Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-06-29

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onon tn. sands at bonneville. he 1boa.
son. in town has fairly opened. Tho de.
serted streets are gay again. tho shope
sWarmipe once more. and the theaters
alive With -overnowing audiencea'
new star has opened an engagement
nj one of the most fashionable theaters:
Miss Alice Vane. late Of San Francisco,
those name has been before the public on
whita and yellow posters for the last two or
three weeks.
She is to play Pauline. IN the Wen-known
LADY of Lyons. and although Page Car
rol has yswned over its five acts forty times
Mt least in his life. yet here he finds hims
self tonight. with q friend at his elbow.
Eating to pass his lazy. disparaging yer.
dict with the rest upon Miss Alice Vane.
Truth to say. Carol goes anywhere and
everywhere now. in pure recklessness. and
sity of self-communion.
He never thinks Of Alice Berkeley any
more. He only feels her IN his heart all
the time, night and day-a living and ever
present pain which will not sink to sleep.
though his whole life now seems ono ex-
periment ct narcotizing the sting.
The curtain rises. Pauline is seated at
the table, bending over the flowers. Pauline
has soft, dark hair-no blonde abomination
in the way of . wig-and soft gray eyes that
sweep the house with glance. and q face
SO perfect that. in all the world. Page Car
rol has never seen its ikeness-never. since
he saw it last upon the Holmesville beach.
For this woman-this actress, who, by his
own verdict. has lost all right to holier
name-this star" Alice Vane, is Alice
berkeley, whom Carol loves.
The shock of it sickens the man to his
verv soul The whole house swims. and
the binding lights reel round. He leans
back In his corner Of the upper box, and
Shades his face with his hand to shut out
the glare and the sight of her.
But he cannot shut out her voice-higher
and clearer than he had known it, but still
the same, it rings through the house, car
wing Pauline's light words and hooking
laugh to the end OF the scene in triumph.
She has a storm of applause at its close.
She steps from the wing and courtesies her
acknowledgements, sweetly and smilingly,
obeyinp that call" whose every note falls
on Pages ears like a burning insult to her
womanhood and to his love.
And this is the secret-this is the mystery
of Miss Berkeley's lifeI She is an actress
the woman whom he worships is only a
thou sand other mems cheaply bought ideal,
for the sight of whose beauty he. like the
rest, has paid his fee to- night.
He leaves the box and PAGES the lobby to
and fro. half determined to leave the house
before the curtain shall rise again. and
still unable to tear himself away.
He hears the calling comments OF the
men around him upon her face; her figure:
s sue s@sSo saused, her name tossed from
mouth to mouth, until his blood boiIs with
impotent wrath and misery.
The curtain rises once more. The piece
draos on. and the actors mouth their parts.
Alice Vane sweeps ont among them again,
and he stands riveted to the spot, drinking
in the sound and sight of her as madly as
ever before,
She is beautiful. but her face has wild.
worn look in it tonight, Her ewes glance
restIesslv. and a little nervous trick of the
hands that he remembers betrays her.
Through ali the -business" of her part he
sees her scan the circle of the house con-
tinually, and the color comes and goes
through the film of stage powder as her
eyes flash round.
Carol step forward into the front of the
box again and lean over, looking steadily
down at her. There must be magnetism in
his eyes. for her voice falters a little
her hands twist together once more
restlesssly. and she grows nervous. I'M
imploring look about the stage. as if seek
ing and questioning-what?
One quick glance upward and she knowsl
She meets her lovers eyes in flash Of
swift recognition. Pauline drops out of be-
ing and is gone. and Alice Berkeley. with
shame, falls fainting behind the footlights.
\
Il feel quite we'll to-day, mother. I am
so glad everything is settled. Poor motherl
you have had so much trouble with all this /;
but we shall have q long, long rest now
sha'nt we, dear?"
Alice stretches out a hand from the sofa
where she lies, and clasps her mothers.
The little hand has grown thin. and her
face is pale; the fires of fever. burnt out now.
have wasted it sorely for month past.
Il hope shall see you rest. Alice. Thank
God for anything, almost. that takes you
away from those theaters!"
Has Alice left them, then, forever? Verify.
The star rose and set upon New York
lust one brief night. When Pauline sank
upon the stage, the soul of the actress
passed out, never to reanimate the woman
more, Where the real love ha d breathed.
the mimic passion could find no more ut
terance for ever, and Alice Vane's fare.
well" was taken in that piteous little CRY.
And then the -engagements" were Cancelled.
and all the wardrobe out away, and Miss
Berkeley and her mother made really to
withdraw from the world to a Gniet little
corner where thew would live SO simply and