good;
And when he drove the lady to despair
With darby scowling threats and feigned
Irushed upon the stage, dened him there,
And clasped her in my arms!
A few relations, quite unknown till then;
Virtue was lucky, Villainy disgraced-
We all were better men.
Then came my wrinkled sire-"Nay, I mis-
You won't bear malice for a blunder-
POUNDS!
Take your old fathers gift-a pocket-book,"-
Twas twenty thousand pounds.
'bless how Sov;y my ohildron' She's a PEARL my
The others gathered round for their fare.
And stood in attitudes, and wished us Joy,
And SO the curtain fell.
They called US back. The laughing plaudits
To welcome us. That moment was divine
Tho token of my triumph! AS 1 held
My darling's hand in mine,
see med to feel her happy pulses beat,
AS mine were beating in my joy and pride;
Atrod the whole world underneath my feet
Since she was by my sidel
Md t%hen-why, as We passed, I overheard
a hurried whisper, caught q meaning smile;
Enough--it was the Villain she preferred
The Villain al the while!
That was the end, and here / am alone,
Dismally laughing at my sorry plight;
tlisten to the winds unceasing moan,
gaze into the night,
Only to see my pale reflection cast
Upon the gloom. A bitter lash Of rain
Falls, with a sudden fury of the blast,
On the black window-pane.
She loves him-lo.es himl She will be his
ud And Is STRANGELY aanfSay I ! RECALL sa as here i, I stand.
l bowed, and dropped her hand.
What did think of as 1 bent my head?
Ihe nre-llght flashed upon my bucklsd
Poor hero! Well, there's nothing to be said
Was she not free to choose?
She did not know! With my whole heart 1
what dd l. She thought I acted well, no
If Love anne stealing through the masque.
rade,
How should she find him out2
She did not know! God bless her in her
choice!
LAY, and the Villain, tooD No thought Of
blame
Shall ever lend its hardness to my voice.
When l would speak her name.
There will be other plays in coming years
When this is half forgotten; there will be
New scenes, new dresses, and new hopes and
fears
But this old play for me!
One a be always learning things by heart;
Variety is charming-yet it pals.
"Zounds!'-(as the father Said)-IIl play my
part
Until the curtain falls!
Margaret Teley, in Century Magazine.
UNCLE JOTHAM'S SUMNER
BOARDER.
Uncle lothian came to the conclusion
that he would keep summer boarders.
He had a ''mountin,'' a 'clear runnin'
brook and ''plenty of garden-sass."
To help out his stock in this business,
there were glimpses of glorious scenery
TO be eniOyed from Uncle ,Jotham's