The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1885-04-02
LADY RoDMEY's PLAY.

LADY RoDMEY's PLAY
81 wish you wouldn't Dorothy"
ssWouldn't what2n
ssYou know very WE'LL"
Indeed do not"
q HIFell, if ] must be more explicit,
Tish you would not act with that-that
Poasonby. The way he stares at you,
and fixes you with his eyes, is s5enough te
mskea man forget bis manners" ~''''
SHY dear Cyril, you can't be serious,
EIneyer heard you so unreasonable be-
fore. +"
'.Unreasopabte My deac grill Con
sidoring we are to be married so soon,
and all that; really thought you would
aosiebiect to a little advice from me-"
tspf course not. If l like it, shall
always follow it. DO you know that2"
But surely, Dorothy, it can't be Q
pleasure to 60 through rehearsals with
that lsnky fellow?"
aTell, you sec, I am bound to ACT
now. This is the 10th, and the theatri-
Gals come of on the 10th-only three
days; and how could Lady Rodney pro-
vide substitute in that time?- And be-
side, should like to.'
''Oh, would you2 That, of course,
settles the question"
"Why, Cyril" cxclaims Miss Bohun,
IF do believe you are jealous"
Il am. It does not make man par
ticularly cheerful to know that the
woman he loves is to be the object OF
another mans alteration for even an
hour"
'.But, my dear Cyril, it is only a
farce"
"But, my dear Dorothy, I see nc
reason why it might not terminate in q
tragedy"
Miss Bohun laughs.
that" she says, "would be
better than nothing. This place has
grown so dull since the Stewards left,
ana those men ar Coote hall"
"Look here, Dorothy, throw it up u
says Mr.. Disney, leaning over her chair,
and bending his head until his face is
very near to hers, "for my sake"
Well, If you can bring me some
fever, III take it; but don't see where
you'll get it, as there's nothing of the
sort in the parish, and I'm convinced
that nothing less could save me from
this thing"
"Then you IRE quite determined not
TO give it apr says Disney, coldly, draw
ing himself to his full height.
never was more determined in my
life," says Miss Bohun, with some just
Indignation. 81 am remarkable foI
never saying mo to anybody. You
yourself have frequently told ne I had
the sweetest nature in the world, and it
Is quite 700 late to alter Lady Rodney's
arrangements now" 49,.
- tsi.sSo doubt you are right, as you al
ways are. I'm sorry can't be present
on the nineteenth, but it is impossible,
as shall have business that will detain
ne about that time"
every pressing busincss2"
ayes, very pressing business"
"Ahm says Miss Bohuu.
When Disney has been absent two
days, his thoughts undergo a decided
change.
TO have left Dorothy in the manner he
had seems to him now to have been
not only an unmanly. but most unwor:
thy action.
There is only one way out Of it. He
will wfite to her, and humbly apologize
for his conduct.
The nj ght passes wearily enough, and
the morning brings him no relief He is
still in8cscribably miserable, and sinks
into the belief that there is no balm in
Gilead ftpr his uneasy spirit.
The neSxt day he grows even more des-
perate, a&nd finally decides that to-mor-
row, conAe,,what may, he wiil-metaphori-
cally spdAaking--throw himself at her
feet, and Bimp!orc forgiveness.
How 81 owly the train seems to move,
ind how intolerable seems the delay at
zach stat ion to Disney, as the next morn
nag re travels on his way to Brompley.
One half-hour more, and he is fulfilling
the guards demands for the shattered
remains of his mutilated ticket, and
awakes to the fact that he has already
arrived Mt his destination.
Hastily procuring his luggage, and en-.
gaging the first car convenient, he i'm
ncdiately proceeds to the hall. Arriv-
ing there, he dismisses the man, and
giving his luggage to the inestimatle
Williams, he enters the house.
How good it seems to him being back
again, and how small by this hare
Dorothy's sins grown in his eyes. After
all, how could she help it2 He is sure
he hated having to do it. And how
could she refuse Lady Rodney, after
promising to play her parta And, be-
sides, how many women act in private
theatricals, and shouldn't Dorothy, who
is evidently fitted by nature for that sort
of sport2 And when one comes to thirk
of /. dispassionately, there are few things
$3.50 innocent as little tableauX, and
little drawing room pieces, and that2
In fact, when they arc married, he
doesn't see why they shouldn't have phi
vi.e theatricals once a month. That
grcen-room at Kingsmore is just the
place for stage-footlights and drop
scenes, and so on.
He is getting positively enthusiastic
over the theatriclls, which subject has
carried him rs far Us the drawing-room,
when it suddenly occurs to him that Miss
Bohun is not there, as the man las led
him to suppose.
No doubt she is in the conservatory,
which she so much affects. lie pauSeS.
He thinks he will give her pleasant
surprise, and, cautiously moving aside
the curtain, that he may not too rudcly
break in upon the revcric that is doubt
less filled with him, he gazes upon the
little perfumed paradise beyond.
At first, the light dazzles his eyes. He
draws his breath quickly, and then
what is it he sees? In the distance stands
Dorothy-her features eloquent, her eyes
alight, her lips half parted, rs smile,
fond and tender, hovers round them.
At her feet kncels Ponsonby, his hands
tightly clasped, his whole attitude be-
traying devotion the most intense.
Even as Disney watches them, stricken
to the heart by tins cruel picture on
which he has so unwittingly intruded, a
passionate outbreak of WORDS comes from
Ponsonby's lips.
"Darlirg," he says, "a appeal to you
for the last time, and impIore you to
listen to ne. Do not, beseech you, let
the alteration of another, r,-wThat's me. "
Disney says. between his compressed
lips)-"blind you to the undying love