Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-01-15

guerlteS, tied about with narrow blue
ribbon.
The knot by which the ribbon was
fastened caught the prima donna's eye;
she had seen something like it before.
1t was not an ordinary knot, but one
such as sailors make. She took up the
little white and golden cluster and
looked them over; there was nothing to
show whence they came-nothing but
the knot. While she was putting on
her dress her mind occupied itself with
this little mystery, and the oppression
of her heart was relieved. She put the
Marguerites in her girdle, feeling kindly
disposed toward them, for they had done
her good. Then desire suddenly took
possession of her to go out and see the
audience. The overture was still in
progress, and she might cross the stage
and look through peep hole in the cur
tain.
Nine. Bemax assented, and accOmpa-
NED her. The stage was dimly lighted,
and a number of people were moving
hither and thither upon it; the scene
shutters were giving the last touches TO
the arrangements. Mile. Mariana, with
a light shawl over her shoulders, gifted
uDObserved up to tie great curtain and
looked through.
The spectacle was like nothing else she
had ever seen or imagined. The house
was'brilliant with light and alive with
movement and murmur. But the thou
sands of faces, row after row and tier
above tier; the glance of innumerable
eyes, all turned toward her; all come
there to see her!-it was astounding and
terrifying! Those innumerable eyes
nothing could escape them, nothing be
invisible to them. They were OverpOw-
ering, hostile, exterminating! All i'm
preston of individual human beings was
lost, and the audience seemed to be a
sort of monster, without sympathies and
responsibilities, immense, uncomfortable,
omniscient-a merciless, multitudinous
inquisition! How could a single girl
contend against them? BY what miracle
could her voice and presence reach and
subdue them? Rather her spirit would
evaporate from her lips before them and
leave her inanimate
As she stood gazing there some one
crossing the stage from the wings passed
near her. She knew the step, and turn
ed. Yes, it was Bellingham. He recog-
nized her and pausel, apparently sur
prised to see her there. but his expression
could not be discovered in the shadow.
"Does the house satisfy yOu, mademoi-
seller he said, approaching her. AS he
did so he glanced at the flowers in her
girdle. The glance did not escape her,
and then she knew where it was she had
seen the knot before. 1t was that day
of their interview in the corridor; his
fingers had been busy idly tying and I'M
tying a bit of string.
81 didn't know you would be here"
she said in whisper. 81 am glad"
"They expect call for the architect"
he replied, land I must make bow"
Twill you be in the audience while
sing?"
Eyes. Why"
'Show me which seat is yours"
He stepped to the peep hole.
You see that chair half way down
the center aisle? That is mine"
THANK you" she said; land thank
you for these flowers. 1 feel made over
anewl Now l can sing"
She put out her hand and Godfrey
took it in his.
For moment it seemed to them as if
they were alone together. When two
persons meet in complete sympathy all
other human association seems so trifing
in comparison that they cease to be
aware of it.
At this moment the overture came to
IN end, and the order was issued for the
stage to be cleared. The prima donna
found herself again in her dressing room,
but not n the same mood as she had left
It. She was warm, composed and happy.
She looked in the tall mirror, and for the
irst time saw Marguerite reflected there.
Then into her serene and awakened
mind entered all the tenderness, sim
1licity and pathos of Gretchen's lovely
story, and she felt the spirit of the Ger
nan peasant maiden take possession of
her. The appurtenances of the stage,
he mechanism of the effects, the glare
If the footlights, no longer had power
70 disturb her illusion. They seemed
themselves an illusion, and only the
story was real. And when the moment
;ame that she stood before the mighty
audience they were to her no longer a
hostile and opposing presence, with
which she must struggle in hopeless con-
est, but a vast reservoir of human SYM
1athy, aiding her, supporting her, COM
her, supplying her with life
md inspiration, and responding thou
to every chord she touched.
As her voice flowed out and abroad
rom her lips it seemed to owe its en-
;hanted sweetness and resonance not to
Ter, but to its echo in the hearts of her
listeners. Whence, then, had come this
marvellous change in the mutual rela-
ions between her audience and herself?
'he was conscious only of the Joy of un-
expression; the audience, only
# the delight of ear and eve; and |
3eofrey Bellingham, sitting with folded |
inns and charmed pulses in the midst |
Il the assemblage, had no suspicion that |
ny part of this triumph of harmony and |
'eauty was due to him. His eyes and
IL his senses were turned toward her,
'ut how should he imagine that amid |
he crowd of that great amphitheatre
er glances were conscious of no face i
ut his, and that all the stupendous
of their silence and their ap-
lause was centered and concentrated in
i'm? He had even forgotten that his
iarguerites were in her girdle.
AS has already been intimated. how