Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-07
LILA AND HER WHOEVER,
THE LITTLE TRAGEDY IN GREEN STREE,

SCENE /.
Draining room in. Mayfair. Enter COLONEL
THEoPHnUs STACER, handsome man of forty
ac'md dash Of gray on the temples and MISS
LILA Delaney street girl of nineteen, sriM no
rlsl6te temples at all
Lila, lovely but irate-"No. 1 couldn't have
believed it; no, couldn't No. Theophilus all
is over between us; 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 I would never, never. never marry a
widOwer, and you to be a widower all the time.
o Theophilus 1 couldn't have thought it of you
and you to be a widower all the timel"
TheOphilus-''My 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" sObbing, chow hate wild
overs, and if had ever had the least, the very
least idea would have hated youl But-now
-when-I have-got TOTO love-you-"
TheOphilus-"1es. now when you have got to
love me, you find you have got to forgive me
too"
Lilla-"How-how could you do it2"
Theophus-"I was tempted and I 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
inform you OF my early and unhappy marriage
1t was soon over, and as had no children, the
very memory OF 1t had almost passed away: if
my old brother officer, Jack DoodIes. had only
not happened to be in England at this moment,
and to go about telling everybody"
Lila, with start, tears flying to the right
and left-"Then. o Heavens, every one knows
as we'll as l. O., this is too dreadful, this,"
VIKINGS her hands
TheOphilus very gently-"I made great mis-
take, and am most heartily sorry for it, hut,
Lila, you will not for this" takes her hand,
draws her within his arm is just about to
The door flies open. and in whirls the Lady
Blanche Malingerer, the veriest old cat in town;
has an eye to Stacer for herself. no objection to
widowers. and every sort of objection to girls of
nineteen. Lila Delaney in particular.
Lady Blanche stops short. and throws I'D both
her hands" Goodness gracious mercy
saints and angels-O, la what have done? o,
we know all about it. all about it, you naughty,
wicked, gay deceiver! And this is the recon-
Citation! o, pardon on my knees. fly like the
wind! And yet it is too delightful! Oyou base
man, to play her such a trick as that-ha! hal
ha! Delicious! Come. my sweet Lila, ioin in
the laugh What though he did hoax You Just
little Bit o, fie, what face! The tempest
isn't over yet: then! l am just little prema-
ture am |? Then send for me again when it is
all smooth. and I'll just cree-eep in. fatal"
kisses her hand: "off run'
Lila. quiverng with passion. like big lily
Knocked about blythe wind-'.YOp needn't run;
| am going Colonel Stacer. you may think
that because am only foolish girl and haven't
seen the world, nor been to India" with scorn-
tul emphasis that you may cheat me and
laugh at me in your sleeve. and make all my
friends"
grlmace from Lady Blanche
Lila. stamping with the prettiest little foot In
the wOrld-''But you are mistaken. sirl hold
myself free from this moment; anything I may
have said last night"
Deep interest on the part of Lady Blanche.
Lilla-''lt cannot hold me now. gentle
man who, under false pretences, gains lady's
regards"
Deep gravity on the part of Stacer
Lllla-"Must understand that all is at -
tremolo-'an end-between them-when-the
truth is out"
Lady Blanche" Bah! nonsense! Hear the
silly little birdie chirping its little ridiculous
Defiance"
Lilla-'Ridiculous. Do you dare"
Lady Blanche. retreating precipitatey in mock
fright-"O, dare nothing. i dare nothingI
you. o, she's comingl" Tries little scream
and clings to him. Stacer throws her off as if
she was wasp, and PUSHES from the room
Lila: tragically-"Is he gone? o, is he
gone!"
Lady Blanche dryly. all trace of either mirth
or terror yanished-"Gone? No doubt about
that. my dear"
Lila. sinking back in char-"And I sent
him away. And he will never come back againI"
Lady Blanche mockingly-"O, you want him
back again already, do you:"
Lila remembers herself-"No indeed Want
him back? Never, never. never do wish to see
his face mortl' r.s CO.
Lady Blanche-"Come. come, nv dear there
is no need to make believe before me- And YOU
are quite right. too. Theophilus Stacer is a
catch in his way-fve thousand year and a
hne-looking man, though a little, little old for
you. perhaps; but that is nothing to his being a
widower-bess mel what am / saying? 1t is
you yourself, you foolish child who have set us
all against widowers; and. to be sure II was
too bad OF Tffeophilus-but there. We'll say no
more Take my advice. my dear and welcome
back the dear Colonel with your sweetest smile
next time he comes"
Lila, with dignity and observation-disclosures
enough. l see you do not believe in me.
Wait"
Lady Blanche, with renewed spirit-"Yes. I'll
wait; I'm not afraid to wait; / sha'n't have to
wait long A very few hours will see the gal
liant soldier advance again to the attack; the
sly widower viii try another trick Now, nv
dear. now spare my ears, putting up her fingers
TO them. mo use, no use, sha'n't listen; he
comes back. he comes backl' Escapes laughing
and nodding. (Aside)-"But if he do. it will
be no thanks to me-"