The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-16
A KISS IN THE DARK.

and arc standing on the corner waiting
for Il down town car.
Tho a. S. ~, usually gives an annual
banquet, but this year ''no ono seemed
to be hungry" as the man that makes
the speech said 50 they arc giving III
stead an artistic musical and dramatic
entertainment for those who are.
Two cars approach, running tandem.
one with seats running lengthwisc, the
other with seats running crosswise
Shall we take the front CARP he
asks, i'll no amiablc tone of voice, for it
utes to dress.
"No, the last one. Everybody has
slt-h an opportunity to stare when the
passengers face each other. Now, if l
were so beautiful that mono could look
but to admire \ low growl from tho
depths of his mustachc as he hands her
up to the rear platform of the car is tho
only answer. Then he flashes Look ut
the graceful, white clad figure, the blacl,
eyes and mass of raven hair beneath the
rose dccllcd hat, but says nothing.
THAT wide eyed girl across the aisle
reminds ne of story 1 read the other
day of II New York man who was call
ing on IL lady i'll Boston. She was sort
OF poster woman, with orange hair aud
orange lips and u crimson bodice Stay
ing with her was Il young girl from
somewhere III Missouri, girl with
eyes set mystcrionsly wide apart-who
enchanted him with her singing. \
year later he met the wide eyed girl
again and asked her to sing to him. She
went to the piano and sang Il touching
little ballad that brought the tears to
his eyes See, you have called forth my
tears.
- would give the rest of my life to
see your tears, she said, and then he
knew that the wide eyed girl was blind +"
where did you get that:' he asked
quietly.
ooh, from one of those impossible
little magazines, 'Clack' ora Clique,
a Chap or Chip, - she answered.
AS they are about to leave the car
takes the wide eyed girl by tho hand
and carefully leads her out. They look
at each other i'll silence
They are late of course Memorial
hall is flutter of pink and white,
garden of flower trimmed hats i'll IL per
fumc laden atmosphere.
They are just i'll time to sec Burnc-
Jones Garden Court" in the legend of
the Bricr Rose, to the music OF "She
Sleeps" Then as the usher points them
to the only two remaining scats-fOrtu-
nately i'll the back row-thc curtain
rises again upon one of Bourgercau
Madonnas, sitting with unblinking eyes
and rcvcrcnt, upliftcd hands. 1t is the
wide eyed girl they had seen in the car
III the interval that follows IL girl III
ivory white, barehcaded, down the aisle
exchanges IL few words with IL lady i'll
black and darts back again, her glorious
hair framing her face i'll Il halo of light.
Il believe she did that with u 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 III the
blue silk gown. She reminds me of
nothing so much us IL lazy, pale blue
cow
Where? Which onc?''
Second seat from the end, third
row.
As they look and laugh the female
bovine turns and casts Il look OF very
human scorn at them.
Aren't you ashamed of YOURSELF"
Yes, / am. | wouldn' he rude even
to IL cow, he remarks in an undcrtone
as he hides his unblushing face behind
her gauzc fan.
just then the directors wife, Il plain
little woman with sorrcl hair, gowned
i'll yellow organdie, rises from IL seat IL
little 10 the left and goes TO sing IL
Swedish folksong behind the scenes
while Won der Lippc's little son and
daughter pose i'll Swedish fairy scene.
But he is not looking at the stage He
is studying the group just i'll front, Il
demurc little maiden, with pinchablc
cheeks and Il nose that tilts the least lit
tie mite i'll the world, and, OH the dain-
test little chin! The two men who are
with her might pass for twins but for
the fact that the one ut the right wears
a gray coat while the other is clad in
black. Yes, and he of the gray coat
wears Il mustachc.
"Wcll. what do you think of her?"
sho asks, observing his scrutiny.
IF the lights should all go out sud
denly, | think L 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 n
chance with those two men keeping
guard over her. wonder if they are
both i'll love with her." she says, while
she catches sly glance from the man