Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-04-05


own eyesl' cried Abbey Jane, flhslaI
scarlet with Indignation. He So
her the minute he looked at her +.
tesday in church. Elizabeth Ellesme
her name was. he says, III the ad
tisements. and she danced q daa'
| with q yellow scarf and lot OF ros.I7
between the pieces. making herself 8
| to be a Spanish mandoline playl
It's enough to make ones hair staa
on end to hear Mr.. Trudkins e
| about it.
sit don't do to believe all Fl
| hears" said Mrs. Leeds losing FL
count of the eggs she was breaking
| to a china bowl. in her eonsternatio
"And Stapleviie does beat all for ed
sip"
tWell, you can ask her yourself, al.
see if she dares deny itl'' said A.
Jane, exultantly. Here she COM
now. Ask her-only ask her.!"
And Eliza came into the kitchea
with the spice-box in her hand M
Villars followed close behind, fannis|
himself with straw hat.
~ have come from the men in 81
bayfield," said he. "They want 81
other Jug of cool ginger and wata11
with plenty of molasses stirred g.
Aunt Leeds. Good morning, Mis
Clark Ihope the deacon is quite We
this morning."
Abby Jane turned pink, and sniIe5
her most seductive smile.
ooh, quite so, she simpered. It
| only came on"
lis it true, Eliza?n Mrs. I,esli
asked, sharply. Have you been ID
ceiving me? Are you a play -actres<
all this timer"
ELIAS large eyes turned slowly firsf
| to one, then to another of the littIf&
group. She did not blush-it was nol}
her way-but the color ebbed slowl5
away from her cream-pale cheek.
III have been deceiying nobodv.
said she. 81 am not an actress now
| have been one. But did not likfI
the life, and so | left it. If any on<
had asked me, ! should have tod
! them about it long ago.
Mr.. Villars came forward and stood
| at the girls side, as he saw his aunt
| shrink away.
"Well," he said "even taking it al
for granted, where is the harmg"
"Charlesl Charlesi." cried Mrs I.eedz
/ putting up her hands with q ges
ture OF warning. Remember poo,
| ALICE"
at is because I remember her thai
speak thus" said Mr.. Villars, calmiy.
III had an elder sister once. he added.
turning to Abby Jane Clark, who ran
away from home and became an ac
tress. She had talents far above The
| average, but my parents we're old
fashioned people, and their ideas ran
| in narrow grooves. They disapproyed!!
of the stage, so Alice left us. Whethet
she is dead or living We know not, butt
wherever she is, / am sure that she I
can not but be good and true and
pure.
Abby James eyes fell under his calm
glance. She was q little sorry that
she had chosen to come hither and
bear the news herself.
Somehow, Mr.. Villars had taken II
in different spirit from what shehad
/ anticipated. And ELIAS soft, Ian.
\ guidly-modulated voice broke on the
constrained silence like drops oisilver
| dew
81 have been an actress, and per.
| haps should still have been on the
stage" she said, chad it not been for
circumstances. My father dealt IN
stage properties, and | was brought
up to the business, but still | never
liked it. But one can not easily step
out of the path where ones feet have
been placed, especially if one is won
an.
However, the turning point came
at last. Our leading lady fell sick 81
a contagious fever, in lonely village
where we had stopped TO play one
night. The manager packed up every
thing in panic, and bad us all to be
ready to go. told ham / could not
leave Mrs. Montague alone. He said
that if l left the company thus, 1
should never return to it."
"Well, what could do? The stage
was my living, it is true, but our lead
ing lady had no friends. Ii would
have been inhuman to desert her, sol
stayed behind and took care of her.
She died, poor thing, anG it swallow.
ed up all my earnings to bury her
| decently.
..And then tried here and there to-
earn my living as best | could. Twas
not always successful. More than
once 1 have been hungry ana home
less; but heaven be praised have al-l
ways found friends before the worst
came to the worst. Now, you know
all" she concluded quietly, leaning
up against the door, where the swing
ing scarlet beans made fantastic
background for her face.
Mr.. Villars lad advanced step or.
two toward Eliza as she spoke; his
gaze had grown intent.
"This-this leading lady OF whom
you mention" said he, with an effort
"Do you remember her manner" Her
real name ] mean?"
"rhey called her Katharine Mon
tague on the bills" said Eliza. III
| she he'd any other name, she never
| told me what it was. / sayif, because
because Oh, Mr.. Villars, never
quite understood it before, but there
is look IN your eyes that reminds
me of her! | have been startled by
the familiar expression many time.s
but / never could convince myself
where the link ofassociation belonged.
| And-and | still keep little photo
graph OF her that / found in her Bible
after she was dead | kept them.
both. Wait, and | viii bring them To
you"
MIR. Villars gazed at the picture in
| silence. Mrs. Leeds uttered q little
cry of recognition.
Heaven be good to u.s." she walled,
1t Is our Alice. sure enough"
For the leading lady in Mr. Roderick
Applegate's Great Combination
Troupe, the poor soul who had died
and been buried away from all her
| friends, had been Alice Villars.
The sequel of this little life idyl IS
simple enough. Any one may guess it,
Charles Villars married Eliza. And
even the most fastidious sisters OF
her husbands flock can utter no word
| OF reproaeh against the minister
wife, although she makes no secret Of
the fact that she was once an actress.
And poor Abby Jane Clark is chew
ing the bitter husks ofdIsappointment
For even Mr. Trudkins has gore back
to Fackerton without declaring him
self.
There's no dependence to 10 put
upon men" says Abby Jane discon.
solately.
PhoSphorescent Salvation.