Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-11-15
PERFORMANCE NOT DOWN ON THE BILLS.

ttSsi ~ MI was comic opera, Tor
.fs@pTS%3 which the house is
" famous. The one oc-
cupying the boards
was highly popular, and though it was
midsummer the house was crowded.
The audience, however, was not fur
nished by New York.
1t was clearly made up of strangers to
the city.
Tom made this remark to his compan-
ion as soon as they seated themselves.
"Did you ever know" asked Tom,
"that l was an actor once"
NO"
"Fact A very bad one. began life
that way, but discovered in time that
had not the qualities requisite for sue
cess, and so after two seasons of starva-
ton l abandoned the sock and buskin
and eventually drifted into journalism.
That is my vocation"
He looked at his programme.
Yes, l thought So" he continues;
"you will see on the stage tonight girl
l was once engaged to-
You cut her when you cut the pro-
fession?"
mo, she cut me-for a pair of dia-
mOnd earrings. think that fact had
quite as much as anything else to do
with the realizing sense Of my dramatic
deficiencies. All but that was in the
long ago
The first act then demanded their at
tention, and at its close Tom looked about
the house.
He directed the attention Of Holbrook
to one of the boxes.
SIS that not Flora Ashgrove?
Holbrook leveled his opera glasses at
the box pointed out.
Yes. No doubt of it, though her back
is turned to us. Who are the others in
the box"
Let me have the glasses" said Tom
II can not make them out. Three men
and another woman. They sit in the
shadow. Stop, there is some one coming
from the box. Oh, it's Dick Witherspoon,
her cousin. That's all right. he'll come
back; he is going out for a Glove"
Somewhat strange to sec the hand
some Flora at theatre at this time of
the year" commented HOlbrook.
Eyes, one would suppose she was at
Newport"
'She has been there, and came in on
some business with her uncle. The bust
ness must have detained her"
$50 it seems"
"She must have been in the city at the
time of the funeral"
"Whose;'
"Templeton's."
"Well, what of it,"
"What of it? Why, she didn't attend
it."
Il shouldn't suppose she would"
"You forget. | told you that she said
she was a relative-a remote relative, of
Templeton."
True, so you did. 1t is strange, isn't
it,"
BY this time the curtain went up on
the second act, and attention was again
concentrated on the stage. At its con-
clusion the lady in the box changed her
seat SO that she could look over the
house In time, as her eyes roamed over
the orchestra circle, they encountered
those OF Holbrook. She recognized him
and bowed-somewhat coldly, Holbrook
thought.
"Shall you go and speak to herr"
"No," said Holbrook. Il don't know
what people l may meet there" The
fact was, while hardly conscious OF it,
ever since his interview he had regarded
her with sort of repugnance.
81 think you make mistake"
perhaps, but l shan't go, all the
same
you mustn't drop her acquaintance. "
"That may be, but | don't think her
recognition was particularly encourage
ing. Have you noticed that she has not
looked our way once since:'
Tom was not satisfied. just what
HolbroOk was to do when he did see her,
he could not have suggested. When
Holbrook added that in a small box,
with several about in close proximity,
she was not likely to engage in a con-
fidential conversation, he was compelled
to acquiesce. Still he thought Holbrook
should call on her.
Finally he said;
"See here, Holbrook. You've seen
this opera before, and only care for the
music. Well, let us go upstairs. I'm
doubtedly that party will 60 on the roof
after the performance. We can 90 up
there and hear the music as well as here
/ would like to get nearer view of the
people with her.
'To what purpose?'
ooh, who can tell? haven't any rea-
son or purpose. Instinct tells me to do
something"
Very well; we'll GO
They left their seats, and Holbrook
was conscious that Flora watched them