The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-05-13

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. I
heard him whisper to her once, after
the curtain had dropped on the duel
scene
"Ah, ma belle. how you could hate?
l fear your sword-I am glad not to
have you for an enemy"
They were summoned before the
curtain and / did not hear her re-
tort; but her face went pale and a
shiver ran over her such as / had
seen before, and / noticed Hart
wick S face was dark with trown.
Once | came upon them in the
green room. 1t was dimly lighted,
during morning rehearsal, and 1
stumbled upon them quite unawares.
He was sitting beside her, and her
head thrown back against the vel
vet of the sofa, was half resting on
his shoulder. 1t was but glimpse
had of them; it was only an in
slant l stood there; they did not see
me.
"My love, my only love!' heard
her say quite distinctly; and there
could be no mistaking whom she
said it to.
After that L ceased to wonder for
awhile. A woman is an enigma
always, take whatever stand you
will, and Florina Marsden was no
exception. But ] studied Harold
Hartwick.
Do not say that it was jealousy
which altered my impression of her.
1t was not jealously, though have
never looked ut another woman
since. did envy him-I am not a
saint; but the longer knew him the
stronger grew my convictions that
the man was finished actor-no
more; a man whose life was a stage,
who seldom acted from any but sell
fish impulses. lie did care for
Florina Marsden-I give him his
due. But one could not know her
and not love her.
He was a man every one perforce
must iike-jovial, even tempered, a
scholar, a gentleman, most consider
ed. But he lacked the stamp of
genuine metal. Some times l thought
Florina, in spite of her love, with
woman's quick perception, recog-
nized this. Women often love un-
worthy objects, but they are not
blind. They love their very un-
worihincss, or overlook it.
Fiorina 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 ii rest soon, she
said. 1t was rcmored that she was
going TO America with Hartwick.
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 super
stitious, and we were all unhinged.
To begin with Florina had been
i'll, and did not come to the theatre
until the manager was in despair,
and the curtain was on the point OF
ascending. She looked ghastly,
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 1 saw him
bend down to her at the door of the
dressing-room, and the anxious look
on his face as he whispered in her
ear.
When she came on. for the cole-
brated duel scene in the second act,
i, accustomed as 1 was to her beauty
was startled by it.
Her costume was of gray. 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 gilt
I'tering diamond star upon it. She
wore high top boots, and a sword,
mere fencing tool, hung at her