Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-08-14
LILLA'S WHOEVER.
Lila and Her Widower---A Little
Tragedy in Green Street.
SCENE I.

40 with dash OF gray on the temples;
and Miss LILA Delaney, sweet girl
Of 10, with no visible temples at all.
Lila. lovely, but irate - mo, l
couldn't have believed it; no, l couldn't.
No. Theophilus, all is over between
US; you have deceived me, duped me,
made Il 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 q WidOwer,
and you to be n widower all the time!
O Theophilus, l couldn't have thought
it of you, and you to be q widower all
the time"
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" sob
bing, = how | hate widowers, and if |
bad ever had the least, the very least
idea, | would have hated you But
uow-when-I-haye = got Toto
lovc-you-"
Theophilus- Eyes, now when you
have got to love me, you find you have
got to forgive me, too"
Lila How-hoW could you ever do
it?"
Theophilus-'I was tempted and [
fell. Your, may | call it prejudice on
the subject was we'll 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. II my bro
Their officer Jack boobies, 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 we'll as l! o, this
is too dreadful, this!' VIKINGS her
hands.
Theophilus Every gently)-'I made
q 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
up both her hands-'.G oodness-gra-
cious-m crcy-saints and angels-O,
Ia! what have | done? 0, we know all
about it YOU naughty, wicked, gay de-
ceiver! And this Is the reconciliation!
O, pardon on my knees. | fly like the
wind! And yet it is too delightful! o
you base man TO play her such trick
as that-ha! ha! ha! Delicious! Come
my sweet Lila, join in the laugh.
What though he did hoax you just a
little bit? 0 fie, what a face! The
tempest isn't over yet, then? | am
just little premature, am |? Then
send for me when all is smooth, and
I'll just cree-eep in. fatal" kisses her
hand. I'm off. -
Lila. quivering with passon like a
bic lily knocked about by the wind
''You needn' run; | am going. Col.
Stacer, you may think that because I
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, sir! | hold myself free from
this moment; anything [ may have said
last night
Deep interest on the part of Lady
Blanche.
Lilla-'It 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"-tremolo-'.an end-between
them-when-the truth is OUT
Lady Blanche = Bah! nonsense!
Hear the silly little birdie chipping its
little ridiculous defiancer'
Lila Ridiculous! Do you dare"
Lady Blanche, retreating precipi-
lately in mock fright-'.O, l dare notn-
ing! | dare nothing! have pity! Col
Stacer, let me hide behind you! o, she
is coming!" Tries little scream and
as though she was wasp, and rushes
from the room.
Lila, tragically-'Is he gone? Oh,
is he gomez"
Lady Blanche, dryly, all traces of
either mirth or terror vanished
s'Gone? No doubt about that, my
DEAR
Lila, sinking back into chair
.And [ sent him away! And he will
never come back again!'
Lady Blanche, mockingly-s'O, you
want him back again already, do you?'
Lila, remem bering herself-'.No in
deed! Want him back? Never, never,
never do wish to see his face morein
Lady Blanche-.'Come, come, my
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 q