River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-10-15

lit is a rough sea and dangerous
voyage, but how bravelv some little
| girls weather the storm. For instance,
the young lady-for she was a young
lady, although she had been doomed to
wear something like the costume of an
acrobat-who played Mary inyour com
edY,n | said.
Sandering slowly rose from his chair,
and leaned against the mantelpiece,
smoking thoughtfully.
Miss what was her nalne?' | con-
tinued. You seemed much struck
with her once. and that is why she was
taken from the ranks to play the part,
! presume. Miss Burton-that's it.
| suppose you have forgotten all about
her now?"
NO" he slowly replied, with a
somewhat troubled face; Il have
thought a good deal of her-and good
deal less of myself in consequence.
looked thin inquiringly.
81 WIS struck with her, as you say,
| and told her so, and used to take her
about to afternoon performances and
that sort of thing; and gave her the
part in the comedy, rs you know.
(Which was quite as much to your
/ advantage as to hers, for she played
charmingly," l interrupted.
$50 she did, certainly. Well, used
to take her about, and got to like her
awfully. After a time she seemed to
| grow Shy about it; wouldn't come al
ways when | wanted her to, and | was
| veXed and couldn I understand it. One
evening when she was out of an en-
gagement, | wanted to take her to the
! opera, and she made an excuse, and so
| | asked her about it. She said,
"Of course I'd like to 90 with you
every day, dear, only you know how
! particular | have to be, and if we are
always together, people will talk and
wonder where
"Ithink she was going to say, wonder
where il will end;' so it occurred to me
to wonder where it would, and knowing
where i. ought-for she was evidently
very fond OF mel told her wanted
to marry her.
What then. was the underlined inilu-
ence which was making solitude ter
rible? He must get away from it, some
how. He would 90 to Shines. AT least
he should fluid some one to speak to
there. Why, old Shines, now he
thought of it, was II; and yet how young
and cheerful he always seemed! What
was the secret? He was not quite sure
that he had done the right thing by
Shines. Perhaps he ought to have
given him a share in the business; and
he would have done so years ago, only
he had been so set upon keeping 1t IN
tact for "Riching q Son Well, per-
haps there was something he could do
about it even yet.
He stopped, and gazed thOughtfully
at the fire.
"And what did she reply?" asked.
Il took her to the opera that even
| ing Things went on for couple Of
months; she was dear good little
girl" he said, breaking off his SEN
tence and pausing, as if "reminiscences
fitted through his mind, land lady,
too. | don mean to say she could get
through wood of social etiquette, rs
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
lc of months, and she was away from
town when | heard to my intense
dilidLCfuCll, dN Ot huO sJiAttb tlllo pitN~N
had come to me. | wrote 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 thlngsP' l
asked.
Yes. He talked about my position
in the county, and my small knoWl-
edge of a 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 a 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, Sandering said, as /
stopped short; "Oblige me to act dis
honorably-"
ITO act unkindly," ] continued, ito
Miss Burton.
And now you think l ought to go
and see her? Perhaps she has forgotten
all about me- he said.
I'm sure that you ought to go; and
shes not the sort of girl to have for
gotten you; or to have forgotten her
self, in spite of Editions charitable
opinion. d" | answered.
Il will 90, he said, flinging his CT
gar into the fire. 81 will 90; and, by
Jove! l feel so happy now that have
made up my mind. OF course | ought
to 90 and Ill start tomorrow morn
ing; at least, it seems rude to you, old
fellow, when you We just come down.
Not at all, | said, and meant it;
though, for the matter of that, it is the
only reply to such a speech possible
under the circumstances. I'm go up
with you, if You like"
Don't you mind, really? | can't
tell YOU how much obliged | shall be.
Do you know where she tsp
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.
Two lines, | think, and about five
bars of recitative. 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 new piece into re-
hearsal at once.
There 5 a train at half-past ten, if
tina rot too early for you, he said,
vcry ger to be off, now that he had
decide. . go.
Not. 10 all; and as it's nearly twelve,
think IL retire. Goodnight What
ever are you thanking me for? Good
night, and good luck in this aud every
thing.
A servant brought 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 neccs-
sary.
We arrived in town about two
o'clock, and FASTENED TO the theatre,
where rehearsal was busily proceeding.
Sandering's heart slightly failed here.
and | left him in the neighboring
square while l went to find Nellie Bur
ton. and tell her that he was waiting
to see her. | made my way up the
dark staircase, and paused at the back
Of tho holt iiUhfaJ Stap a To "a 10 in tho