Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-02-06
CHAPTER VIII.

Of tickets for the first performance the
extent Of the popular interest that had
been aroused was indicated by the length
Of the "cue" Of buyers, who made line
from the box Office all tie way round
the block, aud who began their session,
or station rather, upward Of twcnty-four
hours before the Office opened. Ac-
counts Of their nocturnal experiences,
their jokes, and their good humor APP
peared i'll The morning papers, together
with plans OF the interior arrangements
Of the opera house, the precautions
against fire and panic, the uncqualed
splendor and perfection Of the scenery,
and the cost of the whole enterprise.
The usual safeguards against the imrO-
sitlou of Spectators were taken, and
met with tho usual success. BY five in the
afternoon the house was sold from cell
ing to cellar, ana the iinprcsario, lean
ing in an insouciant attitude against the
bar OF the hotel, with his hat on one
side ana his face broader than 1t was
long, treated his numerous friends to
drinks and received their cougratula-
tions.
This was on a Saturday On Monday
ilic pei AOIEIdilCG l'cih pace bNiCtt ttS
most fashionable. cultivated and appre-
ciative audience ever assembled on ~
similar occasion in the city OF New
York So recent and eminent tri-
,mph is not likely to have been forgotten
10y those who witnessed it. The opera
selected was "Faust.' It is perhaps the
most satisfactory one for a first appear
ance, not only because OF its musical
merits. but because everybody is fduii-
II with it, and can estimate the com
1aratiye success Of the newcomer III
croatinG' afresh the immortal charac-
y OF Marguerite Thue had Lecu
reat number Of rehcarsais, and Nile.
Iarana had grown somewhat weary Of
he repetitiOns, and latteriy had begun
fear that when the great night came
would, If not unuerVcd by stage
light, al any rate be unable to go
rough the part otherwise than me
anically. All spontaneity Of action
d sen timent would be gone from her.
She staid in her apartment all day on
,Dday, refusing to see any one, and
n dispensing the greater part Of the
lie with the presence of Mime. Bemax.
wished to dismiss the whole subject
the opera from her mind, and to aid
self in doing so she fixed her thoughts
N her brother Ed, and recalled all
ways and escapades and the happy
es they had spent together. She
;ured him and herself running races,
climbing trees, and finding birds
IS, and tending their red and white
5, and going on hunting expeditions
woodchucIs and squirrels, and she
lght back 20 her memory the talks
used 10 have together, when they
Id lay out before themselves the
SO of their future lives-what they
Id do and what they would be. How
rent from their anticipation it had
ed OUT But he her brother Just
same, and she loved him none the
than she had ever done; on the con-
Y she loved him more, for he had
Il her an opportunity to show her
by repairing an injury which he
done.
wa, pleasant to think that, VIXEN he
rned home, expecting to meet only
ress and rcproaChe5, he would find
cad prosperity as great, if not create,
before cxtravacance began. and all
ng to his own sister, IF lie had done
NJ, hls sister thought, the discovery
she had worked 10 repair it would
moro certain than anything else to
le him hepCcfOrwarl DO right. Then
began to speculate Us to what sort Of
NJ he had doue-whether it We're
thing more than thoughtlessncss and
-2va-ance. i few weeks 60 she
I'D have said that it could be nothing
'c; but she hal been forced to see
hear certain things OF late which
io her hesitate. She had seen what
Re young men, possessed Of money
freedom, were and did; why might
her brother Ed be like them? She
the thought away from her; she
aid not bcheyeevil of her own brother.
was a Randolph and gentleman.
might DO selfish and reckless, but he
aid never do anything wicked or dis.
cefll. IL was more II be feared that
would deem her TO have disgraced
SELF in stealing another Woman's
ne and reputation it was all very
il TO plead that she had been per.
.ted into it heif ignorantly, halt
inst her will tho fact that she had
ne it remained Welt was too late
turn back now!
'iS ANAt-' i4'Ai7 lltis1''A OiIs anu 10 lilt
ming approached She found herself
mixing not Of Ed, but Of another per-
!, who had come into her mind, not by
rown invitation, bat involuntarily; or
,siDly he had been ia the background
the while, and advanced as the other
'edcd, She had had no conversation
tn Bellingham since that day at the
satrc, but they had met several times
exchanged a few words, and thore
been something in his manner that
strengthened and treasured her, she
ew not why-something that seemed
show that intuition was acquiring
)re \ Gght with him than reason. And
he E~H not seemed happy nor at ease
t his uneasines5 was OF q kind that
)thed and inspirited her. 1t was like
trouble Of q cloudy dawn, out OF
lich 'he sun at lest rises clear He was
tlrlCLCTOus nor lptaurb!a like 50