St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-09-09

saying to themselves that they would b
each others to the end of the road whic]
lay before them.
When Roger came to make his adieu:
to Jane, without a word having beef
spoken to prepare for that exchange
each, at the moment when they rose II
separate, handed the other ring, ant
this supreme betrothal was substituted
for the bitter kisses of last farewell.
After the second act of LA Dame au>
Camelias," when the curtain had beer
raised and lowered for the sixth time
upon the acclamations which had greeted
Jane, in the flush of that unparallelec
triumph, the echo of which she hopec
would reach Roger, the young woman,
with that melancholy oppression which
too great fortune gives, was SLOWLY
mounting the stairway leading to hel
dressing room.
However, Roger knew that she was
making her debut that evening, and she
was certain that, even amid the smoke o.
the battlefield, he could not have forgot
ten her.
But, without daring to admit it to her,
self, she had, during the whole day, been
the prey of sort of indescribable pre-
sentiment. She had watched at the door
and listened to the footsteps ascending
the stairway. She said to herself that the
day could not pass without bringing her
souvenir, some sign of the beloved
one, who was not ignorant that she also
was going to face the chances of signal
lights which decide, here, the life of in
dividuals, and, there, the life of nations
she said this to herself and yet she was
uneasy, anxious and oppressed.
A flash of joy, love and pride shot
from her eyes when on opening the door
of her dressing room, she saw upon the
white lace of her toilet table the blue pa
paper of a te!egraphic dispatch.
She rapidly closed the door that she
might not be troubled while reading the
words which had come from the dear
absent one, and, without even perceiving
that Louis Delcourt had silently followed
her, opened the telegram.
Suddenly, amid the deep silence of the
corridor, through the door Jane had just
entered, Louis Belcourt heard a fright
full superhuman cry, at once wild and
a culver run through his veins. He
forced the door and sprang into the lit
tie chamber. He arrived just in time to
catch Jane in his arms; she was beating
the air with her arms, there was rattle
in her throat; she was livid with grief
and yet held in one of her clenched
hands the dispatch she had run through.
AS he was asking himself in his terror
what he should do, james pallor van
ished, flood of blood coloring her Wis
age; her eyes, now wide open, fixed
themselves. as if by an irresistible i'm
pulse. upon the fatal dispatch.
! She. suddenly handed it to Louis Bel
court. who read the following words:
ave have been crushed at Wnrth
They have transported me to neighbour
ing chateau. Amputation probable. Pray
for me. This dis patch twill be carried to
an open station. love you.
ROGER"
The young actor stood as if thunder
struck. Then, making an effort, he
looked at Jane He saw her, erect and
resolute, putting hat over her theatri-
cal head dress, throwing cloak over her
magnificent costume.
"Where are you going 2" demanded
he.
Il am going" answered she, in a firm
voice, II am going to rejoin Roger!"
but, in Heavens name, think that
the curtain will soon be raised and your
entrance on the stag is expected! This
is frighttul You will destroy yourself
ruin your fortune, your life! Remair
until tomorrow
Listen, repliel Jane. cit is quar-
ter to ten; there is train at II o'clock,
| know, since Il friend of Roger, to
whom have entrusted q letter. starts at
that hour from the Gard dc FEST. If
you prevent me from taking that train -
you see that poignard-1 swear to you on
my soul that will kill myself"
Louis Belcourt rccolel in terror
Jane quilted the dressing room and
went down the stairway.
The young actor followed her mechan-
ically, overwhelmed, and walking with
the automatic step of a somnambulist.
She opened the artists exit door, which
led to the street at the back of the the
atre, hailed a carriage and vanished in
the night.
When Louis 8elcourt returned to the
interior of the theatre he found everybody
in state of extreme excitement. The
call boy had notified the stage manager
that Mile. de Boiney was not to be found
The stage manager informed the mana
ger. who had just arrived, and had seen
Jane in carriage going in the direction
of the Boulevard de Strasburg.
There was an immense explosion of
rage, imprecations and insulting Ian
guage heard from the foyer to the dress
ing rooms and from beneath the stage to
the fly galleries. The manager wanted
to have Jane arrested The public had
begun to make noise; strldent Kisses
alternated with the pounding OF feet on
the floor. 1t was dreadful.
Suddenly Louis Belcourt, who, with
his ardent love, was filled with despair
on thinking of the fatal consequences of
James flight, conceived plan which
lighted up his face with joy. He ap-
preached one of his comrades who was
filling silent role in the piece and hur-
riedly conversed with him. The COM
rade instantly nodded and went toward
the auditorium through the communicate
ing door.
Then, Louis Belcourt, putting aside
everybody in his way, and jostling the
stage manager and manager. who strove
to bar his passage, gave the stgnal to
raise the curtain and appeared upon the
stage.
Profound silence ensued.
The young actor advanced toward the
footlights, and said in vibrating voice:
"Messieurs and Mesdames, Mile. Jane