The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-01-10

| had never seen before, fop, but by no
means gentleman in appearance.
Il spoke instantly, for 1 was furious
We do not call it good form here l said,
ito discuss lady's name in clubroom,
and L shall insist that you make no further
remarks about that particular lady
He stared at me moment, and then,
with an insolent laugh, replied: You are
| greatly mistaken. l was not speaking of
a lady. l mentioned little actress at the
| Halcyon theater.'
Il afterward learned that he was one of
class of men, moro numerous 40 years
ago than they are now, who were proud
! OF thoir reputation as fighters, and who
lost no opportunity for brawl But if l
had known it at the time it would have
made no difference, for 1 was mad with
rage. made a hot answer and stepped
toward him, but he was quicker than 1
and struck me across the face with
loaded cane.
Il fell insensible and marked for life,
as you see mo now. OF course that ended
my career as an actor. We did not know as
much about makeup then as the actors do
now, but nobody would try to fix up such
face rs m;no for the stage even now.
That wasn't the worst of it. l was
carried home and taken care of by my
friends for two or three weeks before | vas
able to move around, for the injury was
dangerous as we'll as painful Ada had
inquired about me when l was missed
from the thcatcr and mt first had wanted
TO come and nurse me, but l wouldn't al
low 1t. There We're two or three reasons
hoped at first that Wouldn't be so badly
d!sfigured as l am, and did not want her
to be shocked at the sight. Then l wanted
time TO make up my own mind. l WAS
not ovorcunccitcd, but she had given NC
every reason to believe she loved me, and
1t seemed certain that she would say yes
II L asked her to marry me, and was still
afraid to do that That sounds conccitcd
certainly but felt sure l was right, and
she told me long afterward that l was
She would have married me if had asked
before was manned, and lived to thank
God that didn't, though that was years
later.
When first came out didn't feel that
way, for my love for her was strong enough
to conquer everything else, and l sought
her eagerly. She had gone from the thea
ter, and l could learn nothing of her at
her lodgings but it didn't take me long to
find out that she had run away with the
very man who had struck me down She
was poor, and he had tempted her with
money. When 1 add that he had wife
living, l needn't say any more,
If you had known me at any time in
the next five Years, suppose 1 would not
have called you wrong III speaking of my
hard fate, for it certainly appeared hard to
me then. had 10 ties and no ambition.
1t was hard for me even to make a living,
though did after a time get IL job MS stage
carpenter and have done fairly we'll at
that over since.
But the salt was all gone out of my
life. l tried to forget Ada, and after
time l thought had succeeded though
had wild notions now and again of follow
ing him and her and killing them both.
1t seemed to me, though, that by doing
that l would wrong myself more than
either of them had wrongcd me. and |
conquered the temptation in time. l am
very glad Of that, and l am glad, too, that
l never had serious thought of any other
woman in all that time 1t would have
been foolish II l had, for my face would
have barred the way, but l am glad be-
cause it proves TO mo that l did not really
succeed in killing my love.
Il heard Of her from limo to time III
fact, made it my business to, but l never
tried to sec her or send her any word, even
after ! heard that she had left the life Size
was leading and had entered d home. And
oven after that, when learned that she
had joined sistcrhOod, and was dcvoting
her life to works of charity and pirty,
made no sign, for l remembered what "A
love of beauty she always had, and l could
not forget my face. Ny trouble seemed
greater than ever then, but l knew still
loved her because was SO happy i'll think
ing of hor new life.
Then ono night one of the sisters came
to tho stage door and tol,! me that she wis
dying, or they feared she was, ard that
she wanted to sec me. She had been hurt
by an accident and brought TO this very
hospital
Il cannot tell you much about our
meeting. There was an almost divine sor
row in her beautiful eyes as she looked at
me, and for an instant l thought it was
pity, but only for an instant. 1t WIS sor-
row for hCr own sin, not only against her
self, but the wrong she had done me, and |
her first words We're IL plea for my forgive
ness. And she seemed hardly able to be- |
lievc me when l told her l had forgiven
her long before. 1t was long time be. |
fore l knew my own heart she said, but |
when did knew it was you l had loved |
always even when 1 was SO weak ard
wicked.
she did lot die then, as they thought |
sho would, but she lived to get well |
enough to marry me. 1t was u strange |
wooing and very brief ut the last, but she |
grew stronger for ii time and the ncXt two |
years were those l told you Of They We're |
so happy that all the rest of IL long life |
seems short ard unreal WHEN 1 think of
them
And again that beautiful smile trans
formed poor Halscy's manned face. Ii |
rested there when he lay in his coffin, two
days later.