The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-01-04
IN A PRIVATE BOX.


first met tho man in largo London
oafc. Indeed up to tho time of tho OCCUR
renco am about to relate L had never
boon in his company elsewhere He used
to play chess thore, and so did /, and our
acquaintance had been confined to chats
across tho ohockorod board was IN en-
thusiast at tho game, while he, though
much stronger player, seemed to uso chess
as solaco for some trouble, or to divert
his mind from unpleasant thoughts. or
this was convinced.
Many months passed before oven knew
his name, which at last discovered to be
Francesca Astarita. He was n decidedly
good looking Italian, about 80 years of
ago, but his features already boro lines of
caro- or affection, 1 could never tell which,
always found him very variable in man
nor. Sometimes he would DO almost affa-
bio, at others silent and mOrose, but there
was always q dash of melancholy in his
conversation.
We met only ut night, and I gathered
that no hold somo mercantile appointment
in the city. Ho spoke almost perfect Eng
lish
"Wiil you have q gamoP" said one
evening as 1 took u scat opposite to him mt
one of tho marble topped tables. 81 should
like to try that variation in tho Ruy Lopez
again..
mo, thank you," ho replied gruf1ly. CT
nm just going"
You arc not feeling unwell, hope?'
Ho certainly looked very palo and care
worn, but he gavo no answer. A siclly
smilc, half sncer, stole over his faco.
A few minutes later no rose, put on his
hat and with curt Good night strobe
toward tho door. Then no suddenly stop
ped, came back and said:
II am going to tho Jollity. Do you care
to come? l have taken n private box
quito alone
Music halls, even when called thcatcrs
of varieties, wcro not much to my taste,
but was disappointed of my chess, for
there was no othor person present with
whom L cared to play, and, at any rate L
could come away from tho Jollity when l
was tired.
So 1 accepted his invitation, and we
strollcd along tho street together. He was
unusually silent, and as failed in several
attempts to got him into conversation L Mt
length fell back on my thoughts.
What could induce q man of his tom
permanent to 60 to u music hall, especially
In such particularly unsociablo moody
Could it bopossible that tho entertainments
would take his mind off his troublesP
That he had troubles, and serious ones, I
could not for u moment doubt. But what
most nstonishcd mo was to find him in
dulging In tho luxury of n private box, for
L was sure that he was man Of slender
means. Tho ticket might have been given
to him. but he had distinctly said that he
had taken ii" which meant "hirod it"
Tho bright and brilliantly decorated
house was already crowded in many parts
whom we took our seats, and tho entertain
mont had begun. A girl in an localized
male attire was singing u song with a roll
licking chorus, and youths wero grinning
with enjoyment at tho same old jokes that
their fathers and grandfathers had rclishcd
in days gone by.
Astarita looked horribly bored. He sat
ut the back of tho box in silence. Sud
donly he pulled his chair nearer to mino
and became communicative.
You can't understand me, no said
You think am not happy. We'll, 1 am
not And do you suppose this programme
is likely to cheer mo? Como back out of
that noise will tell you n story-a true
story-a page out of my own lifc.''
Tho audience was applauding, and
moved my chair into the interior of the
box.
my father was an Italian
So / should judge by your namo,"
interrupted
"Yos, but he died when I was very
young, and my mothor was English My
homo was ut Naples. When was n lad,
went into tho Office of u largo firm of
fruit merchants there. stuck hard mt my
work for somo years and was doing very
we'll. Then met tho only woman L evor
lovcd--I must have been about 25-and
tho only woman l believed to bo worthy of
my devotion. All, those were happy days |"
Astarita paused i'll his story and seemed
to DO dwelling on memories of the past.
What was / saying?'' he suddenly be-
gan again. "Ah, yes. remember Angela
knew of my lovo and returned it. There
was not n shadow on our path-until an
English scoundrcl, called Herbert Ross,
appeared on tho scene. l never know what
brought him to Naples, but he came, md
while there, III an evil hour, met henry
sweet Angela
That man, sir had what tho world
calls winning manner. He could talk
well, played tho violin and was an amateur
conjuror and vcntriloquist. Tho world
loves mountcbank, and thcrewcrc plenty
of fools in Naples ready to welcome him rs
guest. Tho villain fascinated my Angela
-instilcd into her n desire to go on tho
stage. llo had influence with actors and
managers everywhere, and, as hcr parents
were dead, and she was living with
friends, ho had no difficulty in getting her
al engagement
She WAS mad. But saw through his
scheme. He wanted IN ont h"r n'""'- rro'''