Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-01
A PROMISE.
. [Copyright, l895.l

The door was softly opened and the trim quadroon maid moved noiselessly over the velvet carpet and brushed aside the silk hangings of the bed.
 "Bring my coffee, Celeste, :" said a sweet, mpes iouS voice.
 Celeste withdrew as 1loisclcssly as she had come. Presently shr returned, bring ing tho dainty Dresde' cup and saucer, the silver coffee pot an pile of letters.
 Meantime Celestee young lady had shaken up the lace flilled pillows and raised herself lazily upon t.,em. It was beautiful, wiilful face that lay against the pillows-a face that looked out nightly over tho footlights and disturbed many a masculine heart among the great audi enccs that floCkcd to see it; faco which had strewn wreck and devastation wher- ever its owner had turned it.
 It looked now with languid curiosity at the pilo of letters. Miss TriXy Trcmolo queen of comic opera, had a larger corre- spOndcnco this morning than ever. She glanced at the various superscriptions and crestS. One bearing the lCttcrhcad of the Union club she examined with becoming reverence Another addressed in a boyish hand she flung aside with contcmptuous laugh.
 But among all these thick letters with their smart seals and bold, masculine chi rography lay cheap yellow envelope, ad- dressed in an illiterate hand. The singer took it up, and as the postmark caught her eye gavo . start, and a sudden pallor swept over her rosy face She tore it open and read:
 DEAR MIss-Accordin to instructions have sodded the grave in fust rate shape set out the flowers. The tombstun came yistiddy an shall set it up right away. Awaitin cnny further orders am yrs trooly,
 NATE PAISLEY.
 "It must look better now," she mur- mured, with the flowers and the green sod, and then when tho marble cross is up -ah, yes, much better! Let me sec! I will go up therc when the seasons over. No then there arc the races Well, at all events after that. Tho races-he never liked me to play the races"-
 For an hour or so she lay very still, her face pressed deep in tho pillows. Then suddenly starting up she called Celeste with great animation and bade her dress her.
 Her smart littlo cart and handsomely groomed bay mare were brought to her door and Miss Tremolo started for her daily morning drive in Central park, an exercise she enjoyed She liked to note tho attention she attracted, tho little starts and nudges people gave when they saw her. She know, as well as though she heard them, that they were saying: "Quick! Look! There's Trixy Tremolo!' Once when n gorgeous trap rattlcd by her and an irrcproachably gotten up swell who sat handling the rcins by tho sido of a beautiful woman turned his head studi- ously away from her, Miss Trcmolo smiled roguishly. She had seen his handwriting that morning on an envelope bearing the Union club letterhead.
 %IuC hXrC back and one turned and looked at her with audaciOus earneStnCss, did tho wom- an s face grow rcbclliouS and hard. In cv- { cry way had this man, sportsman, politi- elan, social magnatc tried to make her ac- 1 quaintancc. Tho singer had consistently refused to know him.
 This knowledge was not pleasant to a man who had been accustomed to having | his own way. He was determined to know this girl with the handsome, mutinous | face who always looked at him so coldly and contcmptuously whenever they met. Just after Miss Trcmolo had returned | from her drive, note was brought her | from a woman of certain social prctcn- 1 sions; a woman who much affected tho ac- | quaintancc of professional people. The | note informed the singer hat she had made an engagement for dinner on board MT. l Manhattans yacht; that dear TriN must not fail to come, as lovely people had been l invited to meet Tor and a great timo was anticipated.
 | Miss TrcnfOlo was very angry when she read this note and immediately dispatched 1 an answer to the effect that under no cir cumstanccs would she dine with MT. Man haitian, on his yacht or elsewhere. | Within the hour came the friend, whim- | pering, alarmed, almost in mysteries. My dear, consider He has gone to the great | est possible expcnsc-yacht decorated with | violcts-such wincs-such n dinner-somC | of the most charming men in town. There is no harm. am your chaperon, and my 1 husband is with us''-
 "I shall not go,' interrupted tho girl coldly.
 "But-why-why?"
 "Bccausc onco promised a friend never to know that man" said Miss Trcmoln, iI dull voice.
 My dear, how absurd! Cannot you sco your friend ard cXpl"in?''
 "No," said the singer with aqurrr littlt half sob, ''no, l cnrnut sec my friend"
 That night while Mir. Manhattan. friends drank his champagne and chatrcC { their host on tho nonappcarancc of Trixy Tromolo, whose presence had been posi- lively promised, the girl was flying north ! ward fast as steam could carry her. AnC | about sunrise next morning, just as tn, last rcvclcr was leaving Manhattan | yacht, tho gate to q drcary little graveyard on tho slope of a New England hill was pushed open and Trixy Trcmolo, daring | audacious, brilliant comic opera queen | hurried through to tho rcmotcSt corner O tho burial place. Shc paused by grave newly soddcd and over which primrose! and hyncinths were lowing and noddinl in the sweet, cool, spring air.
 "Can you hear me, dcar?' she whispered as the tears fell over her pretty face, iron which tho scornful, worldly look had faded leaving only an expression of sweet wom anliness. "Can you hear? Bad as am, have kept my promise to you"
 EDITH SESSIONS TUPPER.
 Nat Goodwin's Nerve. l Nat Goodwin had two rehearsals of Si Lucius O Trigger for the recent production of "The Rivals"
 Joseph Jefferson was watching every thing very closely, and at the conclusion of tho second rol!rarsal said to Goodwin:
 "Wouldn't you li:.o to try that last scon ovor again?"
 "Why, do you t,.ink you need 1t, Mr Jcfferson?' Inquired Nat.
 cHscKEns AND CHESS.
 Checker Problem No ses-By D. Robertson
 Black-2, IS (kingl. 2l.
 I J) 9 zl 1