Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-11-29

ssu....
There was ring, and the servant an
nounced 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. Il
have come to offer you a position in my
company If we can come to satisfactory
terms and If you care to accept, " he said
She was bewildered. sit is SO sudden,
she stammered.
''Take until tomorrow to think it over, =
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-
ny. 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 1 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
more amazed to learn that for the past
month l have been a member of IS
| company
Il am sure you will be delighted to
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 it. / am quite infatuated
with it myself Always your devoted Ger
trude.
"P. ST. am off to the theater now, SO
pardon brevity. G."
! Mr.. Bright received this letter one
morning on his arrival at the theater.
That afternoon found him in sleeper
bound east; the next afternoon in his
wife's apartment. She was glad to see
him, but deaf to his entreaties to give up
what he termed her disgraceful project
.Think of your child, madamP' he final
| ly roared
''She is your child as well as mine, sir.
| Certainly if the theatrical profession is
good enough for her father it is quite
good enough for her mother.
They ate their dinner in silence She
was absorbed in reading an evening paper
and he in watching her. She was dressed
In ''chio'' and becoming style, and he
/
inp before tAt least she was his, wife ~
with ! Glad feeling ~ nossession A snasm
| coy,tyactal Nc beart stOn tba stage what
i temntations yvonld beset berp' with i
| fierce resolve he thought, 81 must get her
off at any price"
II am going to the theater now" she
remarked.
| 1T is rather early for you to go.''
II suppose you want to see the perform
ance, to say nothing of seeing me act. y
4 There was a twinkle in her eve and a
touch OF compassion. for she OWNED what
i he felt.
| stI will 90 with yor1'' he answered
| Qrumpily.
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 he entered
/ the tbeater and olared at the nrooramme
/ al he read his wife,s name.
The orchestra STONED. and the curtain
went up. tt was a charming play. beau
tifulIv mounted and well acted. The open-
inc At took nlace IN q Garden SCENE Mrs
Rr;obt entered dressed in a costume IF
whife and . Largo white hat She said
| little bnt was nerfeotiv at ease on the
rta oe Tho mora M Rriobt realized this
tbe more annrehensive he became
Tba Nav Y,roorassad The naxt scana
was bailrnom In II Mrs Rriobt was
si,n,ly radiant Sba had heen almost
nrndisb in the old davs but now her bean
tif,,l shoulders were eTnosed ~ Az, ertent
i rvbicb ber bnsband denounced u v,,loarIv
| ,ndecent 4 hetrothal between the hand
some leading man and Mrs, Rright was
scaled With q kiss
This was too ,n,cb Haartsick ba
locked a. bis v;fa n tbe arms II tbe lead
ine, man sharelasslv nestIino, herss head IN
his sbonlder with a movement he had
seem her make a thousand times.
He rushed ont If tbe tbeater and hack
n the stape door, where be awaited the
aYrearance If Mrs FRIGHT
Several davs nassed and Mr. Bright
made no move Ia retur,, To the Gaietv
comnanv AZ the end: Of a week he re
i ceived = telegram from the manager Of
the COMPANY stating that unless he re-
turned at once they must get some one
else.
That decided him. and with the telegram
in his hand he confronted his wife. s9Ger-
trude, do you intend to keep this upS'' he