The morning news., 1894-05-10
SEEN ACROSS THE WAY.
The Tragedy Enacted in a Hotel and
It's One Witness.


Scene That Was Enacted Before Her
Very Eyes.
From the Philadelphia Times.
had scarcely been settled more than n
week in my new home than l began to
take most lively interest in the hotel
opposite. Having lived where my views
of life had been limited by back street
and stable, the sudden plunge into an
existence absolutely teeming with every
phase Of human emotion, so to speak, my
home being on one of the city's busiest
thoroughfares, felt and acted like a per
son who had been shut up in prison for
years and is suddenly liberated into the
great glowing swathe Of Gods sunshine.
To sit by my window and watch the
world as it went by in cars, carriages, or
'busses, on foot or bicycle, was to me Il
constant delight, therefore it is not to be
wondered at that the lace-draped win
dows of the hotel across the way soon
began TO engrOss my attention, appearing
as they did like the frames of living
pictures which /, the connoisseur, could
at leisure contemplate Many a scene
ga2ed upon from my own darkened re-
treat, and sorrow and Joy mingled
were such poor protection from nv curl
Gus gaze
One day as / sat trying to read Lambs
Tales From Shakespeare, - with, it must
be confessed, very little success, as | was
continually gazing out upon the street,
saw cab dash up to the hotel opposite
Out rushed the porters, and two neatly
bound trunks were lifted down and car
ried into the hallway. The colored man
in iy,h u
bearing that he was an old-time and
trusted attache of the place, bowed low
as he opened the door, the two new
comers alighted. Bride and groomn
said TO myself. II was stamped on his
demeanor and her clothes. ObseQuious
devotion and an eXquisltely fitting tailor
gown could only mean a newly welded
pair, and with my eyes glued to the pane
| watched every movement, for there
is nothing that so interests the
outside world as the doings of honey
moon couple anxious to escape observa-
tion. How beautiful she was A will
lowy figure, 1.-the and youthful; a proud
little head poised in naughty pride on
lovely sloping shoulders; a wealth of gol-
den hair and foot-such dainty thing
in high-heeled patent leather tie that
saw but tleetingly as she sprang lightly
TO the sidewalk. He was handsome, too.
~
tired very correctly, and showing in every
action that he considered the woman
beside him the loveliest, most adorable
creature in the whole wide world. A
minute only elapsed before they disap-
peared from view, and | went back TO my
reading wondering why it looked so dun
and gray out of doors despite the shining
of the April sun.
Not being able to fix my thoughts very
Il.
gazing once more over at the building op-
posite, and my heart gave a great bound
as | saw the curtain parted in the room
directly across from mine and two figures
| looking out upon the hurrying procession
of vehicles and pedestrians. 1 at once re-
conized the couple as my bride and groom.
| How fortunate, Thought. Maybe they
| will come to the window often. Per-
| haps he will kiss her-at any rate, | may
see him put his arm around her. Blissfui
vision Here was in a box seat, on a
| free past, to witness the most en-
| trancing performance of Romeo and
Juliet" ever seen on or off the stage.
| They only stood by the window an instant,
and. not ten minutes later | saw the
groom come out, jump into hanson and
drive away. Business, " thought, "but
why should a newlymarried man have
any business his wife was not permitted
to take an active interest inl" Little by
little, as the hours went by, and the
groom did not return, l began to hate
him and wish with all my soul that /
dared to cross over and comfort that poor,
pretty young thing, who by this time was
undoubtedly burning her lovely eyes with
tears of anguish and regret.
So worked up did | become over that
couple that my own dinner had no perma-
nent attraction for me. Soup plate in
hand, hastily slipped my consomme in
full view of that window opposite. Sub
stantials that could not be eaten from my
fingers were passed by as beneath my
notice, and when the patience of my hus-
band was finally exhausted and he was
giving out dark, dire hints relative to
paresls and a residence in some nice,
cozy asylum, l condescended to
tell him why was so excited, whereat
he told me / was positively the silliest
person he ever heard Of, that the people
across the way knew their own business,
and that If the man had beaten his wife
/ had no right to iuterfere-it was his
wife, and he could whip her if he wanted
to. This sentiment, it is needless TO say,
did not tend to soothe me, there being
something entirely too personal in the
flavor Of the remarks; therefore, | made
up my mind TO say no more about what l
saw, but TO keep up my watch no less
persistently.
About o'clock my husband went out.
/ at once turned down the gas and snug
gled into great easy chair by the window
TO keep an eye on the room in which that
poor bride was crying her heart out.
Yes, there she was. | could see quite
plainly into the brilliantly lighted room,
and / noted at once that she was alone.
Alone and in trouble, for she was wiring
ing her hands and walking up and down.
and by the aid of my opera glasses, which
/ had pressed into service, saw that
she was talking to herself. poor girl
on her wedding journey, too. The man is
monster. All men are monsters, -
1 whispered, as / thought of the
cold, unfeeling sentiments expressed
by my better half. In minnie /
saw that she was making prepara-
tions to 20 out. "Good girl-brave little
wife, l said aloud in my darkened apart
ment, II admire your spirit" and, meta
phorically, shook hands with her and
gave her an approving pat on the back.
''If all wives were to do as she is about 10
it would put an end to this unnecessary
gallivanting. If he goes outlet her go
out, too and threw kisses to the pretty
creature who moment before | had com
misSerated so deeply. A lowered light
told me that she was quite ready 70 leave,
and, when sufficient time had elapsed for
the descent from second floor 10 lower
hallway 1 saw my pretty wife give or
I ders to a waiting cabman, then step in
side and drive on rapidly.
! must have fallen into doze after this
first exciting act in the domestic drama