New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11
A DAUGHTER OF THESP1S.
RY JOHN d. BARRY.
fco,vr,ost, 1904 By The Tribune -Assoetation)

fCopyrioht: 1904: IN The Tribune EsSoe'nt0")
CHAPTER VI.
Mrs. Leary was small and sixty: but she car
RED herself and her years we'll She walked
with the melancholy dignity of the duchess Oh
romance. and her Jet black hair, when she never
IS triAed with. but arranged with early-cehtury
simplicity, retained its glossy freshness ohe
IVA. not a cherries soul: on the contrary there
was much brightness in her nature. though'
tempered with religion 1t never deteriorateo 10
ievity. But az she paced her stately halls-they
must have once been really stately. though now
they wore a battered dingy and shaIne-laceo
air-she seemed the personification OF the comic
muse m,rnickingthe muse Of tragedy. For Mrs.
Yeary was far from beautiful; her cross-eye
seemed TO throw all her other features out Of
harmony She was at once an amusing ana II
rathetic figure Those at her clearinghouse
wbo beran by laughing at her remained to pity,
finally to love her Mrs. Leary's eminent quail
ties Of heart won recognition from the human
hosts that from one season to another swept
throuph.her chambers She had her woes and she
shared them generously with her boarders: Dut
she threw such glamor over them-her recltais
had SO ntale bitterness in them-that they were
rather generally appreciated: no one had ever
been known to refuse them willing ear MIS-
Learys mind. like her heart. could never go be-
yond the Personal. but her romantic treatment
of the Personal lent 1t dignity and charm The
quality above all sothers in her constitution that
impressed Evelyn most was her complete SUI
perioSty to sleep;oso far as any one knew, she
never slept When, boarder stayed out late at
night even all night, returning steathily at b In
the morning, she was sure to announce 1t and
to make 1t "a divertfng topic OF conversation at
the breakfast table. The fact that this practice
did not ruin her popularity is the best evidence
that could be given Of her sterling worth.
Tonight, Evelyn was not surprised to find the
landlady waiting for her in the little back parlor
on the first floor which she used for a bedroom.
She was saying sher beads; Evelyn had observed
that Mrs Ieary always prayed steadily after 10
o'clock in the evening. Those frivolous persons
among her boarders who'came home occasionally
at 2 or 4-one arrived on.a certain historic morn
ing, made match Of at breakfast, just as the
clock struck and as Ellen splashing
the steps with rwater-averred that the light in
her room burned ALI night. and as they passed
up the stairs they could see her peerng out at
them with beads in hand When Evelyn APP
peared the landlady fell into little tremor Of
excitement She had worshipped Evelyn ever
since she had seen her play at the Harlem Opera
HOUSE; the company had put in a CHASTITY week
of ex - houses there the year before. Since
flat time she had treated Evelyn one who
belonged not TO this earth. but TO a more ethe-
real sphere. The beautiful robes. the blond wig
and angelic virtue of the prosecuted heroine
s Of " S,sntic drama had made an impression upon
w. '.esry that could not wear away She had
1s NJ an actress In her house before. with
the exception of a llght-minded soubrette. who
did not belong tosthe aesthetic world in which
Evelyn moved and was not tosbe classed with
her. and to new boarders she always referred
proudly to Evelyn who occasionally
graced with her presence her'poor house-though
IT was Of 'the best-kep' board'n' houses in
NEWARK" II she did say it.
/ $50 you're back agin, dearie," she cried by
way of welcome, giving Evelyn smack on the
cheek. "An' amt yer all toired out? I've got
boite for yer here. an a cup O. hot tay. Come
in dear!e. come in. an take Off yer wraps"
She dragged Evelyn from the hall into her
room. Some boiling water was on the gas-stove
beside the bed and some crackers and cheese a
bottle of beer and fewsham sandwiches stood
on the table
Now which'll yer have ,dearie-the beer or the
tay? Yer kin have both. IL yer loke. But which
d. yer prefair?'
Tea, please" said Evelyn, sinking YEARLY on
the couch. her long gloves hanging limp from her
bare hands
mot no beer? Not none at ALP"
mo: thanks"
Yer all toired out: that is what ye air. Dear
me. It's hard loife-an acterssus'. It's worrus
thin keepin' board'rs. An did yer have a big
crowd. darlin'?'
NO" said Evelyn, slipping her tea THE
house very poor"
"Oh. phwat shame Such lovely play, too
An phwat's the name OF the place yere been
actin in? Donkers. is it?"
Workers" said Evelyn.
"Yonkers? Faith. that's a quare name. Sounds |
hathenish to me. They must be quare people"
They must be queer people to come to our
show" Evelyn. thought. but she didn't say It, |
She had no wish to destroy any Of Mrs. Leary's |
illusions. She drank the tea and ate a sand
witch and then announced that she was SO tired !
she must go right to bed.
"Ar right. darlin'. It's bed that's the best |
place for yer. As for mesep cu'd get along IL
there wasn't no beds made Sleep and OF |
moight well be married for we're in no way |
related. Good noight. dearie. An will yer find |
yer way up all rolght? Good ioight. It's glad |
yer'll be to get home t'morrer I'm thnkun'. |
Good noight. darlin, good noight."
Evelyn was glad to escape to her own room |
and TO find herself alone at last 1t seemed to |
her age since she had left Yonkers. eternity |
before the beginning OF the nights performance. |
For hours she lay tossing on her bed trying to |
sleep. Many times she went over the events |
OF the evening. rehearsing word for word the |
conversation she had had with Harold Sey-
mour, hearing again and again the remarks he
had made during the progress Of the play She
asked herself IL she had been unjust to him.
No. q thousand times no. He had caused her
the deepest misery a woman could suffer; he had
deserved pity. no forgiveness. Yet In all her
self justification there ran an exutant note-she
should see him again. Her feelings were utterly
Inconsistent yet. even to herself, she would not
acknowledge their Inconsistency She fell asleep
at last from sheer exhaustion and dreamt that
Seymour was going TO Boston the train with
her. there accident and he was killed:
she herself escaped and she his mangled
body lying beside the track amid tho tumble OF