The Republican., 1896-04-30
,HE WENT TO THE OPERA
Frible Experience Her Love of Music
Caused the Parsons Wife.

Pre- WENT TO THE OPERA.
rrible Experience Her Love of Mus,,
Caused the Parsons Wife.
was the parsons fault. A clergy.
an with music-loving wife ought +,
ow better than to go out of town Ia
missionary conference just on the eve
d season of grand opera at home,
rhaps he never thought of il.
drgymen are not subject to the temp.
IL ions which beset the rest of man
K d. Besides, he knew nothing about
n tslc. One tune was like another to
htn, and on the only occasion when lie
Vnt to an orchestra concert he fell
dleep in the middle of the second move
1ent of the symphony and never
FAXED up until the shrieking of the
alkyries smote his ears at the close of
&e programme. So the parson went
5vay with no misgiying. To tell the
tpth, the parsons wife had no pre-
nfnition that she would fall from
gtce. She meant to be good.
ltchanced that several worldly people
cdled on Friday and Saturday. World
lyas they We're, they loved music just
a,much as she aid, and they could talk
o. nothing but the opera. They were
al going. They had boarded up their
mhey and bought their tickets, AMI
h9ven would open Monday night at
e1ht sharp. The parsons wife began
I'd wish that tie opera company would
say uaYay. Then she wished that it
No ditshame--a,fd that her husband WIS
| a doctor or a,lawyer or broker, or any
thing so that she might be justified in
gong. Alas! who is strong to stand
in the hour of temptation? She hal
hardly wished the last wish when her
husbands brother, worldly, amuse-
ment-loviIg fellow, came in. Say"
said he, come to the opera Wednesday
night. Jim's away and all the church
folks will be at prayer meeting, and
robody'll know the difference. Sue
and | are going Monday and Tuesday,
but she saps she doesn't care rap for
this 'A-dea' or Idea or whatever vol
call it, and she said she knew you'd en-
joy it,
"Oh, you know 1 would, Fred, but
would it be right?'
Right? OF course. Come on. It'll
do you good"
But you know James thought he
would be home by Wednesday in time
for prayer meeting"
well, I'll fix that. Look over your
apparel and come along. I'll call for
you at about half-past seven"
The parsons wife had many qualms
during the next few days. She said TO
herself over and over again that there
is nothing wicked in opera. unless it is
the ballet. She hoped there would be
no announcement of a ballet, but there
would be one nevertheless. She wanted
to know what the shocking thing is
like.
She was relieved when she found her
self in the balcony cf the music hall
Wednesday night with not soul any
where about whom she knew. Present
ly two persons brushed past them and
sank into the next seats, and then she
heard a familiar voice cry: "Why,
Sister Goodman! You here!'
for the parsons wife, two of
the stauchest members of the church
were there beside her. There was
nothing for it but to brazen it out.
They were just as culpable as she was.
Yes, I'm here. l just couldn't stay
away," she said. "And you. Why are
you not at church?"
"Well, we couldn'ts stay away, either"
said Brother Baldwin. He saw that
the parsons wife was somewhat i'll at
ease, and when the curtain descended
On the first act he diverted himself at
her expense. Dear me-" said he,
why it looks as though most of the
fathers in Israel were here tonight"
What? What do you mean?" asked
the scandalized parsons wife.
"Why, way over there I see Brother
Siddons, and there's Father Blodgett
down there in box, and"
"Where! where?' cried the parsons
wife clapping her opera glasses to her
eyes. You don't mean to say Father
Blodgett would come to the opera, Of
all things!"
Look out! look out! he's squirting
up here and he'll see you."
The parsons wife involuntarily
ducked. Indeed, the opera was we'll
nigh finished before she was assured
that the venerable churchmen whom
Frother Baldwin had pretended to
point out were not in the audience. AMI
she was glad, for she did not think that
the ballet would have been good t7r
them. When she got home whom
should she find there but the parson
himself, who had arrived by a late
train. Goodness, my dear" said he,
looking at the clock. What an extraor-
dinarily long meeting tonight
"Yes," said she, looking at her hu9-
bands brother in agonizing appeal.
let was long. buffalo Courier.
Delightful laundering.