St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-05-09
BETWEEN THE ACTS.
BY NJ. BLowlTz.

bSch
AiacMahon had received orders t,
cross the frontier, and strike a decide.
blow against the combined armies o
North and South Germany.
i In Paris, as indeed throughout tn,
whole Of France, everyone was in ,
state Of feTerish anxiety; but in the ga,
capital, the Parisians endeavored Il
make the days of suspense pass NOR,
quickly by feting the expected victory
One could hear the blinking Of glasses
| at the outdoor restaurants, the music
| OF the cafes-chantants and the car
riages fled incessantly along the broad
avenue of the Champs EIysees.
The theaters, too, were well patron.
| lied, particularly one on the boulevards
aeertain evening when Mile. Jeanne de
f'olney was to make her debut.
The papers had foretold most bril-
| liant success for the beautiful young
| actress, who was SO mafvelously gifted.
and who would no doubt become the
star of the season. She had chosen for
her debut la Dame aux Came1ias, y
which was at that time in the height of
it's popularity, and the author himself
had said that the role of Marguerite
might have been written for this tai
ehted young actress, SO admirably did
it suit her in every respect. From the
very first act it was quite evident that
her beauty and her talent had not been
orerratcd.
The sight of her even had won all
hearts. A faultless figure, a delicate,
refined face, with lips which were at
ence proud and tender, eyes of deep
blue with the most frank expression, a
perfectly shaped head, and carriage
which would have done honor TO any
queen.
At the sight of this exquisite creature
murmur of appreciation ran through
the house and interrupted, fo4 few
seconds, the dialogue.
At the end of each scene the ovations
increased, and after the second act
there was a perfect explosion of APP
plahse. Among those who were most
delighted at Jeanne's triumph was
young man who belonged to the theater
Belcourt. 1t was through his
influence that she had succeeded in
making her debut, for the manager of
this theater always preferred pupils
from the Conservative.
Louis had known and loved Jeanne
from boyhood, and there was some
thing infinitely noble and touching in
this devoted yet hopeless love. 1t was,
indeed, Of a kind rarely seen in any
man, for it had not blinded him, and he
could see and admire the good quail
ties of his rival-the man to whom
Jeanne had given all her love.
1t had been very romantic, the en-
gagement of the beautiful young ac-
tress. \ short time before, at the Long
champs races, she had been glancing at
the grand stand, where Napoleon III. |
and the ladies' of the court were seated, |
when Suddenly she became aware of |
wo handsome dark eyes fixed upon her. |
She looked away, but, as though fas-
'inated, few minutes later she
glanced again at the place behind the |
,ourt ladies and she saw a military
ooking man, whose face was bronzed |
oy the southern sun, and who had risen
rom his seat and was gazing earnestly
IT her, as though he, too, Were fascinat-
d by some spell.
Not long after, Roger de Morfeuille,
'fficer in the emperors regiment, had
discovered who Jeanne was. 1t was an
engagement; no word OF
he future had been spoken between
hem. Roger knew that he would have
Q leave, for war had been declared,
nd that until the result Of that war
hould be known he could promise moth
ng. The subject Of the future was
ot even broached between them.
eanne knew only that their path in
fe must be together; she felt that it
iust be so, and there was no need fer
Fords. Only when the terrible parting
anne, when Roger had to leave to join
is regiment, he slipped a. ring he al
'ays wore on her finger and took from
ers one for himself, and still no words
ERE spoken as to the future.
After the second act of the Dame aux
amelias," when the curtain had been ,
,wered for the sixth time, and Jeanne
ad for the sixth time answered to the
1thusiastic recalls, she went slowly |
p to her room. She felt overwhelmed;
,rhaps it was the excess of happiness
her good fortune which weighed OH ;
ar like this. Roger knew that it was
le day of her 6ebut; she felt certain
lat, even amid the smoke of the battle ;
I'D, he would not forgetit. She hardly !
lred own it even to herself, but all !
~ she had expected some little souve- {
r from him, some sign or word of |
for was she not, too, fight t
g a battle, one of those battles which
,eided the life of individuals Just as
uch as his did that of nations? On !
'ening her dressing-room door a fash i
mingled triumph, love and pride :
me over her as she caught sight of
legram on her table. a
She closed her door quickly, not mo- j
ing that Louis Belcourt was follow Il
6 her quietly along the corridor.
Suddenly, through the thick doors c
d curtains, IN the silence of the empty i
rridor, Belcourt heard a fearful cry. @
was SC wild and passionate that a
iver ran through him. He opened /,
9 door and was just in time to catch O
anne in his arms. She was livid with a
rror and was elutehing the fatal tele- t
am IN her bands.
Just as he was wondering what TO dc
: the best, Jeanneis pallor gave way
q rush of color faI her checks She y