Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-02-19

But when he presented himself at the
ticket Office the clerk, who recognized
him, remarked with smile, "Just one
seat vacant, Mr.. Bellingham, and that
is the one you used to occupy the first
of the season; will you have it," It
seemed like manifest destiny. ''All
right" said Bellingham. He took the
ticket, entered the house, and sat down.
AS he did so the curtain rose.
The interval between this night and
the one on which he had last been here
enabled him to draw a comparison be-
tween the Gretchen of the debut and
this of the farewell There was senti-
mental feeling perceptible among the
audience. The American people are fond
of sentiment, when managed dramati-
cally; and this, no doubt, had its effect
on the singer, and warmed and sweet
ened the music of her voice. But, such
accidents aside, it was evident that
she had improved. though precisely in
what respect Bellingham would have
found it difficult to say. Her manner
was less exuberant, more concise and
true. She had learned her power and
her resources, and used them with full
confidence and art.
In her singing, moreover, could be dis
cerned not the music merely, but the
human character which the poet por-
trayed. When she was on the stage it
was difficult to realize the separate ex-
istence Of anything else; wherever she
stood she was the center and reason of
the scene. Every gesture and move
ment was an enlightenment and a graft
fication. She was always where she be-
longed. Each thing she did so nicely
fitted the occasion that the spectator
fancied he had known beforehand that
it would so be done. "This is what she
was born for" said Bellingham to him
self with gloomy frankness. 81 should
only have been in the way. I'm glad !
came here, if only to have made sure of
that. Such a woman should no more be
monopolized and Gagged in domesticity
than waterfall or strain of music.
The mischief of it is that did not recog-
nize the fact before"
AS he sat absorbed in her, and happy
in spite of his unhappiness, he noticed
that she carried in her girdle bunch of
marguerites. The discovery gave him a
gradual start, so to say; he became only
slowly aware how much it surprised and
affected him. He had always provided
her with bunch of them, whenever she
sang in Faust" from the first day on
ward; often not without difficulty, for
daisies do not grow in northern meadows
all the year round. Had she, during his
absence, been procuring them for her
self, or was this the first occasion of her
wearing them since he went away? The
former was much the more likely. Ac-
tresses become accustomed to little par
ticulars of the toilet, and are not at ease
without them. Nevertheless Belling-
ham could not Danish the notion that
the latter alternative might be the true
one. Did he believe it because he
wished it? Why should he wish it? 1t
was useless to torment himself with such
questions.
In matters appertaining to Miss Ran
dolph he seemed to be swayed by an in
huence, fate, an attraction, almost in
dependent of his own will and reason.
What could be more unreasonable than
to suppose that this bunch of marguerites
was a secret signal to him to come to
her, to speak with her, 70 be once more
all that he had been to her-and more?
Had not that interview in last evenings
snow storm put an end to all such an
ticipations? But, again, was this the
same woman who had vanished from
him in the bus on that occasion? With
so much difference in her surround
ings was there none in her? Well, she
had betrayed no consciousness of his
presence tonight. They had exchanged
no glance, as sometimes in the former
days. After it was said and done, how
ever, Bellingham knew that he should
find himself behind the scenes, face to
face with her, before the night was
over.
lingo, by what he considered bold
stroke of craftsmanship, had placed one
of the stage boxes at the disposal of
Mile. Mariana, known as Mrs. Peters
eff she means to make row." he ar
gued, treating her gentlemanly won't
make it worse, and it may just tone her
down little" But, whatever the lady
may have thought of the compliment,
she omitted to avail herself of the box.
When the curtain rose she had not ar
rived, and the box remained empty all
the evening. This was of evil omen to
the peace and friendly feeling which
Gen. lingo was SO solicitous to insure.
He resorted frequently to the bar,
though with no good effect on his anx-
iety.
'Now, what the blazes can she be up
to, ehY' he frequently asked himself and
the elder Randolph, as the hours passed
away. BE seemed to think she was
quite capable of coming into the house
with a Nihihst bomb, by way of ex-
pressing her dissatisfaction. AS for Ed
he knew as little about her as any one
else, though he had learned, before COM
ing down to the theatre, that she was
not IN her rooms at the hotel. She had
gone out, but had not left word where
she was going.
The audience seemed determined on
this night to surpass all previous demon
STATIONS of enthusiasm. A cynic might
have said that they had set their hearts
on reading in the next mornings papers
that the applause and floral tributes
which greeted the great singer on the
eve of her departure from our shores
were such as to Guido anything hitherto
experienced. The popular fayorite was
summoned innumerable times before the
81 &hn