The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-01-01

&&S A0N9 sAN
ned / have no idea. 1t may have been q
few seconds; 1t may have been an hour
cannot tell. was dead to all feel
ing nave that of my humiliation and
shame. Impulse led me to seize my hat
and leave the house, hide my head from
the sight of men and ever after cut So
ciety.
Still musing, i turned to take my
hat, when a loud, merry laugh from the
parior woke me to my senses. Laugh
ing! They were laughing over 1t. I
could stand 1t no longer. Pain and sor-
row fed, and only the wound to my
honor remained.
Surprise and establishment gave way
70 resentment and anger. Anger became
hatred. Dashing my poor hat upon the
floor, / rushed to the door. My blood
seemed to boil within me. Unconscious
ly / clinched my fists.
Again that gay laugh. Surely my
name was mentioned that time! They
were laughing at me, were they? All,
trifers, beware! He laughs best who
laughs last.
Thought upon thought rushed upon
me and drove me nigh to desperation.
What an ass, what a dolt / had beenl
And hereatter-curse it all!-I would
be a laughing stock for all the busybody
gossipers Of the city.
Il wonder what George will say
when he finds it all out?" I heard Ma
bel say, and then she laughed again,
even heartier than before.
"Oh, / fancy he will be the most as
tonished man in the city," answered
her companion, joining in the laugh.
i have often read the old fable about
the last straw breaking the camel's
back, and this last jeering allusion to
myself, that heartless laugh, e~xasperat-
ing in its mockery, was the last straw.
Unable further to restrain myself, /
flung open the door and rushed into the
room. Without a word / sprang toward
that man, and not rel pausing to
glance at his face / caught him fercely
by the nape of the neck and dragged
him to the center of the room.
"George!" shrieked Mabel, regaining
her voice.
LET go, l say!'' cried the fellow at
my feet, shaking me off after a mighty
effort. George Froham, are you era
zyf'
tom Holbrookl" I exclaimed, recog-
nizing a prominent member of my own
set. You scoundrel! PIP
George, George!' cried Mabel,
grasping me tightly and trying to hold
me back. Are you mad? What's the
natter"
THE matter!" / almost yelled, re-
leasing her hold. "Can you dare to ask
me such a question:"
"Can / daref What do you mean,
George? / don't understand you"
IT. mean,"I replied, THAT / have
been standing by that door and have
heard the loving words"--
What" interrupted Mabel, ''you
Yes" / continued, Il heard the
tender names and loving words you
whispered SO aff~ectionately to one an
other. You, Tom Holbrook, rascal that
You are"-
A sudden idea seemed to strike the
fellow, for, d~isregarding my hot words,
he actually smiled. "Ah, laugh!' /
yelled. I'm teach you to laugh, siri
As for this girl here"-
/ turned toward Mabel as / spoke,
when to my utter CONSERVATION / saw
that she, too, was smiling. It was too
much. With a loud cry I raised my
hand to strike the fellow, but Mabel
clutched my arm so suddenly and close
ly that the blow was checked.
George, George!" she cried, ''let
me explain this to you!"
"Explain?" ! queried. "Do you
mean to say that you will try to clear
yourselves in my eyes?"
"Of course I WILL" she answered,
still smiling. ST had no idea you were
such an Othello. Tom and / are to play
lovers parts in the performance at the
Odeon next month, and we were merely
rehearsing the lines. Don't you see?"
you take in amateur theatricals!
Why, / thoroughly DEBUT you never
told me a word about it."
mo, George. They had all agreed
not to mention it to you, and / was go
ing to surprise you the day beforehand.
But" she continued teasingly, mr..
Othello No. 2 has spoiled all the fun.
Now don't you see, dear?"
And / saws. j. Block in Philadel-
phia Inquirer.