Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-01-25

she settled herself 10 the task. Set
Romance of Il Play =
tied? She seemed very restless anG
worked titfully. Sometimes, for min
uteS together. she sat with her face
hidden in her hands and more thar
once tears rickled through her fingers
They say the piece is likely Il
catch on" said a gentleman who, III
truth. was a hacker of 4 West END
theater. He was one of group OF
men in the smoking-room of q rather
Bohemian club. and his remark was
in continuation of Il deSultory cha,
between himself and well known act
or-manager.
Yes" answered the other carelessly
as he knocked the ashes off his cigar
They say that of so many of these
matinee shows, and they're generally
such rotr'
What play is that. if I may ask 2
inquired man who had Just caught
the last words.
The speaker was an uncommonly
handsome man, apparently about six
or seyen-and-thfrty, but he had a reck,
less look, not pleasant to see. A eau
tious man might think twice before
introducing this gentleman into his
home, for, besides his personal good
looks, he had a sweet-toned voice and
an attractive address, and with these
weapons of attack he could easily con.
quer women'S hearts, breaking them
afterward at his leisure
The hacker answered him. "A
piece written by Mrs. Clavering, the
the novelist. She's not Il prentice
lhnd. Some one-nGt plays of hers
have been done already
Il remember reading one Of her
novels: it was clever said Mr. Leslie.
whats the play about?" You MOTTO
ed, when he spoke. that his English
was slightly tinged with foreign ac-
cent. That was natural enough. for
his life, since his youth. had been pass
ed abroad, and he had only come to
England about a month ago.
II can't tell you: story out of the
beaten track. they say, again. l shall
be able to send you a stall, if you care
to go; you needn't sit it out if you're
too much bored"
N,umot Leslie was already a favor
lite with the men who knew him. In
this tOpsy-turvy world it often hap
pens that the least worthy people are
the most attractive.
Thanks" Leslie answered, Il shall
be very pleased to go. A trial matinee
is something Of a novelty to me, you
know. One doesn't have them abroad y
NO, thank Jheaven" groaned the
his laugh was not mirthful; it would
not strike you that he was a happy
man. Perhaps, like a good many. he
was trying to live down his conscience
Some one suggested cards, and a move
was made to the card-rOOm. There
Leslie proved ''plunger," but he gen
orally won. and q keen observer OF
human nature might have noticed that
there was something fictitious in his
eXcitement-aS if he were keeping NJ
the steam. as it were, to prevent his
elmer SELF asserting itself. AT !
a. m he walked through the growing
dawn to his chambers; but the ghosts
that fitted by his side all the way fol
lowed him in and kept their silen-
watch-ghOst Of evil deeds and mis-
spent hours. There was one ghost tina
came nearer to him than the others an(
looked at him with eyes full of unut
terable pain and sorrow. He covered
his face, but he saw these eyes al
the same: he called himself a fool anf
cursed his nervous moods" but thu
specters never stirred, and the sac
eyes grew sadder-that was all.
"I'n have done with it air. he cried
with reckless laugh. I'm gettin:
sentimental. Pouf! I'll settle accounts
with a siX-shooter if I can't get rid o
these fanoies any other way. It's to-
late to bark back"
The day of the matinee came. Th'
play was called Opal from tn
legend Of that beautiful stone. that i
CLOVIS bright while the love of thu
weaver for the giver burns clear an'
strong and grows dim when love falt
ers and fails. Leslie's stall was in tn
last row, and he knew none of tn
people near him; his acquaintance il
England We're, at present, not many
He looked carelessly over his pro
gramme, and bit his lip for a moment
with quick-drawn breath; his tongu
almost whispered the name Of tn
heroine, Margaret. But the name !
common enough. He listened to tn
chatter Of the people about hinl-nOst
ly professionalism because it ha'
any interest for him, but because b.
hailed anything that took his atten
ton away from rarospection-any
thing that drove the ghost a littl
farther away.
The curtain rose; the play began
Leslie listened at first with the languit
Indifference Of the blase playgoer. By
and by he became interested; he watch
ed and listened intently. He held hi
breath when the hero flung his wifi
from him and went out 1t was thu
close of the act, and the people in from
applauded, all except Wilmot Leslie
He did not stir.
In the second act the interest deep
ened; the man in the stalls with thu
handsome, reckless face was enthral
led The fellow in the play wa
haunted-so was he, WilmOt Leslie
He scarcely heard the applause; h
never lifted a hand-hOw could he
For this was not play-it was real
ity,i Margaret loves her husband
9TH, oil ,ol, I1nfaitI a10l fp