The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-02-10
TRUE LOVES TEST.

- F'--- NCl T-CctCn take tAaJ -El!C-- =
bOuCUCtS, Leo ic. 1 know. dear, YOU %
10. caro- anything about him, bat L can
not bear 10 have you even let him imagine
that you do"
Now, Hal, don't be unreasonable"
was Leonies pouting reply, as with
. There's my cue = she trlpped on to the
STAGE.
Hal Duncan was tie leading man at
StorktOn'5 Theatre, whilst Leone Burns
had beeI engaged aJ souDre; tie. She
was n decided favorite among theatre
gOcrs by reason of her natural tai -nts and
yr ttv winSOme face.
Leonie Burns had promised at some in
definite dat TO marry Hal Duncan.
Perhaps Leo ie never could have told
exactly why she promised 10 marry him.
Il might have been because he was so
strong and steady, and the receiver of
quite handsome salary, or perhaps be-
cause MS company was assiduously
sought by some fashionable damsalS.
BE il as it might, however, il was not
exactly for love that Leonie became the
prom scd wife OF Hal Duncan, or she
Soull never have tcased and wounded
him IS often as she did; although, to
give her her due, she usually made il up
Uy being - caarmingly penitent for the
space CT about five minut = that he was
willing to put up with her tautalizing
ways just for that glimpse OF after bliss.
II Iial could nave had his way. they
woulI nave beea married there and then;
but she alWays pu. him off with al CN-
cuI~e, arguing there was plenty OF tiEc
and they did very well as they We're, and
50 II I was fain to rest content and be
thnnkfl Tor any extra amiability on Lc-
ones part.
Arout Ihis time m exquisite Of the first
water regularly put in an appearance at
each Pcrior nance given at SUCcktOn'S
Theatre, bearing in his immaculate Sloved
hand an elaborate bouquet. No sooner
did the pretty souhrcttc. Leonie Burns,
appear upon the stage, than this was
passed into the keeping Of the usher 10
De handed mp to her, much 10 the annoy
auca Of Hal Duncan.
L"onie enjoyed tho little flutter of cX-
c!tc-Ie. L il always caused, and the nu-
merous saIl.as called forth 10y the CcyO-
tlou OF her '' Gdm!rcr."
SO far, L-Ouie'S almircr had contcutcl
himself with applaudinE her ever effort
and the pr -sentation OF flowers; but on
the night of our stOry's opening and the
appeal Of Hal Dugcau to his int ended TO
lesist from accepting the dudes Offer
ngs, a tiny box containing sapphire
ring was prcealcd III the bOuquct.
Ienuie very wisely determined that il
had better Zoe returned. Flowers We're
different, but any thing further, OF course,
must be n.FHcd IL IN. but.
CufUrt uatciy, however, she thought:
g mist just try it on first; it is too
sweet Tor anything
A. tlsat mom-nt Hal Duncan. happened
TO pass her dress:ug-room door, which
stood open. and gllnciug in he saw her
pretty i.-urc reflected IN mirror in the
act Of placing the ring upon her lin-er.
Il Il -. oud lie WAS by her SIDE, cN-
claiming hutl-:
50 it has come TO this, that he Pre-
Seu's you with jcwelry - pointing 10 the
ring: adj ling: - LcOuie. il you accept
that rin, all i over between US
Lcouie answered saUcily: &" As You
please, SIr. Duncan, and with n snatch
OF a song upon her lips she turned and
danced -ayIy out of the room.
If Mr.. Duncan had followed her he
would have seen her head a few moments
artcrwnrds b"'.' in carnes- -'.''
Tom, the call-boy, as 4 small box passed
from her keeping into his.
However as he was angrily GnawinG
his mustachc and vowing that he would
tear leonie from his heart, he missed
that which would have set all things
right between them. But instead they
met, he coolly polite, she apparently
utterly Indifferent to the man she had
once promised TO wed; and, of course, it
WAS soon whispered about that the on
,ug gamcnt between LcOnie Burns and Hal
Duncan was of.
On the third finger OF Leonies let
| hand now cleaned, Instead of the pearl
| ring, Halls gift, n sapphire, whilst her
| "almirerS' bouquets continue u bC
| charged with dainty jUet-lo,lr and little
| odI-shapcI packages, all OF which Were
| smilinglv received over the fOOtliSht5 10y
| the fascinating sOUbrctte.
II was even limited that Miss Burns had
been seen driving with her fashionable
| admirer. and that before long Stockton
| Theatre might lose its star.
II anyone knew how matters stood i
was Tom. the call-boy, bctNecn Lcoai,
| and whom confidence seemed To nave
| sprung up; but Tom, who was Mis-
3 rus 5 devoted champion, would hav,
be n cut up and eaten, as he cxprcsso,
| himself. be.oro he would have diyulge
ANYTHING that she might have contided {,
him.
Th,ncs had hccn going on this way 70
| about q month, when one evening Ha
| Duncan failed 10 put in an appearance 4
the ...eatrc-
II was ne to ring up the curtain, an
still no leading tn
Tom to Hal DUucan's loTEn... - IN
whence back came the boy lsrea'ii--
with the news that Mr.. Dm can had IL
been AT his lodgings since morning.
a hasty gathering together of the The
atrc forces, and TO the walking gentlcn.a
was cons gucd Hal Ddncau's part; whils
an apology was made to the audience fo
| the leading mans nOn-appsaTanco, an
-iudul- -cncc cravyd for the actor who at =
| short "A notice was called upon TO Jak
Mr.. Duncans place.
Hardly had The curtain arose before
! meszcnEcr--Ov arrived with the l-iOrua
! ton that Mr. Duncan, whilst out driyiu
hat afternoon with a frIo d, had bee
thrown Nm the carriage and severely
/ not fatally injured, and was at that mt
| rod n a house in
/ ,,.i,bF. -rLood OF the accident.
! Tba b,,r IS had taken fright at the lirin
Of a pistoI " = boy, and in th.ir ma
course had mn iuto a fence and owe
thrown the carriage. Mr. Duncan, beiE
undermost. had receives the worst /.
! juries, his head having struck against
stone. His friend escaped with - p1oAI
arm.
1t was after that nights pcrformanc
that Leonic, calling to the calI-boy, oh
served as she pointed TO her dressing
table with an impatient air:
just take that away. Tom, and put
on the-the ash-heap."
Then, as with grin Tom removed
bouquet from off Miss Burns's toilet
table, she questioned:
." Is he really so dr adfulIy hurt2 Oh
it's awful! Couldn't you-don't yo
think, Tom, find out IL he is any better
Then, half explanatory, she added:
when one has played with nnvon
for SO long it's heathenish not To take a
interest and inquire after them In such
| case"
- OF course miss" was Toms answer
followed by: u II run over to-nigh
m S.. and bring you word ut your lodging
just exactly how he Is"
&" You're darlingw calculated Ms
Burns. and adding: And mind, don't 80
ccy = word TO anyone. disrllssea hiIg.
Nevcg rcu Scar. miss - and with thc
worLS Tom buried of, to Obnoziol
bon ne. II his hand.
Quito = =, 10 Ettlo face, with the lca
suspicion Of tears about tho pretty eve
met Tom some three-quar,cr- Of an ho
Ia er al the door of Mss Burns's led
iugs. where he delivered himself Of Il
| following: