Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-27
WOMANLY PREROGATIyE.

motive. and has worked satisfactorily for a
distance of twenty-eight miles.
| WOMANLY PREROGATIyE.
How Dorothy Stanton Got n Chance
| to Exercise 1t.
From Black and White
| George Railton. Dorothy Stanton.
| Lord Eastonville
| Scene-A Conservatory
Enter Miss Dorothy Stanton and George
| Railtcn.
| Dorothy-"Ah! this Is better; anything
rather than that frightful crush. Now We
can have a nice friendly chat"
| George-"About the approaching EVENT."
Dorothy-Why do you speak Of that"
| George-"I don't know. Scarcely because
1t is the pleasantest topic can think off,
Dorothy-Weve still to be friends George;
you promised that
George-'Yes. I suppose we will keep up
| some form of acquaintanceship."
| Dorothy-"Friends. you promised: not ac-
| quaintances."
| George-'Synonymous terms in this world
| Of ours. One thing, however, 1 will under
| take to say; our friendship, be 1t what it
! may, will be quite sincere enough to please
| Lord Eastonvilla." "a pause)
Dorothy-"How changeable the weather
| is"
| a
subject Of dissension.'
Dorothy-"What do you mean? I never
| could fathom your epigrammatical phrases
George-'The weather versus your mar
| riage"
| Dorothy-"George. you are simply horrid
| tonight"
George-"Strange. is 1t not, with every
| thing conducting to my happiness?
Dorothy-'1 wish you wouldn't talk in
that way; you make me miserable"
George-'What curious power Of reci-
| procity some natures possess"
Dorothy-"You never used to be like
| this"
| George-"No-one does change: but. you
see. 1t is a failing common to humanity.
Some natures change, some hearts"
Dorothy-''George"
George-"I was only generalizing. tsne
| rises to leave; he catches her handD
Don't go. Dor! suppose 1 may call you
l by the old name until-until after the cere-
| mony? 1 admit / am changed"
Dorothy."And not for the better. fear.
Shaking her head) Why cannot you be
natural-your old self?'
George-"My old self? All! that being is
dead"
Dorothy-"Asieep, not dead If it died, you
would lose all that makes life worth liv-
ing"
George-"I have lost all. all except. one
thing-a woma1s heart"
Dorothy-''W do you mean?"
George-"May tell you fairy tale?"
Dorothy-"A fairy tale?"
George-"Yes! Once upon a time there
| lived beauteous maiden who loved and
was loved by poor man. They plighted
their troth and he Travelled into far coun-
try determined to amass wealth wherewith
to gain her parents consent to their mar
riage. When he had departed, a lordling
rode that way, not a handsome knight hut
one who bore an ancient name, and of gold
had much store He sued for and won this
fair maiden's hand; but my story does not
end as fairy tales should. They did not
live happily ever afterward, for you see
though the lordling won her hand, the poor
man stin held her heart"
Dorothy-"You have no right to say
that"
George-'I suppose not. (Rising) Come
there is music, one more waltz; let US dance
out of each others existence! Good God!
am beginning to understand at last why
Nero fiddled over burning Rome"
Dorothy-"George, have some pity! If you
only knew how I fought against it; but
mother was on his side. and that means
more than can say"
George-"You have told him about-about
me?"
Dorothy-"Yes; he can, at least. never
say that deceived him. Oh, how hate it
ALI"
George-"Yet this is only your probation
In forty-eight hours you will be Joined to
this man for better or for worse. until
death"
Dorotny-"Don't torture me. What can
do?"
George-"Throw him over
Dorothy-'I have given my word
mans prerogative"
Dorothy-'I haven't strength. You don't
know my mother. Position is everything
in her eyes, and l dare not defy her."
George-"Dor, you once said you would
trust me before any one else in the world"
Dorothy-"Yes."
George-"Then prove this
Dorothy-"How?"
George-"Elope with me-
Dorothy-"oh, no, no; I could not do
that"
We will be married by special license, then
cross over to France 1t will be a nine
days wonder; but that will die down, and
we can live quietly abroad"
Dorothy-"I must not listen to YOU
George-"Stay. remember you hold the
happiness of three lives in your hands
yours, his and mine. All three will be
wrecked If this marriage is allowed to pro-
&C ed"
Dorothy-'If I were man. might do it.
but am only weak woman oh, don't
tempt me-
George-"Mcet me tomorrow at o'clock
just within the Green Park gates at Hyde
Park corner
Dorothy-"It is useless; dare not"
George-"In forty-eight hours it will be
too late. Then it will be cannot instead
Of dare not -
Dorothy-"Yes, but"
George-'"There is nc time to argue; some
one is coming. Promise you will be there"
Dorothy-'No, 1 must not promise. 1 will
not co.
George-"You will change your mind"
Dorothy-"No, no.
George-"You will docking at his watch)
Twenty minutes past II. I shall wait here
until IL o'clock for your answer"
ENTER Lord Eastonville.)
Lord Eastonville-"Oh, You are here, Do
rothy. I've been locking all over for you.
How do, Failton? Beastly crowd, isn't it
I've just been dancing waltz; makes a fell
low beastly hot, doesn't it?"
George (abstractedly)-"Eh I beg your
pardon? Oh, yes, beaSt1y.'
Lord observation-disclosures along, Dolly,
I'll take you down to supper; that's done
well; beastly good job they do something
well. Ia, ia, Railton.'
(Exeunt Lord Eastonville and Miss Stain
ton. Half an hour later enter Lord Eas-
tonviIle)
Lord stonyille-"Holloa, Railton. still
here? Miss Stanton has lost glove, says
she thinks she dropped It here, and oh! by
the way, she sent message to you. And
silly enough message it is. She said had
to tell you that she had decided 70 exercise
a womans prerogative."
BY the flooding of Komatsu coal NINE in
Yugeta, Japan, forty-seven miners Were
drowned.