The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-11-10
A Farewell Performance.

were what the society papers-espe-
cially the penny ones-call Smart peo-
ple." They lived in dear little world
of their own, whose inhabitants had
nothing whatever to do but eat, drink
and be merry; n charming sphere
where everybody tried their very
hardest to be amusing and amiable,
and where nothing was ever taken
seriously-that is, in public. When
they did good deed, they did it by
stealth and threw mud at it afterward;
when they spoke of things human
and divine they hid their true selves
and real meaning under an impenetra-
ble cloak of fippant slang and cheap
witticisms. Halliday and Miss Verrall
had much in common. They used the
same devices to conceal their good in
stincts, and occasionally went so far
as to hint at decided liking for this
or that play, person or picture. Now
and again they caught sight of one
another for n brief instant, but the
passing glimpse was always too short
to lead to longer one. They had
known one another some two years,
and, living in the same small world,
met almost every day in the season and
every other one outo of it. These meet
ings could hardly be considered profit
able. Sometimes they hirted for
change-the flirtations of this peculiar
people are so like love rs to be undis-
tinguishable from the genuine arti-
al n1 -1a los,
for an occasional brief moment of rest
simply pause between two acts,
with the orchestra playing in between
TO remind them that they were still in
the theatre. Thus, the net result of
their acquaintanceship was that Doris
Verrall had never got word of sober
sense out of Jack Halliday, while Jack
Halliday had never heard syllable of
wisdom issue from the delicate lips of
Doris Verrall.
Doris was an only child and mother
less. She and her father had kept
house together and mutually spoiled
one another these last 10 years. They
had miniature Mayfair palace all to
themselves, an Arcadia that would
have surprised most of the Utopians,
among whom Doris took her pleasures,
by reason of its restful simplicity and
quiet affections. Father and daughter
were very fond of one another, each in
their own way-Mr. Verrall in digni-
fed, old-world manner that reminded
one of Balzac's elderly aristocrats,
while Doris showed her affection by
being disrespectful. She treated
Daddy" as she playfully styled Mr..
Verrall, like big spoiled child, and
he was as clay under her fingers. The
old gentleman was allowed to live his
own life in peace and quiet, while
Doris danced and made merry under
the chaperonage of a score of friends.
1t was Sunday evening in June.
The sky was clearing fast after days
rain, and London looked as though it
had just come home from the laundry.
Doris and Mr.. Verrall, who had gone
down to the park for q mild constitu-
tional, ran up against Jack Halliday,
bent on a similar errand, and bore him
home to dinner. He had never dined
en- famille with the Verralls and won
dered what it would be like.
The dinner was a success. All three
enjoyed it-Jack Halliday most of all.
1t was different from the shallow gilt
ter of his everyday life. 1t reminded
him of the "Home, Sweet Home'that
Patti sings about, and the domestic
Doris, carefully looking after her
white-haired old father, was an unex-
pected revelation. 1t seemed strange
to think that this pattern of filial af-
fection was the cynical, witty and flip
pant Doris Verrall he had hitherto
known. For a moment or two the
thought made him uncomfortably self
conscious. He was an intruder, he
had no place in the domestic economy
of that household, no right to pry into
their attachment and intimacy. This
feeling gave way after the first few
moments. No one, save himself, no.
ticed the incongruity of his presence;
he was evidently welcome guest and
belonged to the picture. Doris had
never seen him so quiet before. To
him she seemed new being, more
like one of the people in the books he
reads in his lonely chambers than the
Miss Verall of yesterday.
They grew silent after time, while
Mr.. Verrall talked lovingly about
books and pictures and men and
women who had written and painted
them. The old gentleman had
simple, homely way about him that
was restful. Doris and Jack listened
contentedly, and again Halliday
thought Of the people in the books,
while the girl looked encouragingly at
her father - even tenderly, Jack
thought. She stayed in the dining
room while the men smoked and then
Mr.. Verrali, with many apologies,
settled in big armchair for his usual
after-dinner nap. 1t was nearly dusk,
and Jack asked her to play to him in
the twilight, SO they went up stairs to
the drawing room. Doris seated her.
self at piano, while he went over to
the fireplace and sank deep into a big