Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-04-19
A KISS IN THE DARK.

They are on their way to the benefit
given by the Art Students association
and are standing ON the corner waiting
for down town car.
The A. s. "A. usually gives an annual
banquet, but this year mo one seemed
to be hungry" as the man that makes
the speech said, SO they are giving in
stead an artistic, musical and dramatic
entertainment for those who are.
Two cars approach, running tandem,
one with seats running lengthwise, the
other with seats running crosswise.
''Shall we take the front carr" he
asks, in no amiable tone of voice, for it
had taken her just hour and 20 min
utes to dress.
"No, the last one. Everybody has
such an opportunity to stare when the
passengers face each other. Now, if !
were so beautiful that none could look
but to ADMIRE A low growl from the
depths of his mustache as he hands her
up to the rear platform of the Car is the
only answer. Then he flashes look at
the graceful, white clad figure, the black
eyes and mass of raven hair beneath the
rose decked hat, but says nothing.
''That wide eyed girl across the aisle
reminds me Of story read the other
day Of New York man who was call
ing on lady in Boston. She was sort
of poster woman, with orange hair and
orange lips and a crimson bodice. Stay
ing with her was a young girl from
somewhere in Missouri girl with
eyes set mysteriously wide apart-who
enchanted him with her singing. A
year later he met the wide eyed girl
again and asked her to sing to him. She
went to the piano and sang a touching
little ballad that brought the tears to
his eyes, See, you have called forth my
tears.
"'I would give the rest Of my life to
see your tears, she said, and then he
knew that the wide eyed girl was blind. I"
"Where did you get that?" he asked
quietly.
ooh, from one of those impossible
little magazines, 'Clack' or Clique, ,
Chap or a Chip, she answered.
As they are about to leave the car
the little woman across the aisle arises,
takes the wide eyed girl by the hand
and carefully leads her out. They look
at each other in silence.
They are late, Of course. Memorial
hall is a flutter of pink and white, a
garden of flower trimmed hats in a per-
fume laden atmosphere.
They are just in time to see Burne-
Jones Garden Court in the legend of
the Brier Rose, to the music Of "She
Sleeps" Then as the usher points them
to the only two remaining seats-fortu-
nately in the back row-the curtain
rises again upon one Of Bourgereau's
Madonnas, sitting with unblinking eyes
and reverent, uplifted hands. 1t is the
wide eyed girl they had seen in the car.
III the interval that follows girl in
ivory white, bareheaded, down the aisle
exchanges few words with lady in
black and darts back again, her glorious
hair framing her face in a halo Of light.
II believe she did that with pur-
pose" he growls.
"How could one suppose anything
else? She knew, Of course, what the
effect Of the light on her hair would be. "
DO look at that huge woman in the
blue silk gown. She reminds me Of
nothing 80 much as lazy, pale blue
cow
Where? Which one?"
Second seat from the end, third
row."
As they look and laugh the female
bovine turns and casts look of very
human scorn at them.
Aren't you ashamed of YOURSELF"
eyes, am. wouldn't be rude even
to a cow" he remarks in an undertone
as he hides his unblushing face behind
her gauze fan.
just then the directors wife, plain
little woman with sorrel hair, gowned
in yellow organdie, rises from seat q
little to the left and goes to sing
Swedish folksong behind the scenes
while Won der Lippe's little son and
daughter pose in a Swedish fairy scene.
But he is not looking at the stage. He
is studying the group just in front, q
demure little maiden, with pinchable
cheeks and nose that tits the least lit
tie mite in the world, and, oh, the dain-
tiest little chinl The two men who are
with her might pass for twins but for
the fact that the one at the right wears
gray coat while the other is clad in
black. Yes, and he Of the gray coat
wears 1nustache.
"Well, what do you think Of herr'
she asks, Observing his scrutiny.
"If the lights should all 60 out sud-
denly, I think / should kiss her, he
says thoughtfully while he gazes at the
bronze hair beneath the correct little
panama sailor.
"You wouldn't have the ghost Of
chance with those two men keeping
guard over her. / wonder il they are
both in love with her." she says, while
The catches . ally glance from the man