Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-03-02
4 TRAGEDY IN SHADOWS.

NNSih5 % lNal lhNlll Win no IIiSItfl nut
back yards and the rear Of the HOUSES on
the next street. lie had lone this not be-
cause he could not well afford the front Of
the house, but in pursuance of "A settled
purpose. He had rcnounccd society, and
Was hencetorth TO lind companionShip
only in two or tl.vce male friends. 1t was
The old Casa disappointing fair one. but
Banley was resolved not to treat it in the
old way-off with the old love. and on
with the new. Once. he said. was enough
for him.
On the evening when this story opened.
as Mr.. Banley sat in his easy chair, smok
ing and looking idly out of the window
which had no prospect, he suddenly dis
covered that there was a prospect. The
house directly opposite had in its rear a
very wide bay window, the sash coming
down to the level of the floor in the second
story. This bay window was curtaiued
with white muslin, which covered the en-.
tire sash smoothly and without a wrinkle.
What first attrac,cl Banley> atten ion was
a shadow on this curlain-the rladow Of
person in the curtained room. Ii was "A
lady sitting in a low chair, gently rocking
herself. while her hands were apparently
busy with needle-wo She sat very near
he window, and in such a position that
her profile in shadow was thrown sharply
on the curtain 10y "a strong light.
which must have been a drop-light
on q table at the fur end Of the room.
An instant after Banlcy first noticed
this. the image was obsCurcd, and the en-
tire window thrown into shadow. Again
Il change, and the protlcs OF two persons
were showno on the Curtain-thc lady sit
ing as before and opposite her a gentleman.
As the latter came into the room. he passed
near the light, and between 1t and the
window. and 50 threw the whole curtain
into shade. As he approached the lady,
getting farther from the light and nearer
the curtain, the shadow he cast shrunk
to its due size beside that of the lady.
Banley reasoned this out carefully. and
then was angry with himself when lie
fOund he had been 50 absorbed that his
cigar was no longer alight.
Il have done with all that. What do |
care about it, he muttered, ~ he relighted
his cigar.
Yet he could not avoid looking again at
the shadows. The gentleman WAS evident
ly a wooer. No young man talking 10
his sister or his aunt would cast UGH "a
6dgeting shadow IL this Young man cast
on the curtain. Frequently, as Bauley
could tell by the motion of ncr head, the
lady looked up from her work To glance
at her companion. Banlcy knew how 1t
was going with the young man.
The internal eudgeon!' exclaimed
Banlev. hell swallow that bait, hook and
all. before he get, away
However that was, the gudgeon got
away in time. and no more shadows were
seen on that evening Exactly a week
-.-l D. 80 IL. 49,
the curtain as before He could have
sworn they were not there on the iuterven
Ing evenings. The shadow of the gentle
man was even more restless than before,
and a reason for his appeared after a time.
Banley saw him rise from his chair. throw
himself on his knees before the lady, and
seize her hand.
Despite his pronunciation Of all such
thing Banley's breath came faster AS be
looked at this. He summoned up his Gym
icism. and muttcrcd:
she has brought him to TIC point in a
hurry, and now he will get it,
He did get it. That is, he rose if5m his
knees and caught the lady in his arms and
their heads came 50 close together that
they made but one shadow on the curtain.
Before Banley got his breath after witness.
ing this, the shadows disappeared. Gone
TO ask the old folks. the cynical watcher
thought.
Another full week passed before Banlcy
saw tine shadows again. He no longer
made a pretcnsc TO him elf Of not being IN
terested in them. He had looked for them
every evening, and had been greatly dis
appointed at their failure L. appear, but
now, when he saw them 10. the third time
be was amazed. The curtain showed the
shadow of a table. evidently set on. for
supper. Banley identified the image Of a
teapot. The lady sat in her low chair as
before, but when the gentleman appeared
she sprang up and threw her arms about
his neck in a long embrace. They sat
down at the table amt ate. Banley WAS
thundctstruck.
Within these few days they have ar
ranged it all, and have been married. aud
to-day have settled down to housekeeping
in that ROOM said Banley 10 himself,
feeling somewhat daZcd.
Presently the lady rose and caught up.
apparently from the floor, IL child , or 3
years old, which she carried 10 the gentle
man. The latter pushed his chair back
from the table, set the child astrido OF his
foot, and tossed it up and down.
Banlcy was not at all excited by this.
II see" he muttcrcd. "he has married a
widow-with an incumbrance. The affair
was losing interest.
III CHANGED al THIS il!lc thai Banlcy was
absent from home for "A month. ! c had
TOO pleasant n visit 10 trouble himself with
thoughts o. the shadows on the curtain.
On the evening OF hi, return. a. he took
his fAvorite seat for a smoke. lie cast his
eyes carelcssly toward the opposite bay
window. There was he shadow Of the
lady on the curtain. The table also was
there. furnished a. before. But plainly
there was a great change in the lady.
With nothing to tell IL but her shadOwy
profile, Barley was at once struck 10y the
alteration. Her attitude. as she sat idly
in her chair. expressed uueasincSs and de
%iection. Her hair was not dressed as OF
old. but combed plainly back from her
forehead, and about the whole figure, as 10
showed sharply on the curtain, there was
= an indie liable suggestion Of calamity
which instantly aroused anxiety in Baniey.
Soon the gentleman came on the scene
NJ usual-at first covering the entire cur