The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-04
PRIVATE THEATRICALS.
Aunt Martha's Story Of an Inter.
esting Drama.

not do at all 1t is stupid"
Stupid Jennie cried. SIS that alp
All the rest are too long, or too short,
or have too many parts, or some other
insurnountable objection. But mere
stupidity"
Don't be sarcastic, Jennie" Dollie
said, looking up from her book. There
were six of the girls, and on table,
chairs and even the floor were sixty, at
least, of the books
1t was just as Dollie spoke that Aunt
Martha came in; tall, prim and stately.
but as sweet as rose for all that, and
prettier at sixty than half the women
of this world are at twenty.
What are you doing?" she asked.
with mild establishment
Selecting play for private theatri-
Gals. We want to help the fund for the
sufferers at the B street fire." said
Tassie, collecting scattered books in
one great pile.
Martha, with very odd smile. SIT
is long time since took part in
private theatricals- Forty years and
more"
''You?" we all cried in chorus, for
Aunt Martha, although she never in
terfered with US, was well known to
disapprove of theaters and all that be-
longed 10 them.
Tho audience Was very small" said
Aunt Martha, still with that puzzling
smile, land there were few perform
ers. Still tell you about it?'
What YVES the play?'' asked Edna,
perhaps hoping for aid in her perplex-
tiles.
1.-The Midnight Alarm" said Aun
Martha
Can get itF"
Il think not. 1t was composed for
the occasion and never written out"
By this time we had deserted the Ia
BILE aud array of ''acting copies" of
popular dramatic works, and were
drawn up in circle near Aunt Martha's
chair, heenly interested in hearing all
about it.
at was when l was q young girl
said Aunt Martha, land had been in
vited to bs bride sInaid for my very
dear friend, Dora Burke. She was the
only child of a very wealthy widow
who lived in Willow Banks, and had
one of the most luxurious homes ever
visited. But it was in the country, ten
miles from large city, where Mrs.
Burke owned another house in which
her winters were passed, but which
was rented to a lady who took Mrs.
Burke and Dora as boarders for the
winter.
$50, when il was decided to have a
grand wedding, it was also arranged
that il should be at Willow Banks,
where there were many spare bed
rooms, and which could be reached by
carriages from the city. One peculiar
itY of the domestic life I must mention
here. Years before, Mrs Burke had
been robbed by burglars, admitted to
the house by a dishonest servant, and
from that time she would have no serv-
ant sleep in the house. A separate
building for their use was connected
by covered way and fitted up COM
fortably. Here Mrs. Jones, wife OF
the head gardener, kept house for the
gardeners, stablemen and maid serT-
ants, who were summoned when want
ed by bell from Mrs. Burke's ruom-
A second bell, also connected with her
her room. was an alarm, only to be
pulled if the men should be wanted at
night for fire or burglary.
The wedding was very grand, but,
while the festivities we're at their
height, l was taken Ill with n severe
pain that l was subject to. 1 tried in
vain to conceal Iny suffering. and final
Iy whispered to Dora's q ,4ssn, Mollie
Burke, that Dost go to my room and
lie down. She wanted to go with me,
but that l would not allow, as she was
illing Dora's usual place IN assisting
Mrs Burke.
81 will como in before go to bed, |
She SAD, and l l1pped away unnoticed. |
MY room was at the end of a long |
handed a magnificent view, but it |
seemed lonely to me that night, going |
here from all the light, gayety and mu-
tic in the drawing-room. There was an |
closet in it, as large as many |
modern bathrooms, and in that was !
slowed much of the rubbish that most |
own, odds and ends whose use |
.ulncss is over, but which are too good /
o throw away. In this, l carefully
lung up my fine dress, slipped on a /
yoolcn wrapper and crept to the bed. |
laving only the bright moonlight TO
guide me- l could not sleep, but the
'ain wore away and l lay quiet, won
iering how soon the guests would
cave. Already Dora and her husband +
lad driven away TO the city, to start
Upon their wedding trip, but the rooms
lad been still filed when / left them.
Il canuot ten what made me think
hen OF the temptation for burglars
here would be in the house that night.
The family plato, usually stored in
'ank vault in the city, and only dis
'layed on great occasions, was all
pread in the supper-roon In the
library were Dora's presents, valuable
ewels, silver. lace and other costly or
cSsrrs-
IS if in answer to nv fears. 7 xud-
ienly became aware that some one
novei softly along the entry, creep
ng, creeping, TO ny door, and SO across
he room TO the closet As the figure
-ossed the window, I could see that
he intruder was tail, powerfully
uht man. He entered the closet. aud
could hea him stealthily crouch down
the corner, probably pulling over
I'm some OF the articles on the foor.
I dared not move Alone. 3 weak
ri, lar from the other inmates Of the
ouse, was afraid he would murder
ie Il tried to get % the door. / Law
nlTering one minute. hot The next NV
cart beating 50 hard i was aF-,;4 -.