Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1891-05-09
MARrnsBURe. ". VA, SATURDAY. MAY 3, 1891

never have imagined any previous
acquaintance had ever existed be-
tween the two.
In way she seemed to encourage
his attentions; she accepted them at
any rate. He used to drive her
home from rehearsal, and she accept
ed his trifing gifts when she refused
ours. She was never demonstratlve,
and we came to think perhaps that
HartWick Lad won what SO many
had striven for in vain. Still, at the
bottom of it all we knew there was
something wrong. Hartwick might
admire her, undoubtedly did, but
there was that between them which
no one understood.
She never acted SO grandly in her
life as in the scenes with him. !
heard him whisper to her once, after
the curtain had dropped on the duel
scene,-
"Ah, ma belle, how you could hate!
fear your sword-I am glad not to
have you for an enemy"
They were summoned tefore the
curtain and / did not hear her re-
tort; but her face went pale and
SILVER ran over her such as | had
never seen before and noticed Hart
| wick's face was dark with frown.
Once / came upon them in the
greei,-room. 1t was dimly lighted,
during morning rehearsal, and |
stumbled upon them quite unawares.
He was sitting beside her, and her
head thrown back against the velvet
of the sofa, was half resting on his
shoulder. It was but a glimpse
I had of them; it was only an instant
l stood there; they did not see me.
"My love, my only Lowell" heard
her say quite distinctly; and there
could be no mistaking whom she
said it to.
After that / ceased to wonder for
awhile. A woman is an enigma al
ways, take whatever stand you will,
and Florina Marsden was no excep-
ton. But I studied Harold Hart
wick.
Do not say that it was jealousy
which altered my impression of her;
it was not jealousy, though | have
never looked at another woman
since. I did not envy him--1 am
not saint; but the longer ! knew
him the stronger. grew my convle
lions that the man was finished &C
tor-no more; man whose life was
stage, who seldom acted from any
but selfish impulses. He did care
| for Florina Marsden-I give him his
| due. But one could not know her
and not love her.
| He was man every one perforce
must like-joyial, eyen-tempered,
scholar, genSseman, most consid-
cred. But he lacked the stamp OF
genuine metal. Sometimes thought
Florina, in spite of her love, with a
woman's quick perception, recognize
ed this. Women often love un-
worthy objects. but they are not
blind. They love their very un-
worthiness, or overlook it.
"Florina was not happy; | knew
it. Her laugh came more seldom
than of old. The manager said she
was working too hard, and she did
study constantly, no one doubted
that. She was expecting rest soon
she said. 1t was rumored that she
was going to America with Hart
wick.
| The new play had run twelve
weeks-a most successful run. They
were to substitute an old familiar
drama after the end of the week,
and Florina was left out of the caste.
All felt sensation of depression
the last night of her triumph.
Actors are proverbially superstitous
and we were all unhinged.
To begin with, Florina had been
| ill, and did not come to the theatre
until the manager was in dispair,
and the curtain was on the point OF
ascending. She looked gastly, but
laughed at our fears. 1t was her
last night, she said; she was anxious
the play should go off well.
And she certainly never acted
better in her life; before she left the
stage in the first act she received a
perfect ovation. But she was half
fainting when Hartwick led her be-
fore the curtain, and / saw him bend
down to her at the door of the dress
ing-room, and the anxious look on
his face as be whispered in her ear.
/ When she came on for the cele.
brated duel scene in the second act,
accustomed as | was to her beauty
was startled by it.
| Her costume was of grey, She
wore the long coat and the gold lace
of the age of chivalry, and the
| peaked hat looked charming on her
golden curls. Her coat was open at
the throat, and her beautiful white
neck showed bare with glittering
diamond star upon it. She wore
high top boots, and sword, mere
fencing tool, hung at her side.
How the people clapped as she
| oorno ar, With inst that air of .ralfan-