Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-01-10
IN A PRIVATE BOX.

1 UrSb mbO UDb Ilul III d ldIRO l1uhip
cafo. indeed up to the time of the occur
romeo l am about to relate l had never
been in his company elsewhere. He used
to play chess thure, and so did |, and our
acquaintance had been confined to chats
across tho checkered board. | was an en-
thusiast at the game, while he, though a
mitch stronger player, seemed to use chess
~ u solace for some trouble, or to divert
his mind from unpleasant thoughts. OF
this | was convinced.
Many months passed before 1 even knew
his name, which l at last discovered to be-
francesca Astarita. He was Il decidedly
good looking Italian, about 30 years of
age, but his feat urcs already bore lines of
care or affection, | could never tell which.
/ always found him very variable in man
ner. Sometimes he would be almost affa-
BILE, at others silent and morose, but there
was always "a dash of melancholy in his
conversation.
w met only at night, and l gathered
that he held some mercantile appointments
in the city. He spoke almost perfect Eng
fish.
will you have a game?' 1 said ono
evening as | took a sent opposite to him Mt
one of the marble tuppoitablcs. Il should
like to try that variation in the Ruy Lopez
again"
"No, thank you, - he replied grutIly. II
ain just going"
"You are not feeling unwell, l hopey'
He certainly looked very pale and care
worn, hut he gavo no answer. y sickly
smile, half sncer, stole over his face,
A few minutes later he rose, Iut on his
hat and with "a curt "Good night strobe
toward the door. Then he suddenly stop
ped, came back and said:
81 am going to the Jollity, Do you care
to come? L have taken "A private box
quite alone"
Music halls, even when called theatcrs
of varieties, were not much To my taste,
but I was disappointed of my chess, for
there was no other person present with
whom | cared to play, and, at any rate, l
could come away from the JOllity when
W., tired.
80 l accepted his invitation, and we
strullcd along the street together. He was
unusually silent, and as | failed in several
attempts to get him into conversation | at
length fell back on my thoughts.
What could induce II man of his tenn
permanent to go to IA music hall, especially
in such IA particularly unsociable mood?
Gould it he possible that the entertainment
would take his mind off his troubles?
That he had troubles, and serious ones, |
could not for IL moment doubt. But what
most astOnishCd me was to find him in
dulgin1 in the luxury Of Il private box, for
! was sure that he was IA man of slender
means. The ticket might have been given
to him, but he had distinctly said that Ao
had "takon it,, which meant "hircd it. -
The bright and brilliantly decorated
house was already crowded in many parts
when we took our seats, and the entertain
mcnt had begun. A girl in an idoalizcd
male attire was singing IA song with IL rol-
licking chorus, and youths were grinning
with enjoyment at the anne old jokes that
their fathers and grandfathers had relishcd
in days gone by.
Astarita looked horribly bored. He sat
at the back of the box in silence. Sud
denly he pulled his chair nearer to mine
and became communicative
"YOu can't understand me, he said.
"You think ! am not happy. Well, | an
not. And do you suppose this programme
is likely to cheer meY Come back out OF
that noise. l will tell you IL story-a tru,
story-a page out of my own life
The audience was applauding, and
moved my chair into the interior Of the
box.
my father was an Italian
$50 l should judge by your NAME"
interrupted.
1tSi DuJ H0 ul6u WHCn L WAS NtrO
young, n my mother was English. My
home was at Naples. When l was a lad
went into the office of a large firm o
fruit merchants there. | stuck hard ut III,
work for some years and was doing very
well. Then | met the only woman | eve
loved-I must nave been about 25-ant
tho only woman | believed to be worthy o
my devotion. All, those were happy daysl'
Astarita paused in his story and seemei
10 DO dwelling on memories of the past.
"What was l saying?" he sudd My be
gan again. ''Ah, yes, l remember. Angel
knew of my love and returned it. Their
was not a shadow on our path-until NJ
English %scoundrel. called Herbert Ross
appeared ON the scene. | never knew whu
brought him to Naples, but he came, an
while there, in an evil hour, met horn
sweet Angola.
"That man, sir, had what the worl
calls IA winning manner He could tai
well, played the violin and was an amateur
c%onjurer and v~entriloquist. The worl
loves "a mOuntebank, and there were plent
of fools in Naples ready to welcome him a
a guest. The villain fascinated my Angel
-instilled into her IA desire to go on til
stage. He had influence with actors an
managers everywhere, and, AS her parent
were dead, and she was living wit
friends, he had no difficulty in getting he
an engagement.
"She was mad. But l saw through h
scheme. He wanted to get her away froI
me and persuade her to marry him. Ye
he succeeded. Two years later she was h
wife-his wife-and lost to me forever. "
The orchestra was playing loudly, and
drew my char farther back.
"Can you not guess that it broke III
heart? | could not stay in Naples. / can
To London. only once since her marriai
have / seen Angela. l met her in Pioc
dilly one day last August. We walked
Che Green park. 1t was the happiest hour
nave known since the old time in Naples
AT first she declared that she was hn
by, but do you not think l could read h
faca1 L Lnld her [ did not halieva her. 81