The Portland daily press., 1895-07-22
A FINAL QUESTION.


81 received your letter yesterday" SO
she had written, land it would be affecta
tion of me to say was surprised at the
contents. Lack of observation in this mat
ter has never, I believe, been charged
against our SEX and we women of the stage
are probably quicker to perceive than the
rest 1t will be best, / think, for you to
come and see me. There are one or two
things want to ask you. I shall be at
home all tomorrow afternoon"
When tomorrow afternoon" came she
had given orders that she was out to every
one else, and pulling up her chair to the
fire composed herself to await his coming.
Outside the wind whistled furiously
through the streets; the sky, heavy mass
of dull gray yellow, gave warning of
possible snowstorm to come. But the in
terror of the little drawing room was in
contrast to the boisterous state of things
without. If the one suggested tumult, the
other was tranquility personified. The fire
burned steadily in the tiled CRATE, on the
mat in front gray coated Persian cat doz-
ed peacefully, and the shrek OF the wind
that swept the streets SO furiously outside
was softened by the double windows into
a soothing lullaby.
The woman's own face, as it peeped
forth from amid the mass of cushions that
cradled her head, was well in accord with
her surroundings. OF the emotions that
were surging over her brain, bringing joy
one moment and unrest the next, 1t gave
no sign. It was not for nothing that she
had been six years on the stage.
When at length he was announced, she
rose to greet him with an apparent indif-
ference that was very far from expressing
what she really felt.
Her visitor was a good looking young
man, somewhere between the twenties and
thirties, with intellect stamped firmly on
his forehead and a suspicion of weakness
round his mouth. AS he took the hand she
held out to him he made as if he would
have raised it to his lips and kissed it.
But the woman, perceiving his intention,
drew the hand gently but firmly away.
When he protested, she only smiled and
! pointed to a seat.
"No, no. she said, and there was a
shade of impatience in her tone, "not
that now Afterward' smile played
| round her lips again" perhaps. !"
"But really
IT asked you here to get an answer to
certain questions which it is imperative
should be answered before I can tell you
| whether can marry you
| He half rose from his seat.
@Then you care for me little?" he be-
gan.
81 did not say SO. You should not in
terrupt."
IT am sorry" He sank back into the
| chair again.
"As Twas about to say, there are certain
questions which, before could make up
my mind, it is absolutely necessary should
be answered, and answered satisfactorily.
I believe that you love me-in your own
way-but that may not be enough for me.
must know exactly what that way is. If
marry at all, mean that my marriage
shall make me happy. There are few
| women who never regret their marriage;
| there are thousands who If they under
stood what it was to be like would rather
1 have thrown themselves into the sea than
undergo its indignities. If marry at al,
am going to be one Of the few. Do you
understands
II would do anything-anything in the
world to make you happy"
"That is what I am going to see," she
answered, setting her face hard that he
might not guess her emotion. "And the
first thing have to ask you, and rely on
you to answer honestly, is this: During
the time have been or the stage I have
made not few friends-women, mean,
they are the only possible kind-many OF
whom perhaps are not the sort of people a
husband--the average husband-would
choose his wife to associate with. The
world would sneer, has often sneered. at
their morality; society-your society
would not receive them. 1t they were fa-
nous, it would be otherwise. Fame excuses
everything, even to the world. As it Is,
instead Of fame they have only got notori,
ETY.. I say nothing for what the world
would term the morality of these friends
| possibly there is nothing to be said,
though in any case they are mostly what
the world has made them. l only know
that this one thing apart, they are some Of
the best, the truest the most generous
friends woman could have, and honor
them as such. And even to be your wife
could not give up my friends -
. Your friends are mine, he said sim
ply.
"Despite the worldP warn you it may
be unpleasant
Despite the world"
Eor moment solitary gleam OF emo
ton lightened her grave face.
You are more generous than the ma
jority of your SEX, she said.
"You set me the example, " he answered
She ignored the compliment and went
on still in the same measured tones:
II almost expected you to say that. The
second question may try you more. Iwani
to know if you love me well enough te
contemplate my staying on the stage ever
i If I am your wife. Will you be able tc
share me with the publicP When you come
home from your work at night tired, want
Ing little companionship, worried it may
be, how will you be able to put up with {
long weary evening alone Joined to thu
knowledge that some few hundreds of peo
pie whom you have never seen, whom yor
never want to see are enjoying, across the
footlights, it is true, but still enjoying, th'
society Of the woman who, though they
may not know it, bears your name2 Or
. again, what when have to go into thu
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