Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-10-14


1 looked athim inquiringly.
Il was struck with her, as you say
and told her SO, and used to take he1
about to afternoon performances and
that sort of thing; and gave her the
part in the comedy, as you know
(which was quite as much to YOU
advantage as to hers, for she played
charmingly," I interrupted.
$50 she did, certainly. Well, I used
to take her about, and got to like bel
awfully. After time she seemed tC
grow shy about it; wouldn't come al.
ways when wanted her to-, and l was
vexed and couldn' t understands. One
evening when she was out of an en-
gagement, wanted to take her to tho
opera, and she made an excuse, and SC
I asked her about it. She said,-
"Of course I'd like to go with yor
every day, dear, only you know how
particular have to be, and if we are
always together, people will talk and
wonder where
Il think she was going to say, wonder
where it will end;' so it occurred to me
to wonder where it would, and knowing
where it ought-for she was evidently
very fond of mel told her l wanted
to msrry her,
He stopped, and gazed thoughtfully
at the fire
''And what did she reply?'' I asked
II took her to the opera that even
ing. Things went on for couple OF
months; she was a dear good little
girl,' he said, breaking off his SEN
tence and pausing, as if "reminiscences
fitted through his mind, land a lady,
too. don't mean to say she could get
through wood of social etiquette, as
Gertrude Leigh might do, without
knocking against some of the trees,
but in heart she was as perfect lady
as the best of them. However" he
continued, ''things went on for a coup
lie of months. and she was away from
town when I heard to my intense
amazement, as you know, that this place
had come to me. I w1ote to her at
once, but had to 90 to Paris on bust
ness connected with the estate before
coming to town. Well, the Leighs
were there, SO was Ethilton, and-and
and he knew about the affair with the
little girl, and
"And suppose he INDUCED in that
mysterious style of conversation which
is vaguely termed saying things?' 1
asked.
Eyes. He talked about my position
in the county, and my small knowl-
edge of girl whose associations had
been somewhat equivocal; and said
what good thing it would be if went
in for Bell Leigh; you know used to
like her, rather; and he persuaded me
to stay on-he was always talking
about it-and-'
''Lord Ethilton is such very great
swell that cannot be expected to see
things from his elevated point of view;
but | must say fail utterly to under
stand why your position in the county
should oblige you to act disho-''
go on" Sandcring said, as I
stopped short; "oblige me to act dis
honorably-"
ITO act unkindly," ] continued, "to
Miss Burton.''
"And now you think I ought to 20
and see her? Perhaps she has forgotten
all about me,' he said.
'I'm sure that you ought to 90; and
she's not the sort of girl to have for
gotten you; or to have forgotten her.
self, in spite of Ethilton's charitable
OPINION I answered.
81 will co. he said, tlinging his CT
gar into the fire. Il will 90; and, by
Jove! 1 feel so happy now that I have
made up my mind. Of course I ought
to go; and I'll start tomorrow morn
ing; at least, it seems rude to you, old
fellow. when you've just come down.
mot at all, I said, and meant it;
though, for the matter of that, it is the
only reply to such speech possible
under the circumstances. 'I'll go up
with you, if you like
Don't you mind, really? 1 can't
tell you how much obliged I shall be.
Do you know where she is?''
Eyes; was at the rehearsal at the
Princes "a day or two ago. She is
going to play in the new opera bouffe. -
"A part?' he asked.
1.-TWO lines, / think, and about five
bars of recitatiye. There were thirteen
people in the boxes and nearly two
rows of stalls the other night, and such
good business nearly turned Manley's
head, and he put a new piece into re-
hearsal at once.
There's train at half-past ten, if
that's not too early for you,' he said,
very eager to be OFT, now that he had
decided to 60.
Not at all; and as it's nearly twelve,
1 think I'll retire. Goodnight. What
ever are you thanking me for? Good
night, and good luck in this and every
thing
A servant brought a very early mes
sage the next morning that. Sandering
was up, and waiting for me to break
fast with him; and the dogcart to take
us to the station was at the door some
twenty minutes earlier than was neces-
sary.
We arrived in town about two
o'clock, and fastened to the theatre,
where rehearsal was buslly proceeding.
Sandering's heart slightly failed here.
and 1 left him in the neighboring
square while I went to find Nellie Bur
ton, and tell her that he was waiting
to see her. I made my way up the
dark staircase, and paused at the back
of the half-lighted stage to take in the
scene.
The ladies of the establishment,
gorgeously arrayed and highly bejew;
eled, were seated in a semi-circle, re-
ceiving, with some Struggling of
shoulders, the verdict of the leader of
the band that there was very little i'm
proyement yet in the repetition of a
chorus. and that it must be a great deal
better before it would do. Two of the
men who played characters of an
Orestes and Plydes description, and
who would have played Cain and Abel
infinitely better, were quarreling with
each other, in the most polite tones, as
to what business should or should not