Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-01-19


opera was q complete success Helen
never sang more beautifully. In the
great aria Just before her flight with
Paris she brought the house 10 IT, feet
by her dramatic singing and acting.
Uncle Lghtfoot Myers leaned ou, of his
box at nm angle that imIrriled his life.
and waved his opcra hat. shouting
"limva'- until he wa- boar~e West
Hastings. who occupied n pro~cenium
box with his sister. Mrs Dick Griswold,
stool up and applauded with an elegance
that was remarked by every ons In the
house: and Mrs Dick not only thrrw
the bouquet that lay on the railing Of
her box. but unpinned the bunch of
ro-cs at her corsage and threw them at
the prima donna's fcct Mr vande-
water Tod. who occupied the next box.
not o. b. outdone In enthusiasm, took q
large diamond star from her hair, and.
pinning II TO q bouquet. threw II with
excitel fingers at the singer; but II fell
short Of L. marx. and. striking tho
venerable loss vol player on his bald
hcad. bounced into the orchestra The
bou.c ruarcd with gooi naturcd laughter
a. the old man. after feeling his head 10
sec that the skull was not cracked.
picked up tho bouquet with its precious
addition and handed u to the smiling
prima donna. while tho family circle
shouted and tho boxc. wavcd their
handkcrchiofN Tho ushers wcro worn
out carrying "noral tributes" down the
aisle. and. altogether. such a night had
never been known.
The most excited person In the house
was Rush llurlstOne. ny lucky
chance be vas standing In the wings In
all tho dignity 81 his Trojan armor when
Ilclcn made a sudden exit Coming
from the brilliantly lighted stage into
the dark bchind the scenes she struck
her fcyt against ear lessly laid gas Pipe
and almost pitched into his arms. lie
put ou, his hand and she caught hold Of
Il quickly The thing did not take half
a minute. "Gnzic." saii she. lightly.
thinking - courss that he was one - the
regular Italian chorus Then she passed
on to her dressing room followed by her
maij bcaring her train. and her aunt,
Who had just throw n q wrap across her
shoulders. Rush blushed scarlet under
his warriors bcard. lie was afraid the
men standing around would hear tho
humping of his heart against his tin
armor When no one was looking he
rai..sl the back of the hand she had
touched 10 his lips and kissed IL. and
then hc wondered how he could have
tccn such fool
When tboopcra was over. Rush thought
it no more than polite for him to accom-.
Tany Mime. Celia and her daughter home;
but when be went 10 look for them he
found that they had gone as -oon a. tho
dancing was finished lie was no, sorry.
for now hc could linger around the place
and perhaps see Helen again As he
stool by the door lcading into the audi.
iorium. be- saw half the wealth and fash.
iun of the city rass through on It, way
to the prima donna's dressing room 10
congratulate her upon lier great succcss
IIc could catch an occasional glimpse of
her. standing there In her classic roles.
a vcritable Helen. giving her beautiful
hanl % this one and a gracious word 10
the other. Rush felt like throwing him
III nj her fest. or dixie another Paris
bearing her Oh In his arms lie watched
tl,c men as they talked and laughed with
her. until he was beside himself with
JEALOUSY. lie rcoognilci West Ilas,ings
at once. having SEEN him at the stag
door the week lcfOrc. and felt certain
that the confidence 20 his manner In al
dressing the prims donna was the a.
surance of proprictorship Uncle Light
foot Myers came rushing In. his gray
hair matted on his brow. and the pcr.
spintion running down his norld cheeks.
II deserve kiss. my dear. for what
I've done for you tonight. ho ekclaim.
ed Two pairs u gloves split into
shrc,is, my collar wiltcd. and my voice
al gone shouting Braval' Come. now
where Il my rewardf'
"your reward i, IN the consciousness
\ ~ having done n good deed. answered
ti,e singer. gayly, giving him her hand.
which he kis-cd with old fashioned gal
lantry
"Ah. Uncle IIghtfoot,- said MS
Dick Griswold. "you are too young a
man TO 10 claiming an old mans
privileges"
"Nonsensel nonscnse'- said Uncle
lIghtfuut. strengthening his necktio and
lanking a. plcasrt ~ Punch "rm old
enough to L. ilclen'. father
lie vas rally old enough 10 bo her
grandfather. but II would have been q
cruel T-.rson who could tell him -.
Men and women came crowding In
and ou, - the prima DONNA. room. but
Rush noticed that West Hastings stool
/ hi. ground and showed no signs of 20
ing. and be al-o noticed that he stoopcj
down now and then and whispered some
words In the singers ear which SEEMED
to give her q good deal of pleasure. Tor
she would raise her eyes 10 his with
/ loDk that Rush would have diei for.
| lie Didn't know then that a woman,
particularly a prima donna, may look
everything and mean nothing. Finally
there was lull In tile gay chatter. and
the manager entered the room. followed
by somewhat s-edy booking young
u,an with keen bright eyes and a we'll
shared bead lie Whispered something
In Italian TO Mis- knowlton. An ex'
preston of annoyance passed over her
| face, bat she vas exceedingly polite
when the manager introduced Mr. Gn.
dy, 81 The Dawn. who legged that he
n,ight ask her few questions
The young man was evidently emtar.
ps.ed at meeting - many outsiders In
the room. and the prima donna, though
she was annoyed at the Interview. was
most gracious In her manner. particu-
larry a. she detected the ends of West
Hastings mustache turning scornmlly
upward. and feared that the reporter al-o
might notice hi. sneer. Aunt Rebecca
would have taken the interviewer under
her protection at once. but she was strik.
ing Tor bigger game. She hal the mu.
slcal critic Of The Daily Trumpet by the
ear. and was calling hi. critical attention
10 the remarkable Torture added by her
niece 20 the grand aria Rush recognized
in the reporter one OF the men be had
seen at the Office u The Dawn. and he
i l..... -. al.