The morning call., 1893-09-24

the light falling softly upon the drop-cur-
tain. which seemed 10 them marvel of
loveliness, Hs and She sit. merged in each
others consciousness, thinking. feeling,
seeing each through the others senses,
and lost to the whole world besides.
They do not know there are people to
the right and the left of them. before and
behind. They do not know that one sbrlll-
voiced boy selling ''the book OF the play"
has grnned TO another, with thumb
pnked backward in their direction, and
has piped, "See the jays" They would
not understand, could they know.
II is their first formal outing together.
They had walked together on the hills;
they have taken rides 10 the park, on the
eabie-cars, sitting shyly apart, with their
hearts in their faces, the light that never
was on sea and land cleaning from their
eyes, the story as old as the world reveal
ing itself in every awkward movement,
and by the subtle magic of its own
atmosphere lifting them up and separat-
ing hem from ali the rest OF the universe.
He had long planned TO take her to the
play, but dimly, in his secret heart, he has
not felt hat any OF those that had been
billed. for months past, were good enough
for Her to see. He does not reason this out;
he does n OF even know he felt it, but Il
has held him back, week by week, until
he heard stage-struck lourDeyman in the
''shous" tell fellow one day that irving
and Terry were coming to the city and he
had asked who they were and had been
told.
Then he walked. instead of riding, back
and forth from his work night and morn
ing; for a fortnight he put aside every
spare nickel from his boys earnings, and
when the box-office opened he was early
on hand and bought two gallery tickets
for the Merchant of Venice"
They are only a boy and girl from the
working classes-MTs. North Beach, in the
gallery for the first time in her life, de-
cides, as she glanced them over. what
ever could have possessed them to come
to such performance as thisY
Mrs. North Beach can see them as they
are; can tell you that he is but formless,
hulking fellow, with ill-ftting, cheap gar
ments and an inability TO dispose of his
hands and feet. The former even at that
moment are fumbling with his hat, the
latter scuffl:ug uneasily on the bare floor
of the gallery. His shoulders are already
stopped from the bearing of burdens and
his face scanned and burnt by furnace heat.
10 Mrs. North Beach She is merely some
ones "help"-nursegirl. perhaps. or cooks
assistant-cheaply attired. with gloves
much too large and worn with an air Of
unfamiliarity. oh, yes, Mrs. North Beach
sized them up In moment.
But all-eVen Mrs. North Beach-fail
to understand; cannot grasp and measure
in the crucial testing of thumb and fin
ger. He aud She in their poor best of
outer garments are man hood and woman
hOod-the whole universe of reality look
ing down and taking in the thread of uni
versal experience running through the
play before them.
The curtain has risen and fallen upon
AntoEio's melancholy and Bassanio's
strait Thus. She thinks, would He do for
friend. The scene has shifted to Bel
mont, and He. gazing entranced by Portals
noble beauty and brilliant attire, turns in
spirit TO Her sitting beside him. In the
shelter of the gallery's darkness He
reaches out and let's his hand rest lightly
against fold of Her dress. In his heart
he believes her more beautiful than Portia,
and his mind plcturlng her arrayed like
unto Shakespeare's glorious heroine all the
manhood within him bends toward her in
alteration, as Morocco's unfortunate Prince
is at that moment bending toward Porta
No, Mrs. North Beach could never measure
this She would not believe it. even If any
one told her. but love is universal, and
comes to the untaught with the wisdom of
the wise. She. looking down upon Bas-
sani0 come TO his wooing, Bassanlo in al
the blazon of splendid attire, with musical
words of love and ELOQUENT looks and ges-
lures, feels her heart turned toward him at
her SIDE, and in her innermost soul CON-
pared him with Portals wooer, by no
means 20 Bassani0's advantage.
Do not smile. Rather bow your head
and thank him who is in love, that he is in
and through us all, that whether for BE
and She. whether Bassanio and Portla. the
power that moves the souls of men and
women, that reveals. each to the other.
the soul beauty that once seen can never
be forgotten, is ip the world for The
worlds salvation and inspiration. He
and she, in their poor, rough garments, up
there in the last gallery, look as
thoroughly en- rapport with that drama
as He and She in the box, yonder, near
the stage.
They do not speak to each other-they
do not tell each other that Portia and
Bassanio are but the counterfeit present.
ment of the eternal reality. which their
own hearts hold. They do not even think
II. Narrow opportunities. the nportun-
Ties Of ever pressing tasks, the stern neees-
stiles OF daily life along their walk. have
left their minds all unaccustomed TO think
inS. but they are together and their hearts