Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1891-03-20

III would so be done. This ts what she
was born for" said Bellingham to him
self with gloomy frankness II should
only have been in the way. I'm glad |
came here, if only TO have made sure of
that. Such woman should no more be
monopolized and Gagged in domesticity
than waterfall or n strain - music.
The mischief of it is that did not recoe-
nizc the fact before"
AS he sat absorbed in her, and happy
in spite of his unhappiness, he noticed
that she carried in her girdle u bunch of
mTguerites. 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 dav 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 Mt ease
without them. Nevertheless Bclling-
ham could not banish the notion that
the lattor alternative might be the true
one. Did he believe it because he
wished it? Why should no wish it? 1t
was useless to torment himself with s1ch
questions
In matters appertaining TO Miss Ran
dolph he seemed to be swayel by an in
HuenCe fato, an attraction, almost in
dependent Of his own will ana reason.
What could be more unreasonable than
to suppose that this bunch of mareueritps
was Il secret signal to him to come 10
her, to speak with her, to be once more
al that he had been to her-and more?
Had not that interview in last evenings
snow storm put an end to all such an
tlcipatlon5; But, again, was this the
same woman who had vaui ned from,
MIN i'll the bus on that occasion: With
SO much difference in her surround
lngs was there zone in her? Well. she
had betrayed no consciousness OF his
presence tonight. They had exchanged
no glance, as sonetim. in the former
days After it YVES said and done how
ever, Bcllingha3n knew that he should
find himself behind the scenes, face TO
face with her, before the night was
over.
lingo, by what ne considered bold
stroke Of craftsmanship, had placed one
OF the stage boxes at the disposal of
1llle. Mariana. known as Mrs. Peters.
"if she means to make a row." lie ar
gued, 'treadng her gentlclnanly won't
make it worse, ana it may Just tone her
down little" Bat, 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 aud friendly feeling which
Gen. lingo was 50 soicitou5 to insure.
He resorted frequently to the bar,
though with no good effect on his anx-
iety.
Now, what the blaGcs can she be up
to, eh:' he frequently asked himself and
the elder Randolph, Us the hours passed
away. He seemed to think she was
quite capable of coming into the house
with Nihilist bomb, by way of ex-
pressing her dissatisfaction As for Ed
he knew lis little about her as any one
else, though he had learned, before COM
ing down to the theat:-, that she was
not in her rooms at the hotel. She had
gone ont, but had not left word where
She was going.
The audience seemed determined on
tins 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 aud floral tributes
which greeted the great singer on the
eve Of her departure from our shores
were such as to Guido anything hitherto
experienced. Tie popular favorta was
summoned innumcrable times before the
curtain, and at the conclusion of the
performance But before the cunclu-
sion of the performance some events hap
pencd which did not appear in the pa
pcrs, but which it will be necessary to
relate.
As the curtain descended upon the last
act but one Gen. lingo, who was in the
side scenes, received card, which
seemed to have upon him an effect as Of
strong charge of electricity. He ran
prcclpiIate!y to the private door com
municatinS between the house and the
rVaGe, where a lady was standing mucn
muf!Ied up. She wore black dress and
cloak, and her head and shoulders were
envcloped in white lace shawl. She
let TINS fall open as lingo approached,
ind disclosed the features of Vera Ma
rama. She laughed good naturally, and
gave him her hand, which he covered
with kisses, while his eyes deyoured her
with astonishment and Interrogation.
well, Nj. Moses said she, what
are You 50 affccGonate fol? Have you
pardoned met'
"Pardoned! All! diva! BY Jupiterl
Did you just Gomez"
Il was here from the first, but not in
the box-no; one cannot hear there. |
was away among the common ones. 1t
was necessary | should know what she
could do-this young lady-this other /.
self! Well, mon ami, you may compose
yourself. | have heard her, now | wish /
to see her-speak to her. Conduct me