Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-12-08
MILE. SYLVIA.

Paul DulcimOre, at the age Of twenty
one, found himself master OF $500 a
year, and no one TO hamper him or be
a burden. lie inherited his money from
MS father, VINO started in life as a
grocer and died a provision merchant
He was uhe former when he had but
one window in has SHOP, and became
the other when he was able to reyel
in a double front. Throughout his bust
ness career his address was always No.
High street, ChiCkbury.
When the old man died-he had
been five years a widower-Jhe bust
ness was sold and his son launched
out as a swell. To do this efeclually
he had to cut all MS old friends, but
! failing to be received by the new friends
he aimed at, ne found himself stranded
on a desolate social shore, without SO
much as a man Friday to comfort him.
There was a theater in Chickbury
which opened just before Christmas
with a pantomime, and generally man
aged, with a string Of dramas, to keep
going until the following March. The
rest Of the year it was systematically
taken by travelling cOnjurers, rising or
! falling society entertainers and tenn
perance reformers.
The select young men Of Chlckbury
paronized the theaJer, affecting the
side portions Of the upper boxes, teen
nically known as the slips.
Paul went occasionally TO the upper
boxes and sat on the verge Of the select,
more lonely in a sense, and feeling
more desolate, than Robinson Crusoe on
his desert island.
Once when he ventured to speak to
one of them-he had been drinking
more excessively than usual-he was
asked. "WhO the dayvle he was? "a
query that cut him off from the select
forever.
Among the limited company on the
stage was a rather pretty woman,
Young and slim of figure. In the open
ing farce she was generally a servant
maid with a black face and the ever
comic dustpan and brush. she could
sing and dance fairly well, and was al
WAYS applauded by the select young
blo0ds in the boxes.
To a man they were in love with her,
hut with all their gentility they were
an impecunious lot, having more 1am-
ily'' than money.
Paul Dulcimore. br0oding over his lot,
conceived a notable scheme OF revenge.
He would WOO and win this peerless
creature. as such women are usually
won. of course. and drive the race OF
naughty nonentities. the sons OF deans
and c9nons. and ecclesiastical solicitors.
90. r,-to+e,-a, they might be. staring mad
with envy and jealousy
Destiny favored him. and one morn
inc he came upon Sylvia as he was
+ol-inq stroll through the lanes.
sylvia sat on o sile. screened by an
old holly. e.ile so rarely used that
grass encroached on the paths leadlhg
thereto and from.
Tie raised his hat with the grace or
mechanical figure slightly wrong IN ehe
works. and expanded his mouth ihlo
smile EXPRESSIVE Of hidden agony.
She raised her eyes and smiled IN re-
snonse. He sat down on a low rail-,
With slight jerk arising from his nav
ING from the chaos Of emotion working
in his breast. m.scalculated the dis
@Tfs fne-mornin'," he gasped.
Sylvia did not deny It.
owe ee-e-e-en YOU at the theatry
or-r-r-rfen.' stammered Paul.
and t have seen you she respond
ed. 81,
She told him that IL was not an ordi-
nary book she was reading She was
e+udving a new part, and showed him
what IL was.
Alter tlat they both talked freely Of
+boir affairs and she learned chat he
w9s rich while he was made acnualnl-
on with the fact that such pay as the
tbo7+or could afford barely KEEP. 1er
b9dv and soul together.
He asked her where she lived ana
che told him. Tn the very poorest quar-
ter Of the town. Paul was deeply NOV
some good fairy aueht to come to
vour aid" he said. with a check-let
MS say-for 1900" -.
Good fairies with checks are scarce, w.
she said, rising.
"T am here every morning when the
weather is fine" she seid, as she trlpp-
ed awav. leaving him with a mind IN a
whirl of thought.
Sylvia was not there next morning.
! He passed q sleepless night and on the
morrow again sought the charmed spo-
o, joy-O, bliss indeed-she was
| there.
II Yves dreaming Of fairies last night,
she said. after some Of the usual chat
ter. 81 suppose what you said to me
The other day led up to it.
well it is in the power q some
peonle to be as good as fairies.
oh. YOU are jesting.
And she vanished like the spirit 81
q beautiful dream.
Thai evening q parcel was delivered
Of the stage door addressed Nile. Syl-
via she received IT i'm due course, and
on onening found notes fer $1,000 a re-
cent for the rent Of two rooms in Queen
/ etraef a thoroughfare Of acknowledged
! reerement and responsibility, and a
short note from your fairy friend. who
win can upon you 10 pay his respects
in two days. BY that time he hopes
Won will he settled in your new and
more worthy abode"
I IT was three days ere Paul ventured
I m call. Meanwhile he had absented
himself from the theatre. He was ad-