Connecticut western news., 1895-10-03
CANAAN CONN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1895.

| box tonight, Miss Linthrop. You must have been looking at some other box" Mrs. Waldo laughed. My young friend has been dreaming, Mir. Ven ming"
 I scorned the imputation, but they would not believe me, and they were still laughing when the door opened and old Lord Saintsbury peeped in. "Very merry here.'' "My friend Miss Linthrop declares | that she has seen lady with primulas l in her hair-such a terrible decoration seated in Baron Kurz's box this even | ing," said Mrs. Waldo in her loud, clear, penetrating voice, that carried | farther than any voice have ever heard. I noticed a shade fit across Lord Saintsbury's face. He turned his head sharply and glanced back. Then, step- ping quickly into the box, he shut the door behind him.
 ."Why so mysterious?" asked Mrs. Waldo, smiling.
 "Kurz was just behind me. He must have heard what you said. :" And the old gentleman looked genuinely distressed.
 "But why not? We were only laugh ing at my young friend here Are you going, MT. Venning?"
 began to be afraid that had made a goose of myself. And Lord Saintsbury was looking SO solemn. Perhaps that was because he was in the ministry.
 "Mrs Waldo" he began, as soon as Mir. Venning had disappeared, "don't repeat that little story about-the-the lady with the primulas. It. My dear Lord Saintsbury, why mayn't I? I love little anecdote, and this is such thrilling one. '" ''But you would not like to cause pain, am sure"
 "And you think Miss Linthrop so very thin skinned that she cannot take lit tie chaff?''
 "It is not on her account that am speaking. You may or may not have Kurz's first wife. No? We'll, she was not. His first wife was a girl of the peo- ple-some said a nursemaid, some Q peasant. Itreally doesn It signify which. At all events, she was neither lady by birth nor person of education. After a time he grew tired of her. His father died, and he came into money. He be- gan to go in for society. He met Miss Charcote One night-it was at the Grand Opera in Paris-she was seated for some time in Lady Jane Charcote's s box. His wife was alone in the loge op- posite. What she saw or thought don t know, but when he returned to her she complained of feeling very tired, and he suggested that they should go home. She tainted on the staircase and was carried into their brougham. That same night she died. It was very sudden and rather mysterious.
 "Good gracious! Did any one suspect the baron of having poisoned his wife?"
 "Not that I know of. But they did say that his neglect had broken her heart. But to come to the point of my story. The first baroness Kurz-Rosine was fair, blue eyed woman, with a passion for primnlas. In Paris, where she had no acquaintances and was only known by sight, and by many people was not supposed to be Kurz's wife, she always went by the name of the lady with the primulas. That is why was startled and upset by what you told me That was why was distressed that the flower should have been mentioned in Kurz's hearing-for hear I am sure he did"
 It was my turn to feel distressed- distressed, but at the same time vividly interested. was just going to ask Lord Saintsbufy whether he had ever known Rosine personally, when MT. Venning reappeared, and at the same moment noticed that while we had been discuss ing the first Baroness Kurz her successor had disappeared from the opposite box had left the house probably, thought, bored by the dullness of act 1. ''Such an awful thing has happened !" MT. Venning's face was pale, and his voice sounded low and hoarse "Kurz has fallen down dead, just outside the omnibus box.'
 Good gracious, how dreadful But very likely he has only fainted. !" MT. Venning shook his head. "Cleve- land met him looking ghastly-you know he does sometimes. And he asked him. Are you i'll, Kurz?' And the oth- CT just stared at him and muttered True, true! She has come for me, and l fell back dead.
 started to my feet "Mrs Waldo. l must go home. Please let me- Don't you come, butt
 My dear child" and her voice sounded shade harder and louder than usual, "don't make a scene, please. ''
 Our visitors had vanished at the bare
 mention of such possibility, ever
 dreaded and held in abhorrence by the
 sterner sex.
 ''But cannot stay. Didn't you hear
 He is dead. "
 Mrs. Waldo stared at me with a look
 of derision on her handsome stony face.
 But you did not know him. It is not
 customary for young ladies to make scenes over the death of man they
 never knew. Such things are not done. ''
 'Ah, but you don It understand. Isaw
 her"
 "Her? Whom?''
 '"The lady with the primulas-his
 first wife. She came to fetch him. He
 said so-you heard"
 My dear child, what nonsense You
 were dreaming, of course. Hush We
 must not talk any more now. We must
 listen"
 And the curtain rose upon act D.
 St. James Budget.