Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-09
CHAPTER. ".

C1CGlCua oIlu dloO Ill duOlut1 1OOI1 Qc-
hind connected with it by folding
doors, everybody of note in the county
is already assembled. Fans are futter-
ing-so are many hearts behind the
scenes-and a low buzz Of converse
ton is being carried on among the COM
pany.
Then the curtain rises; the fans stop
ruStling, the conversation ceases, and
all faces turn curiOuSly to the small but
perfect stage that the London work
nen have erected.
Every one is very anxious to see what
his or her neighbor is going to do when
brought before a critical audience. No
body, of course, hopes openly for
breakdown, but secretly there are
few who would be glad to see Such-and-
such ones pride lowered.
No miSchance, however, occurs. The
insipid Tony speaks his lines perfectly,
if he fails to grasp the idea that little
acting thrown in would be an improve
ment; very charming cousin Con is
made out Of Miss VIIIIerS; rather
Stilted but strictly correct old lady out
Of Lady Gertrude Vining. But Flor
ence Delmaine, as Kate HardcaStle,
leaves nothing to be desired, and many
are the complimentary speeches uttered
from time to time by the audience.
Arthur DynecOurt too had not over
praised his own powers. 1t is palpable
to every one that he has often trOd the
boards, and the pathOS he throws into
his performance aStOniSheS the au-
dence. Is it only acting in the final
scene when he makes love to Miss
HardcaStle, OF is there some real Senti-
ment in it?
The question arises in many breasts.
They note how his color changes as he
takes her hand, how his voice trembles;
they notice TOO how she grows cold, IN
spite Of her desire to carry out her part
to the end. as he grows warmer, and
how instinctively she shrinkS from his
touch. Then it is all over. and the cur
tain falls amidst loud applause. Flor
encG comes before the curtain in re-
Spouse to frequent calls, gracefully,
half reluctantly, with a soft warm blush
upon her cheeks and light in her eyes
that renders her remarkable lOvelineSs
only more apparent. Sir Adrian,
watching her with a heart faint and
cold with grief and disappointment, &C
knOWledgeS sadly to himself that never
has he seen her look so beautiful. She
advances and bows to the audience,
and only loses her Self-pOSseSSiOn o
very little when a bouquet directed at
her feet by an enthusiastic young man
alightS upon her shoulder instead.
Arthur DynecOurt, who has accom-
panied her to the fOotlights, and who
joins in her triumph, picks up the bOu-
quet and presents it to her.
AS he does so the audience again be-
comes aware that she receives it from
him in a spirit that suggests detesta-
ton of the one that hands it, and that
her smile Withers as she does so, and
her great eyes lose their happy light of
a moment before.
Sir Adrian sees all this too, but per-
SuadeS himself that she is now acting
another part-the part shown him by
Mrs. Talbot. His eyes are blinded by
jealousy; he can not see the purity and
truth reflected in hers; he miScOnStrueS
the panied expression that of late has
saddened her face
For the last few days, ever since her
mOmentOuS interview with Arthur
Dynecourt in the gallery, she has been
timid and reserved with Sir Adrian,
and has endeaVOred to avoid his SOcie-
ty. She IS oppressed with the thought
that he has read her secret love for him
and seeks, by an assumed GOODNESS Of
demeanOr and a studied avoidance of
him, to induce MIN to believe himself
mistaken.
But Sir Adrian is only rendered more
miserable by this avoidance, in the
thought that probably Mrs. Talbot has
told Florence Of his discovery of her
attachment to A ,.Iur, and that she
breads his taxing her with he1 duplici-
ty, and SO makes strenuous efforts to
keep herself apart from him. They
have already drifted so far apart that
tonight, when the play has come to an
end, and Florence has retired from the
A I1,Ia1
dream of approaching her to offer the
congratulations on her success that he
would have ShOWered upon her in a
happier hour.
Florence, feeling lionel, and de-
pressed, having listlessly submitted to
her maids guidance and changed her
stage gown for pale blue ball-dress of
satin and pearls-as dancing is to sue
ceed the earlier amusement of the
evening silently downstairs, but,
instead Of pursuing her way to the ball
room, where dancing has already COM
menced, she turns aside, and, entering
a small, dimly lighted antechamber,
sinks YEARLY upon a Satin-cOvered
lounge.
From a distance the sweet strains of
German waltz comes to her ears.
There is deep sadness and melancholy
in the music that attuneS itself to her
own sorroWful reflections. Presently
the tears steal down her cheeks. She
feels lonely and neglected, and, bury
ing her head in the cushions of the
lounge, Sobs aloud.
She does not hear the hasty approach
of footsteps until they stop close beside
her, and voice that makes her pulse
thrOb madly says, in deep agitation
'Florence-MisS Delmaine-whath has
happened? What has occurred to dis
tress your"
Sir Adrian is bending over her, evil
IDENTIFY in deep distress himself. As she
starts, he places his arm round her and
raises her to sitting posture; this he
does so gently that, as she remembers
all she has heard, and his cousins as
surance that he has almost pledged
himself to another, her tears flow
afresh. By a supreme effort, however,
she controls herself, and says, in a
faint voice
Il am very foolish; it was the heat, [
suppose, or the nervousness of acting
before SO many strangers, that has up
set me. 1t is over now. / beg you will
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