The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-11-30

could.
Tho morning after the matinee Mrs
Bright was sitting In her drawing room
staring out over the house tops She
looked displeased. A letter lay open ON
her lap. "He is getting on very well with.
ont me. " she thought sadly as she read IL
again.
There was ring, and the servant an.
nounced q gentleman whom Mrs. Bright
recognized as theatrical manager Won.
dering the object OF his visit, she offered
him chair Speedily he told her Of his
presence at the matinee the day before II
have come to offer you position in my
company If we can como to satisfactory
terms and If you care t. accept" he said
She was bewildered. ut Is so sudden
she stammered
Take until tomorrow to think it over, u
he suggested.
"That is not necessary accept now"
Mrs. Bright had become an actress Her
success from the first night was assured
and the manager congratulated himself
upon this latest acquisition to his compa-
nv. She felt that now the time had come
to tell her husband what she had done.
"You did not want me to keep board
ers, SO have sold out the boarding house."
she wrote Il did this some time ago and
took small apartment. would have
been very unhappy and lonely without
you, only have been studying very hard
You will no doubt be amazed to learn that
have been studying for the stage, but
moro amazed to learn that for the past
month l have been q member Of IS
company
II am sure you will be delighted 70
have us members Of the same profession.
After all, husband and wife must have
the same interests to be happy. don't
wonder you like 1t. am quite infatuated
with it myself. Always your devoted Ger
trude.
"P. ST. am of to the theater now, 90
pardon brevity. o."
Mr. Bright received this letter one
morning on his arrival at the theater
That afternoon found him in a sleeper
bound east; the next afternoon In his
wife's apartment. She was glad to sec
him, but deaf to his entreaties to give up
what he termed her disgraceful>project
Think of your child, madaml" he final
ly reared.
She is your child as well as mine, sir.
Certainly IL the theatrical profession Is
good enough for her mother" Z
They ate their dinner in silence. She
was absorbed in reading an evening paper
aad he in watching her. She was dressed
In a 'chic" and becoming style, and he
thought he had never seen her SO charm
ing before. AT least she was his wife,"
with glad feeling of possession. A spasm
contracted his heart ION the stage what
temptations would beset herl'' With q
fierce resolve he thought, IT must get her
off at any price,"
81 am going to the theater now" she
remarked
1T is rather early for you to CO.,
II suppose you want to see the perform
ance, to say nothing of seeing me act.'
There was twinkle in her eye and
touch of compassion, for she OWNED what
he felt.
81 will go with you," he answered
grumpily.
= He was Obliged to leave her at the stage
door. 1t was three-quarters of an hour be-
fore the performance began, and he started
for a walk
In no pleasant frame of mind heontered
the theater and glared at the programme
as he read his wife's name
The orchestra stopped and the curtain
went up. 1t was a charming play, beau
tifully mounted and well acted The open
ing act took place in garden scene Mrs.
Bright entered dressed in q costume of
white and a large white hat She said
little, but was perfectly at ease on the
stage. The moro Mr.. Bright realized this
the moro apprchensive he became.
The play progressed. The next scene
was ballroom. In 10 Mrs. Bright was
L. III
prudish in the old days, but now her beau =
liful shoulders wero exposed to an extent =
which her husband denounced as vulgarH
A betrothal between the hand
some leading man and Mira Bright was
sealed with kiss.
This was too much. Heartsick, he
looked at his wife in the arms of the lead
ing man, shamelessly Nesting her head op
his shoulder with movement he had
secn her make . thousand times
He rushed out OF the theater and back
10 the stage door, where he awaited the
appearance Of Mrs. Bright
Several days passed, and Mr.. Bright
made no move to return to tho Gaietf
company. At the end Of week he ra-
,eived telegram from the manager IL
the company stating that unless he re-
Iurned at once they must get some ono
llse
That decided him, and with the telegram
N his hand he confronted his wife. Ger
rude, do you intend to keep this upi" he
demanded roughly.
Keep what ups"
Keep on actings"
"Whv shonldn't Ir'
because don't want you to-because
. Is driving me mad to think Of my wife
IN the stage. Where is your sweet domes-
'io character You used to love your
,ome oh, Gertrude, it Is impossible for
no to consentl cannot, and will MOTIF
Theatrical seasons end about the Same
lime. shall always try to be homo when
7ou are
1T isn't that. 1t Is death to our domes-
10 happiness. know it, and''-
That is what always told you. What
ort of domestic happiness did we have
,efore l went on the stagep All, no,
George, there is but one thing for us to
we must both have nothing to
10 with the stage, or else we both must
,elong to it," a
Read that" thrusting the telegram in
,av ha,x