The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1893-07-05
LIFE WAS A BLANK.

not ignore her existence, but the
happy days when they ignored
everything else had been merged
into the past.
Her father had become of late al
most invisible to her for days and
days. And his manner was so strange.
True, morning and night he would
kiss her and assure her that she
would be his ducky diamond for
ever and ever. but if she happened
to upset the fireirons or play at skip
ping rope In the hall or roll her mail
cart down the. stairs he would dash
out of his study with his hands
futching his hair and speak quite
langrily
Sometimes, too, he would start up
from the breakfast table saying he
had got a situation, then rush off to
his study and perhaps not return till
she had gone out for her morning
walk with Jane.
What mystified Dorothy all the
more was that her mother didn't
seem to be disturbed in the least by
her fathers eccentricity, except &C
casionally when Doddleums, who
was cutting another tooth, was more
than usually fractions, then. when
her father ventured to designate
DOddleums n signalling. nerve an
initiating brat, her mother would
say reproachfully:
''Oh, George; the little pet can t
help it. Now, Dolly, dear, don't cry !;
f,E I, =,
There was something strange, too.
about her mother Frequently Dol
S ", on entering the sitting room I'M
expectedly, found her pacing up
and down before the mirror, talk
ing very wildly, throwing her arms
about and at times crying. One day
Dolly heard her saying to herself
aloud, ''Oh, it is hard to tear myself
away from my little ones" though
when she saw her little girl she. so
far from endeavoring to tear herself
away, took her on her knee and
promised her a rice pudding for din
ner if she wouldn't practice her
scales until papa had finished writ
ing.
Once again, too. she heard her
mother tell Aunt Kitty that she
would be glad to get back to the
boards, which made Dolly wonder if
her mamma contemplated turning
herself into sandwich lady, though
she had never heard of her being
connected with that profession.
Now, Dolly was of an inquiring
turn of mind, and though her pas
sion for investigation was not al
ways encouraged by those about her
she determined at all hazards to
solve the mystery of her parents al
tered demeanor, their preoccupied
manner, those consultations which
continued in whispers or enigmatical
sentences when she appeared and
their frequent and unexplained alb
sences from home
One day, having been out all the
forenoon, after dinner they departed
in hanson. They little knew that
a tiny form in a long nightdress was
peeping through the half opened
window as they departed, that the
little one heard the direction to the
cabman. The Corinthian theater-
sharp
They were going to the theater, to
that wonderful place they were al
ways talking about with which they
were somehow connected
In Il few minutes Dolly had changed
her nightgown for her frock, her
warm hood, her cape and hat and
had stolen very quietly out of the
street door.
After walking long way and ask
ing number of policemen, who for
some reason laughed as they direct
ed her, Dolly arrived at vast build
ing like a palace, with a lot of beau
tifuf lamps in front, a line of car
riages outside, and a number of tall
gentlemen in uniform opening the
carriage doors.
She felt she dared not go in that
way-perhaps there was another
way in. She turned down a side
street and saw huge crowd at an
other door, but gave up all hope of
entering there, until suddenly the
door opened, and in about 10 min
! utes the crowd had entered.
! Then Dolly crept up some stairs
and said to a gentleman who stood
at a sort of turnstile that didn't turn:
IF you please, sir, want to go
INTO the theater"
Fortunately Dolly had in her peck
(eF n dollar her Uncle Jack had
given her that very morning, so after
great deal of trouble she found her.
5ef seated upon leather covered
Orms, among a lot of people, in a
pacious, beautifully lighted build
pg
Dolly began to gaze with delight
beautiful picture right in front,
he largest she had ever seen, of a
blue lake, with a white marble tenn
De in the center, with gentlemen
lounging on the steps playing gui-
ars to lovely ladies.
Then a gentleman in front raped
18th stick. which he afterward
Ryed about. and band of music
I'D delightfully."-. Meantime Dol
ed everywhere for her par
I'm vain.
her regret, at the ting of
ptiful picture suddenly
n1aidservant, who