The Penn's Grove record., 1895-08-30
thrustIng himself into the path of dan

l OhG VI WV N"t NNltllE INNIN.
To his great chagrin she sent him no
reply. At last, in desperate he pro.
cured an Introduction to the manager
of the ", and besought that gentle.
mans aid In his foolish and culpable
project
"Just So" said the manager, rattle.
oddly. "Well, Mr.. Percival, l will con.
municate your wish to the young lady,
and will then let you know her reply.
[ cannot hold out hopes that it will he
favorable; for a number of other gen
tlemen have desired introduction to her,
and have all been refused. You see,
she is a simple, modest girl, who is
merely using her talent to suppo her
family, and has no desire for a circle
Of male admirers. However. as ! said
[ will tell her that you wish to be intro
iuced."
The following night, when he ought
to have been In his place in the
house, listening to the ministerial lead
er's statement, he was lowering neal
the stage door of the X. He had made
up his mind to follow his goddess home
and so find out her private address.
Perclval had a cab waiting for hin
at the corner. He noticed another Dab
drawn up opposite the stage door. He
strolled up and ~accosted the driver.
you're a lucky man to have such a
charming fare" said PercIval, a
'essly.
100 said l 'ad a charmin' fare?" re.
torted the man, suspiciously. Then he
added: "If that's your sort, young fel.
Ter, you may ave yourself the trouble
/, of dom the civil to me. For she's
thoroughly good young CONAN, l car
tell yer, and won't stand no follower,
collin around-not shew
Percival affected to laugh, and stroll
ed away. In a few minutes he saw the
girl hurry out and get into her cab
Then he jumped into his own-haying
instructed the driver to follow the 9th.
er vehicle and keep it carefully in sight.
His heart was beating fast He was in
an almost uncomfortable excitement
Yet he felt ashamed of himself at the
same time. To p%ersecute a virtuous
and modest girl with unweIcome atten-
tion was shabby conduct in any one
especially in a married man. And Per
cival was conscious that he was com
hitting a contemplate action. Yet.
somehow, he could not help it. His rid,
lculous in%fatuation had bound him hanf
md foot.
When they had driven about a mile
his cab stopped. The NJ. p. got out.
He saw the young lady alighting from
her cab about 100 yards ahead. She
turned and walked rapidly away. With
a beating heart and trembling steps he
followed her, keeping an interval of
seventy or eighty yards between them.
She had not alighted at her w door.
out at the end of a street of private
houses, down which she was now walk
ing. Percival realized with a certain
thrill Of uneasiness that 1t was p
street, the street In which his own
house was situated. But something
worse was In store. The young lady
stopped, appeared to be carefully scru-
tinizing the numbers; then, after some
evident hesitation, she walked straight
up to the door of Percival's house and
rang the bell. A minute later she was
admitted.
All at once the truth flashed upon the
unhappy NJ. P. There could, of course,
be no doubt upon the subject. This
young lady, annoyed and frightened by
his persistent attentions, and seeing
that silent disdain had no effect in
stopping them, had taken the ready and
effective method of reporting him to his
wifei
Perclval leaned against some iron
ratings, near which he stood, and wip-
ed his clammy forehead with his hand
kerchief. His dismay was altogether
beyond words. If he had been on bad
terms with his wlfe-if love, on either
side, had ceased between them-if she
had not been perfectly fond and trust
Ing toward him, he could have stood
the thing better. But as 1t was he felt
like a man who has suddenly received
aNknock-down blow. His knees were
trembling violently; n sense of sickness
OF faintness stole over him; in the face
or this fearful exposure his infatuation
for the danseuse seemed to die; for the
hrst time he realized what an abject
idiot he had been.
1t was a long time before he could
make up his mind how to act. He pa
trolled the street for more than half an
hgour before he had decided, and a bad
a hour he found It Then he took a
sudden resolution. He would go in and
make a clean breast Of the whole affair
to his wife. That, after all, was the
most honest, and probably the most pru'
lent course. She might or she might
not believe him. but he would tell her
III the truth. express his sincere pcni
tence and throw himself upon her WON
tnly mercy.
Hc nerved himself to the effort, IL
vent In. He entered the drawing room
dis wife was now alone. She looked NJ
al MIN with a cold. altered expression,
ina made him vince. But he p~ersever.
ID. He spoke. He told her all, She
averted her face, and heard his con
ession TO the end In ominous silence.
Aud SO, Jim, my makeup, my golden
Wig, and my whlriing d~rapetes-to say
nothing of the shifting lights and shad
ows thrown upon ona, baficd even your
penetration, eh, sirf"
Jln was staring at his pretty wife,
who had now risen and stood before
aim. smiling archly. In evident enjoy
ment of his obvious relief and astonish
ment.
And you fell in love with my make
1p. For that is what 1t comes to
doesn't it. Jim?"
by Jove" he exclaimed with empha
Sis, that explains 1t. 1t was your eyes
MAJ did 1t, little girl. They drew me 10
the theater night after night to worship
you. l could not resist their spell
could not explain it to myself. Yet l
Ieit there was something half familiar
their magnetic influence upon me.
TO think I never guessed. By Jovel /