The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-11-17
THE BRINK OF DESPAIR.

II can't help people admiring me,
can /, you unreasonable fellowp"
Geraldine Cleve gave her head
pretty little defiant motion as she
spoke.
And Jonas Cleve could not but own
10 himself that it would have been
rather difficult task TO control the
current of popular admiration, as he
stood looking at his beautiful young
wife.
She was twenty-one, but she looked
scarcely sixteen upon the stage, in her
floating tulle dress. with slender bands
of gold round her tiny ankles, and
rose garlands dangling from her hair.
For Mrs. Cleve was neither more nor
less than dancer at the Shakespeare
Theatre.
The elegant leader of society may
elevate her aristocratic nose at the
slender shawled figure entering the
stage door, as her glittering carriage
rolls by. but we question IL the truer
and more tender heart be not oftener
found beneath the shabby stage finer
les than under the velvet and ermine.
Geraldine bad earned her own and
her parents living by the light evolu-
tions Of her fairy foot, ever since she
was ten years old; as good, and true.
and noble hearted young creature
as ever bounded before the footlights.
And now that she was married to
the young lawyers clerk down town,
she still remained on the stage, con-
trary to his most earnest entreaties
and expostulations.
Just year or two longer. Jonas.
dear" she said. "until we save money
enough to buy us little cottage some
where in the suburbs and furnish il as
we want"
And Jonas Cleve yielded to her
pretty coaxing solicitations, although
it was against his own better judg-
ment-
But it was not pleasing to 90 night
after night, only To see other men star
ing at his wife, and listen, unwillingly
enough, TO their comments, and Jonas
Cleve had been gradually growing dis
satisfied with this arrangement
II cannot stand it any longer.
Gerry!" was his exclamation. one
evening. as he walked home with her
from the theatre. her bright spangled
robes all covered beneath a sober
black alpaca skirt and q water proof
cloak. what made you take the bou-
qnet that that puppy Middleworth
tossed on the stage?"
"Why shouldn't I?" demanded Ger
aldine demurely. II am sure the
flowers were very pretty"
He has thrown you q bouquet
every evening for a week"
well, what thene" laughed Geral-
dine. IL like flowers, and can't af-
ford to buy them myself"
"But, Geraldine-"
And then it was that the little dan
seuse stopped in the light of a gas
lamp which they happened to be pass
ing. and made the saucy little speech
which is chronicled at the beginning
of our sketch:
IL cant help people admiring me.
can l, you unreasonable fellow!
But the husbands face, in the yellow
lamp light, looked unnaturally stern
and fixed.
Geraldine" he said gravely. my
wife must not receive the miscella-
neous homage of every brainless fop
like young Middleworth"
That is nonsense, Jonasr'
lis it." His brows contracted until
they seemed to form black line across
his forehead. II choose to think 9TH
erwise. You must accept no more
flowers from that young man. like
10 see the bouquets rain down around
you, as tribute to your skill and mer-
its, but when 1t comes to regular Of
fering, night after night. from some
one person, and he profigate scamp,
whose admiration Is an honor to no
woman"
"Jonasm