The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-09-05

l. won Id be very natural, you know;
both are young. Standard Is handsome.
Miss Raybourne has never had serious
love affair; maybe Standards the man"
"Fiddlesticks! Miss Raybourne is not
such simpleton as that. Standard
isn't the sort of man she would fancy,
even if she were given to falling IN love
with every handsome young man who
happened to be acting in play with
her The best thing we can do is to get
rid OF Standard
she has certainly been great disap-
pointment," said Mr.. Crisp, with the
tone of man who was giving up some
thing from which he had expected great
results. Use your judgment"
The light over the stage entrance to
the Empire theater had just fared up
on the night after the two managers
had their talk about Standard, when
the young actor climbed the stairway
and walked across the stage to his
dressingroom. lie was in most I'M
happy frame of mind. A tumult was
raging within his breast. His clean-cut
face bore evidences of his unhappy
mental state He nodded to one or two
men, who were busy about the stage
and stepped into his dressing-room. He
noted the fact that he was among the
first to arrive. He dropped into chair
to think. Of late. thinking in this I'M
happy fashion had been his chief occu
patton.
He was mentally accusing himself of
all sorts of shortcomings. He told him
self over and over again that he was
fool, sillier fool than he thought him
self capable of being. He fercely
charged himself with failure, failure in
the work that had been the cen ter OF
his Hottest aspirations and dreams.
He had frittered away golden oppor-
tunity to get a permanent foothold In
his profession. and stood condemned by
himself and the critics and the public
as rank failure. He had felt sure of
succeeding on the stage; as early as he
could remember it had been his ambi-
ton to be an actor. As be grew Older
this ambition became a passion He
bent all his energies to its accomplish
ment. He had spent his years in study
and after he reached the point when he
thought himself ready to begin he had
experienced no end OF trouble in find
ing an opportunity. At last one came.
Manager Crisp saw him in playing an
insignificant part with mediocre COM
pany of players and offered him place
with Miss Raybourne's company. He
had accepted it eagerly and gone about
his work with enthusiasm.
1t was his opportunity; he had losti it.
He did not attempt to hide the reason
from himself however obscure 1t
might be others. He felt just as CON
fdent of his ability now as he had ever
felt. He believed that had be been
with any other company his work
would have been gratifying to himself.
He saw the cause of his undoing in
Miss Raybourne He had struggled
bravely to hide his secret from her. In
her presence he had constrained him
self; he had avoided her. On the stage
he was afraid to trust himself. The
result of this was his wretched acting
of which his managers had complained.
She had caused him TO lose sight of his
passionate pursuit of his chosen Pro-
fessiop. Tonight he felt that he had
| lost his profession and soured his whole
! life.
| He heard a light step crossing the
stage, which he instantly recognized as
( that of Miss Raybourne. He hastily
I rose and stepped out. She came toward
( him smiling, and holding something In
( her hand.
I Good evening, Mr.. Standard" she
said, pleasantly. Il am 50 tired
those stairs are so dreadful. Am l
+ late?"
She started into her dressing room,
but turned 10 show Standard some tri-
fe she had bought while out shopping
Wasn't it cute? She was sure be
would like it. She disappeared into
+ her dressing room, leaving Standard
standing ike a man in a dream. lie re-
members that he had not spoken half
dozen words 10 her.
Standard takes no note OF the arrival
of the other IueInb Of the company.
He watches the setting of the scenery
with a blank look Presently Miss Ray
( bourne comes out dressed for her part
IN the elegant robes OF rich man 5
daughter she > remarkably lovely. She
stands chatting with Standard N a "
vacious way. On the other SIDE OF the
curtain they hear the tramp Of feet,
the sound Of rshers turning down TIE
seats. the err q the fan, candy and
opera glass boys. the shriil yT.lirr OF TIE
violinist tuning his instrument and tac
confused murmur OF conversation.
Now the orchestra bursts into popu-
lar air and there j. q responsive nur
mur Of approval from the gallery. The
bell rings ard the enrtain swings Up
Together Miss RaT bourne and Sta ndarC
watch the actors saying their parts fo'
a few minutes. and then Miss 8ay
bourne leaves Standard with z sIn1l'
and steps out upon the stage Her ap
pearance IS greeted by CHATTER Of ap
plause. Prom his place IN the wit-
Standard can see her. radiant aas
beautiful. smiling and bo~iDg- ~
speaks her lines with al ease snd nat
uralness that instantly captures hei
audience Standard notices. too. tina
actors who have much less import Al
parts han NJ are receiving app apse
He tssrns away SICK Al The si1ougAt