St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-10
ALL IN A THEATE2 BOX.


found himself waylaid in the town OF
Mount Roy for an indefinite time, pend
ing the arrival of certain orders from
his partner in the East, he became
afflicted with a mild form OF restless
unacy. To DO sure Mount Roy had
thriving population of 1900 and the
aters with endurable attractions, but
nevertheless he was bored.
Fate in the person of Samuel Smith,
of New York, interpoSed, and thereby
saved this unsuspecting clerk from the
numerous deaths Wayne was meditat-
ing.
The jolly Smith. who had slapped
| Wayne on the shoulder, barely escaped
being embraced by that desperate young
| man.
smith," he said. between hand
shakes, ''you are the one man in exist
ence for me! Didn't know L could be
so enormously fond of any one! Take
me away-do something with me. for
| heavens sake, or I'll murder some one
to relieve the mOnOtonv."
Smith, who was short and fat, at
| tempted to look critical, and succeeded
| in looking comical-the critical style
| does Dot suit round faces.
| II think YOU need a theater," he an
nounced. deciSvely. Nothing like a
theater. my boy. Shall we go?"
Yes" said Wavne.
He said it quietly, carelesSly,n not in the
| way one cOnVerseS about the Important
events of ones life. But that was be-
cause he didn't know. Pursuing the
line marked out by fate, alias Samuel
| Smith, they took box on the second
tier.
ut always pays to make spread"
said Smith. Besides, we'll be taken
for the escaped aristocracy of New
| York. I'd like to see how it feels"
By some strange accident OF mis-
| chance, a beautiful bunch of bloOd-red,
half-opened roses lay on one Of the
chairs. How they were miSlad was
mystery, and Wayne put them out OF
| harms way on the edge of the boX-he
| felt awkward with flowers in his hands.
| For awhile he watched the stage and
| listened to the sideplay of Smiths valu-
| BILE remarks, and then he leaned for
ward to observe the audience in the par
| quette. By some motion OF his coat
| sleeve one of the large roses looSened
| from the bunch, went flying downward,
and with idle curiosity he bent over to
see its destination.
L
in Derrick Wayne's undOing, the archi-
tect of the pretentious little theater had
built the lower tier of boxes so that half
their width extended out beyond the up
per ones. And so it happened that Mr..
WAYNE, handsome and curious, looked
down into the upturned face of young
lady. Of course it is rather unusual to
have flowers drop into ones lap at
theater, so the young lady was eXcusa-
bl e for looking up. But there was no
excuse tor Mr.. Wayne's prolonged stare
downward beyond the fact that the face
upturned was a remarkably pretty one.
with dark, luminous eyes, and that her
attire was q bewitching creation. evil
IDENTITY straight from Paris. In mo-
ment she withdrew her gaze and set
tied back indiGerently, tWirling the rose
in her fingers. But Mr.. Wayne cOntin-
ued to stare at the top of her head.
"You came here to enjoy the stage"
said Smith, SententiOuSly, mot to at
tract tue attention of the whole house
by breaking your neck. What are you
| looking at, anyhow" relapSing into
curiosity.
Nothing in particular" Wayne an
swered rather guiltily, and viewed the
! stage hard for fifteen minutes before
| he became restless again. An idea
came to him suddenly that pleased him
if only Smith would not observe him.
He gathered up the scattered flowers
from the plush railing and twisted
| them into a compact crimson bunch.
| He leaned forward carelessly, and then
| hesltated. She sat as before, only the
| rose was in her hair this time.
1t had come to him that, romantic as
! it seemed to him, the act he meditated
would appear in differ ent light to any
| one else in the house who should chance
to see him. But the lights were low
| except OH the stage, and every one
seemed absorbed in a blonde hero who
was in terrible straits. The bunch of
roses was Stealthily thrust out and
poised in the air moment, mass of
fragrance; then they dropped straight
downward and landed, as he had in
tended. in her lap.
He saw her give start and for mo-
ment she did not touch them, bat finally
she picked them up and carried them
to her face. She did not look up at him,
yet Wayne felt satisfied. When the
! lights were turned up at the close of the
act Smith remarked on his beaming
face.
Il knew a theater was what you
needed" he said. 'See how much bet
ter you feel"
YES" answered Wayne. promptly;
"you prescribed the right remedy,
Smith. old boy" He felt quite affec-
tiOnate toward Smith.
During the last act cold water shock
went over Wayne. He had just remem
bered that the theater would not last
forever, and when it was over she would
down again in real anxiety. Yes, she
was still there, which was relief. But
she was talking to gentleman who had
moved from the back of the box nearer
her. He had heavy dark hair and his
shirt front cleaned coldly up at Wayne,
who suddenly was conscious of strong
animOSity toward heavy dark hair and
! polished starch.
However, he took consolatory joy in
the fact that it was his roses she held in
her hands if it was not his face she
looked up into. Before that moment he
| had not thought of further acquaintance;
| the rose episode had been mis- passing
| within and was nothing to be ashamed
of, but as to taking advantage of it, the
| idea had not entered his we'll regulated
head until this cavalier had dawned up
| on his sight. And then a full-hedged
| determination to triumph over him took
| possession of Wayne's mind. 1t was
| solely on account of the black hair and
starch, he knew. He would rejoice to
/ see them laid low.
"What are you so glum ab0ut?' in
quired Smith cheerfully, noticing his
trends serious face. Wayne felt in
| clined to pick Smith up by the collar
| and toss him out of the box, also for
being so happy, but refrained upon re-
Election. He suddenly grew bright
sgain-perhaps Smith could help him,
as he had way of becoming acquainted
in every town he visited. So with great
tact he maneuvered the conversation
around, until at last he inquired:
"Uh, say, Smith. do you know the
people in the box below?'
Smith accommodatingly looked down.
ward, while Wayne waited anXiouslv.
Looks like-let me see-the man
oh, yes!" Smith said. breaking off his
eXasperatingly broken remarks, 1.-THE
lady with the roses is Cecil Graham,
aud that fellow beside her. with the
black hair, is Mr.. Graham, her husband.
Cecil was a great catch a year ago