The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-06-27
But what did it matter?

soubrette who had sobbed so disconso-
lately, been members of the profession
longer than She.
They were used to it's ups and downs,
its shifts and expedients And most of
them had experienced exactly the same
predicament before.
Now, in her distress and perplexities,
Kate concluded that they had forgotten
all about her
There isn't one Of them who cares
enough for me to miss me, to wonder
what will do, or what will become of
me-" she thought, as she stood there on
the bridge alone in the night gloom
And this is the career | once fancied so
full of pleasure! This is the end of my
dazzling hopes, my lofty ambitions:
Well, tonight is but the emblem of it all!
In love, in everything which makes
ones life sweet and blessed. | am in
deed-stranded.
Perhaps it was only natural in such a
time that she should recall her olden
| home
How pretty it was, how dear, that
simple little cottage in the quiet village!
The old apple trees where the robins
used to sing so riotously must now be
pink with bloom.
And the peach tree!-how beautiful it
was in blossom when the petals used to
fall IN showers against her tiny bay win
| dow!
Had the new owners driven the swal-
lows away from the eaves:-the wren
from her nest in the moldering stem of
tie dead and branches locust:
Perhaps they had pulled down the
dear little house altogether and erected
some Grandtr structure in its stead!
Suddenly she stretched out her arms
ycarningly She lifted her sad face to
the cold, unanswering stars.
But, oh" she murmured, IF could
only rest my tired head beneath that
dear old roof tonight think could die
content
y listlesS, uncertain tread upon the
planks Of the bridge at that moment dis
tracted her thoughts and aroused her to
the imprudence Of her position.
She must not remain there. She
must go.
But where?
How strange, how pitiful it seemed
that in all the wide world she had no
place to lay her head!
The footsteps came closer. With a
half frightened glance she saw tall
man, broad shouldered, roughly dressed,
with a great shaggy yellow beard, and
with pair of piercing eyes which seemed
to look her through and through
He had passed and repassed a number
of times, but she had been too engrossed
with her sorrowfrl reflection to notice
him before
He walked directly to her.
He grasped the rail of the bridge with
both hands. and she marveled vaguely
to see that he was trembling.
you are one of the unfortunate the
atrical company. Can be of any serv-
ice to YOU he asked her, abruptly.
"Who are YOU" she cried in alarm, az
she shrunk back from him.
His reply was uttered in strange
rapid and vehement whisper.
Il am like yourself" he said Some
years ago had a happy home and a wife
adored She went away from me, and
since then in hope and happiness have
been stranded"
For an instant she stood as if suddenly
turned to stone. All the life within her
seemed concentrated in her great, dark
burning eyes
You, Jack: Oh. God. is it YOU" she
exclaimed, at length. You, who used
to be SO proud about yourself, SO brave
of spirit. like this"
DO you care" he asked her.
DO care" she repeated passionately
II care so much that ! would give my
very soul if could undo what have
done. have failed in my career, hut
might have succeeded, Jack, could
have had Your love. could do nothing
without your love, Jack.
She was crying now, softly, hopelessly
not daring to believe that she was still
dear TO him.
He put his roughly clad arms about
her and drew her unresisting head to his
bo>on-asainst that shaggy, tangled
beard which with his careless attire she
had fancied sign Of, Heaven knows
how much. restitution and vagab bond
age!
You have always had my love, sweet
heart. Do you think could ever have
ceased loving such an adorable woman
as you are. Kate? Our trouble was all
my fault, too-all my contemplate OBJ
stinacy," said he.
"Oh, Jack, how good you arc to say
that, when you know it isn't true" she
murmured, with her arms around his
neck and her lips upon his.
We'll, darling. we will begin over
again. have never sold the little cot
tage-l couldn't, because we had once
,, been SO happy there! And have made
'. a big fortune in the mines back here So
you shall live where you like and wear
diamonds and cloth of gold, if you
,, choose. Or, if you would rather stay on
the stage, you can have a company OF
your own and a theater of your own, il
you desire. And you need not fear ever
again being stranded"