Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-01-31


excessive surprise, for, withou
waIting for ine TO reply, she contin
ued with TO
"You think nay request strange
but Mr.. Devine is a--an old friend
and / thought-you see Ii would b.
unkiad not to let him know hoy
pleased / am at his success"
"Yes, answered vaguely, wish
ing Philip had not been so ready I,
trust his wife ID my care. Thel
aloud / said !: Don't you thinl
Philip will be uneasy at your pro
longed absence? Would it not be
more advisable to call with you
husband-upon your-your frient
In the morning ?"
my husband oh, no. He dis
likes actors; that is, he does not
care TO associate with them, and
Claude (anOther slip of the tongue
leaves early tomorrow morning FOL
| Liverpool. -
So l think she is posted as to thi!
mans movements. sis., 1,
/ "Oh ! woman, woman I" men
tally calculated, "thank heaven,
have so far escaped your allure
ments !"
With an inward anathema at the
predicament / found myself in, ]
offered the lady my arm, and we
proceeded, without a word on either
side. toward the stage entrance. To
my astonishment the stage door
keeper was evidently acquainted
with Mrs. Stanton, for he saluted
her with:
."Weli, now, that's right. Come in
and sit down." waving his hand
toward a chair of sit-On me-if-yOu-
can style, adding, with a confiden.
tial air, "Mr. Claude will be out in
minute"
True to the doorkeeper's word the
star almost Immediately came hur-
rying towards us, although I doubt
if he noticed me, for with pleased
exclamation he coolly took my
friends wife in his arms and kissed
her most affectionately. And was
actually aiding and abetting this
clandestine meeting.
at does me good, it does, to see
how fond them two be of one an
Other,n observed the old doorkeep-
er to me, as he indicated with a
backward movement of his thumb
the young actor and my friends
wife.
"Oh lit does ?" 1 answered sar-
castically, feeling as If Isheuld like
to punch the old fellows head, as
he, quite unconscious of my sarcasm
and malicious desire, continued
with -.
"You see, ! knew 'em when they
weren't no higher than the table.
Mr.. Ciande takes after his father,
who was an uncommon good actor.
It's pity she's married TO such a
straight laced chap. Now, believe
In letting IA woman have her own
way, cause il you don't she'll take
it anyway. Ii isn't to be expect
ed as she'd give up Mr.. Claude even
if her husband is kinder set against
him."
began to think / must be taking
leave of my senses. My friends
wife being made love to under my
very eyes, while i listened to an
account of said friends unreasona-
bleness in objecting to such a pro.
ceeding. 's.
Two seconds. afterward / was
shaking hands with the star, feeling
AS if a bOmbshell had been suddenly
lifted from off my heart. The mo-
dus operandi that led to this light
ming result had its birth in two
words used by Mrs. Stanton in
making the actor and myself known
to each other. Proudly leaning up
on his arm she had advanced to-
ward me, saying:
"My brother, Mr.. Harley"
My face, / expect, betrayed me,
for, apparently taking in the situa-
tion, Claude Devine said:
'.It is very distasteful to me to be
obliged TO meet my sister in this
clandestine fashion, but unfortu-
nateIy Mr.. Stanton has prejudice
against actors, and Laura, fearing
that she might lose his love If he
became aware of the relationship 10
one, exacted a promise from me
that I would never make known
my kinship with her until she had
paved the way thereto. NV. stag
name of. course effectually prevent
ed recognition in that quarter"
"Oh, but Pm afraid it is as far off
"a ever" here spoke Mrs. Stanton,
the tears glistening in her pretty
eyes.
"As far off-not bit of itT ]
managed to exclain. "YOu donI
know what a relief it will be to
Philip to know the truth. j would
not be afraid to wager that he'll be
willing to accept half the profession
as klnsmen i'm gratitude for the rev.
elation of tonight. Just give me
Is minutes start and l promise you
hearty welcome from your brother
in law, Mr.. Claude" and before
they could stop me, If they had
wished, | was off.
Dashing into my friends suite of
apartments, L saluted him with:
"Look here, Philip, we have been
a couple of cOnfOunded jackassess.
Having thus sufficiently startled
him into wondering whether | WAS
exactly sane or not, l proceeded to
point out wherein our jackassedness
lay. 1 must have acquitted myself
tn his entire satisfaction, for my con-
Guiding words brought forth the ex-
clamation
'"Good Heavensi Tom, what a
fool ! have beenH'
"My opinion precisely" an
swered, holding up warning finger
to Two figures just crossing the
threshoid, as he continued with:
"What tyrsnt he must believe
me-my darling .misjudged
wife"
At this point my finger ceased to
have any oposing force for one of
the figures. Whereupon two white
arms played sad havoc with my
friends moment before inmacu-
late necktie, rs fearful voice muir
INJURED: afe. .
"Oh, Philip! / never thought
YOU anything but the dearest and
best OF husbands, and felt sure that
you would one day forgive my
brother for being an actor for my
sake"
s'And for his, too, l hope," an
swered my friend, cordially hold
ing out his hand to young Claude,
as he added 81 have INDUCED a
foolish prejudice, but | trust my
eyes have been permanently open
ed"
Tableau-Husba and wife in
Iover-like position. Brother smIl-
ing approval. Friend, alias myself,
in the background chewing the Bit
ter cud of reflection, or in palmer
language, questioning the wisdom