The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-15


than Door Bump He was acutely sensitive.
easily staggered by rldicnie. and bis Rrotesoue
appeliative had been y source OF torture to him
his whole life long. In CHILDHOOD, boyhood,
manhood, be had been the butt of cruel jokes
and puns, and the constant victim of jlbes and
leera He could face q grizzly at close quarters
he shrank like ccassrd from the csasesess
playing on this painfully vibrant strine;
ahrnnk. yet bore it with the heroism OF O mar
tyr. and made sign.
Understanding fi*ele of hfs feeling and
dreading consretemps. Margaret sat in
suspense until number of other gentlemen had
appeared, when her feelings yielded to the gen
erai hilaritv. She left all further presentation
or Mr.. Bump TO his partner 10 conversation. At
another time she would have been sstoundsd at
the facility with which o man may be launched
IN a new sphere under false coiovs.
Later IN the evening various plans for enliven-
ing che unusually long post-Easter season were
discussed at length.
We are devising some tableaux and theat-
rieals," said Horton Livingstone, in a drawl.
My mother gets them up at Finishing. YOU
know, IN the town ball-aht and we have reg
ular cram. Tableaux first, of course-play
after. We haven't chosen the play yet; the tab
ieaux are about settled I'm to do the Hugue-
not Lover
Archaic chestnut groaned Fred Baylies.
Aloud he said: GOOD idea, Horton. You
haven't done it over twenty times, have youR
Nothing like novelty"
But sarcasm was wasted on Horton Living
stone He only smiled complacently, rose. and
seated himself at Margaress side.
Miss Beverly, came tonight to ask you to
do the tableaux with me. am sure VIC would
look well together mean. I'm sure we would
be very becoming TO each oth@r-and / have
been waiting to ask you first Won't you.
please2' and the dull good hearted fellow fixed
his nice brown eyes entreatingiy on her face.
THANK you so much Mr. Livingstone /
have promised your mother to do the play;
can't really do them both. should have been
delighted otherwise, and she smiled so that
Bump ground his teeth as he watched her All
the girls nice to Livingstone; he was such
. tearing swell. and his mothers balls were SO
lovely.
.sTry Jennie Van Wart," Margaret suggested,
ENTHUSIASTICALLY; 'shs is very beautiful, and
just the right size.
Thanks" quosh Liviuestone eloomily. Eyes.
will, now that / can't get you. And what
about the play7 What have you selected
Mother will be anxious to know"
We'll. to tell thu truth. / have been busy
that have not quite decided am thinking OF
old Love Letters There is 9 friend of mine
here tonight with whom played it last winter
will do that il your mother will permit to
bring him, and if he intends remaining a few
"Oh--ahi you mean that good-looking fellow
talking to Miss DartY--that Mr-Thomas9"
Yes assented Margaret. weakly.
'sOb, I'll ask him at once. Is he up to this
sort of thingl"
Indeed he is; he acts beautifully and Mar
garet hung back while Livingstone proffered the
invitation, which Bump, with slight hestancy
accepted. He presently found his hostess alone
for second. which he used TO ask:
do you really wish me to stay for these
'.Indeed do, unless ron have renowned ell
the pomps and vanlties. Don't you remember
your dramatic successesW and she laughed
brightly.
Bump stopped suddenly, almost brushing her
shoulder; his voice sank with tender infiectlon.
No., be replied, remember nothing but you"
Their eyes met swiftly, aud Margaret turned
away with . new flush on her cheek TO renew
the talk about the tableaux viyanrs. All of
those present arranged to assist, and ere good
night was spoken the first general arrange
ments were complete. subsequently they met
at rehearsal. but Bump was rarely present, as he
knew his part thoroughly, and when he went he
was too much wrapped M in Margaret to notice
whether people called him Thomas or Brown.
So the deception was protracted without any de-
sign of his own. He Margaret daily. suf-
fering the sharpest suspense rs he puzzled over
her changes of mood and manner. One mo-
ment ne 0asked IN eordiallty akin to tender
ness; the next froze under formality that was
scarcely friendly.
April Is was the time set for the perform
ance. The intervening days passed in confusion.
The popular stage manager who coached the
amateurs scolded. demonstrated, expostuiated,.
in q state of sustained frenzy. Wig-maksrs,
costumers. artistic decorators. josted each
other in Mrs. LivIngstones corridors day and
night. After two weeks of antecedent chaos
everybody, upon reaching Mrs Livingstone's
country house. was amazed to find order SUI
The great day dawned followed by the more
important night New guests arrived. The
trains brought crowds OF spectators from town.
People of fashion in the vicinity drove over with
parties of friends. The barren hall famed with
greens and bunting, and at 8l5 lively buzz in
dicAtsd the general readiness
Behind the scenes there was final scramble;
then the prompter's bell. and the curtain rolled
M on the beautifully posed. hackneyed picture
of Queen Eleanor and Fair Rosamond, which
was heartily apolauded.
: A dozen or mores ia hleaux had been present
ed when Dir. Bump entered the green-room.
dressed for the play He created the ladies.
and passed down the dark passage to the gentle
mems dressipg-room. Horton Livingstone
Just emerging in his pet costume a picture of
heroic ehivalry. He stared superciiiously at
Bump, and strobe past without greeting. The
passage was dark; Bump believed himself nm
SO he moved after him, holding out
his hand pleasantly.
'Good-evening, Mr.. Livingstone. hear the
tableaux great successl"
Totally disregarding the outstretchsd hand,
Livingstone glared at him scornfuly, turned
away: tten turned back again to say:
s.Sir"--nis voice trembIed with INDIGNATION
''ths is not the time place for explanation;
but may well tell you now as later that
have found You out"
tsSir," echoed Bump what under heaven do
you mean2p
What do I rnean7 I mean that sbluffine'
won't help you here. mean that you had no
right to lntrude among gentlemen: that you are
not a proper person TO offer attention co a lady
of Miss Beverleys position, and that shall
make it my first duty to tell her parents So"
and be tugeed off one side of his false mustache.
TO pull himself together and hastily sezing his
accuser's shoulder. he muttered fiercely:
mo- you WON'T you're mistaken. You will
make il your first duty to explain this insult,
and apologize to me-" He gave him q shake
that Knocked the young mans wig half off.
tMr. Livingstonel Mr. Liyinestonen cried a
female voice at this critical iuncture, where
are youq-where are you9 Oh" Livingstone
freed himself, and faced Margaret Beverly. who
ran excitedly down the hallway toward him.
Here you are, thank goodness! Everything
has gone wrong: the scenery for the 'Huguenot
Lovers has just fumbled down; the lamp be-
hind the moon Is com pletely smashed It's a
wonder we're not burning up. Fred Baylies
inst saved rs by catching il. And you're not
sven ready" she continued, elancing curiously
1t him. surprised at a Huguenot lover with q
tipsy wig and half a mustache. Livingstone
hurried off with her to repair damages Co him
self and the stage properties. Bump followed
20 land helping hand; personalities faded into
the background in the common difficulty. The
nd Ia ha raj