The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-10
A ROMANCE.

His fellow walters all agreed that Emil
had becsms Q perfect dolt In bis eyes
rev an absent look, and he saw visions
In the blue cigar smoke. There was a
vacant expression In the fenest, slow face
A ~ the fumes and resk Of the music hall
lad settled in kind Of fog In his crain.
The opening night was thick with ran.
Blurred In mist, the lights n the hall
shons out on the dripping streets, and an
cir of discomfort peryaded the scanty
throng inside A very decent pas seul had
gone unspplauded, and a prime favorite
Of the stage was In tears In the wings
The strings bounded TO strain OF Bur
gundy, snd out there tripped q trim little
figure, peasant gsrbed and roguish eyed
You have heard Robin piping full voiced
frsm his leafy covert and while the drip OF
the rain struck through the hedge singing
Of solden Moons afeld. So rang the music
in ths ears Of the gaping faced waiter.
The hall throbbed with fresh melody, and
A moment later with thunders Of applause.
Emil was interested. She came out twice
again. lie wished that she had chosen an
| encore a trifs less spirited than her last
song. Her name, he thought, should Dc
Jennie But is wasn't
Late that night wandering voice wnS
heard down in the mist of the street--a
grur voice that seemed 10 try 20 recall a
tune all but forgotten. Emil trudged
homswsrd, damp and pensiye. He did
not know that be was disturbing the peace.
what Il thero In a roguish eye and
trim ankle to cause infatuationf Nothing
In reasen. 1t must be confessed. But be-
fors the week was out Emil had made
wrong change several times and brought a
straw lemonade to one Of the oldest pa
tross of the place He grew preoccupied.
And every night ss he trudeed homewsrd
his srun voice essayed 10 recall forgot
ten strain.
On Saturday night the music hall was
crowded W the doors. The gildsd youth
Of the tswn were in The boxes, aud In the
full blaze corks popped nerriiy and light
words passed. Emil wss acting very badly.
when q party Of young blades had ordered
q rsuHd, he remarked inconssauentially;
"Shs will come cut at 10. You shall see. "
He did not notice that they laughed loud
ly. And the old tune kept bOthering him.
Back among the palms where ths great
celored globes softened the lights he was
resting q moment when abe caine out and
stood like n morry NIKE In the center Of
the stage. There was tho old applause,
and he moved nearer, drawn as all week
he had been drawn. A second and third
time she sang And then CA the ears OF a
waiter, listening with his heart in his
| eyes fell the melody which had been
haunting him night and day with Tvs half
renem bered snatches. 10 was silly lit
Ito folkSong. the childish love of children,
q song of Alsatia.
There was a crash, voice was in the
| air Jenniep'-und IA the aisle lay the
tray, with It's broken glasses, and over IL,
with q pale excited face, stood EMIL.
Angry words rose around him, and In the
confusion the singer f-ltcrod slightly. But
the flowers rained down upon her when
she finished, and the audience seemed
ready TO take her 90 it's arms. Emil trudged
homeward Saturday night, in 1ne and dis
grace bappyl
ID was long after midnight, ard he SCI.
In his room. Would she remember him
size, the bsAutiful singer' All, these were
pleasant days IN Elsass when the great
Rhine flowed through the fields and,
child, he had played with Jenchen. There
was n tiny silver ring In his wallet which
she had placed on bis finger the morning
that abe had creased the river with her
family and passed beyond the fortresses
below the horizon Of France. She must
be good, and she was very BEAUTIFUL He
fell asleep with the ring In his hand, and
sprits with an exaggerated hesddrcss
danced into his dreams, with the ring for
her siTdls, and, slumbering no muttered,
"Wundersehoen."
In Alsatia, where there rs no law"
And the proverb continues that dreams
are realities, and peasants pay court 90
prtuoassas aud reaaia IL eaIna aQaiD-il
Alsstia.
Behold Emil at tho music hall, with his
face aalow, busy among his patrons There
was n call for three stems, and he nodded
an honest approval. When he took sn
order for Rhine wine, be beamed with sat
iSfaction He shook his head gravely IS
he set down an absinthe. The green glim-
mer always disturbed him as of something
impish All the while throbbed the music,
and the limelights RlarCd on the usge,
where performers came and went And
Emil waited for her coming.
Night before last be had corded basket
OF cut flowers TO tho footlights Last night
hs saw her driven away from the stage
door In carriage by the nan vho had
sent them. Ii made him uneasy in vague
way. But tonight there was waiting .
bouquet in which n silver riEE nestled,
and iis heart bent r n.
She came st last, the little friend OF bis
childhood, singing into View, singing
straight into kis honest, stupid heart.
And down the aisle be marched wish steady
feet, bis great bouquet half hiding the
glow Of his face She would find the ring,
no thought, by and by, and them
As ho handed the flowers over the foot
lights he dared not look up. ThCrs was a
tinkling sound, and he raised his head.
Tie flowers were in her hand, but the sill
yer token had become disenEagod and had
fallen into her palm and 10 the floor.
She looked straight 90 him, and her eyes
were like frozen violcts Tho little ring
rolled neglected into a far corner. Asthe
hoartsick walter turned away the flutes
broathod tho prelude To- tho old song of FL
sass. And she never sang It bottor.-Ex
change