The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-23

Yet loved 1t: I coveted It'll was
greedy for any amount of 1t.
Then, too, this evening my ambition
was stirred In a new direction. I had
never before assisted in any capacity
at social function worthy Of being
called such. had often been begged to
appear professionally at private houses.
do So and. untarnished though
my reputation had ever been.
my grade Of work scarcely en-
titled me to receive that en-
tree into society which Is nowadays
accorded to actresses Of the highest
rank. This was the opportunity that
had ever been offered me to receive
entertainment and hospitality, as well
| as emolument, from persons Of fashion
and consequence, and, having in view
Lisa's future, hoped great things from
| it. For I aspired to far loftier social
| position for her than that which I had
been able to attain.
| 1t was about half-past eleven when
reached Mrs. Dicky's magnificent man
| tic to cellar. had brought Jean with
me, and the little lassie was even more
| excited than /. Townsend Barroll, who
| was a very good friend Of mine, had
| promised to be on the lookout for me,
! for was actually nervous at the pros
| pect Of seing society at close range, and.
true to his word, there he stood to
greet our arrival. close by the arm OF
| the footman who admitted us.
| He led us at once to the room set
| apart for my use, and, as I dropped my
long rap into jeans hands, he broke
| into enthusiastic comment upon my
| appearance.
| I did look we'll; had meant to let
! these women see that my beauty was
| not dependent upon artificial means or
| stage accessories, and I had succeeded
| ever before Barroll corroborated my
conviction, that I had every reason to
feel quite satisfied with the result Of
my efforts.
had not a grain Of powder nor a
touch of rouge upon me. The cunning
! hand of nature alone had laid Co.'S
metic upon my skin, and the golden
russet Of my hair was due only to the
! pigment which she had stored in the
cell at every root. wore yards and
| yards of f1eecy tissue Of green tint,
| so lustrous of hue that it seemed, as
| it foated about me, to turn to cleaning
silver. My neck and arms were bare,
but discreetly so, and the airy drapery
| was simply held in place upon the
shoulders by diamond clasps. On my
brow, combining my hair and threading
it's ruddy mazes, sparkled diamond
fillet; and this and the clasps were all
the jewels L wore.
"Well, madame, you'll arrive tonight,
and no mistake" Barroll calculated.
How, in the name Of all that's wonder
full. do you manage to keep so young ?
Why, you're not day over twenty,
I'll swear. There's not a woman be-
low there tonight that can touch you
in the matter Of freshness, I assure
you"
At that moment Mrs. Dicky, to whom
my arrival had been announced, came
hurriedly into the room, and greeted me
with effusion. She was very splendid
and gorgeous, but her superb and costly
toilet, and the fash and sparkle Of her
celebrated jewels lent no charm or fair
ness to her face.
exquisite!'' she cried, for, faulty as she
was Irene Quintard was wholly with
out the petty vanity which prompts one
woman to, withhold compliment from
another. "aAnd you are in the mood
can tell by. the way your eyes shine.
Oh. it will be a sensation, hey, Towny 2"
She was lin the best of high spirits,
and chatted volubly as we passed down
sde-staircase, and entered the screen
ed-off portion Of the BALLROOM, where a
temporary stage had been erected for
my use. My already excited tempera
ment caught the contagions of her en-
thusiasm, and knew there was no fear
of my disappointing her hopes. Nor did
I. But my success was crowned with
sad disaster to myself.
The. stage had been apparently a
hastily1constructeds affair." carelessly
and indifferently joined together. T had
scarcely begun to3ndanceS when dis
covered that the flooring was weak and
unstable, but the old fever was in my
blood, and I could not stop to consider
possible consequences. The, strain upon
the structure would not be heavy, and
it would certainly last for rthe ten or
fifteen minutes that I should require it.
Meanwhile, I had noted one quite inse-
cure board. and would take heed to
avoid it. But the need for precaution
was forgotten almost before the first
burst of applause had died away. With
that brilliant assemblage of the pick
and choice of New York sWelldom hang
ing in ecstacy upon my movements, was
it likely that I should 10 consider such
a trif1e as preservation?
I had all but fulfilled the. measure of
my allotted time, hundreds of rapt and
enchanted eyes were gazing spell-bound
upon me, murmurs of establishment
and admiration no longer to be repress-
ed were caressing with subtle fattery
my willing ears, when-a crack, the
quick sharp clap of a board snapped
out of position, and therefore fell
I had presence Of mind enough to shoot
Geographic glance at the man who
ran the curtain. He had wit enough to
comprehend and to respond instantly,
and so but few in that wildly-enthusi-
astic gathering, whose high-bred COM
posure had for once wholly defaulted,
dreamt that the woman they were so
strenuously seeking to recall way lying
prone upon the curtained platform,
grooming over the hurt of an ankle
that seemed suddenly to have gathered
unto itself all the pain in Christendom.
But some there were who understood
the event exactly as it occurred. One
of these persons was Jean, who was
standing behind the curtain beside the
stage; another was young man whom
had often seen about town. and whom
I knew to be Allan Quintard. Mrs.
Dicky's son; third was quiet, self
contained looking man of middle age,
whom I did not at all recognize, and
a fourth was servant in the livery of
the house, whom I remembered pass
ing as I entered the apartment with
my hostess In his strange garb it was
not singular that I did not know him.
It was the somewhat stern-looking
stranger who first accosted me, ad-
dressing me. and directing those upon
whom he laid his commands with an
air of authority.
''Will you allow me to lift you?" he
asked. II am very strong, and it will
be much more comfortable for you
than litter would be"
He stopped as he spoke, obviously
intending to have his way, and not car
ing a jot whether or no I should dis
sent. AS he raised me (by~ means
feather) in pair Of arms that never