The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-08
A VILLAINS WooING.

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the first act, he was very angry.
In the last three weeks everything had
been bad, and the climax at hand was
spoiled because 1t had been expected. When
Vance had been taken out Of low comedy
part and put into the shoes Of the dress
suit villain, he had been angry. He knew
he was not equal to the part, and the stage
manager knew 1t, and 1t only took the
manager three weeks experience of poor
criticisms, poor houses and poor meals to
know 1t too. But after he found IL out he
did not put the caYse Of his trouble back
to the realms Of white grease paint and red
wigs, but coolly informed him that after
Saturday night he could go to-some 9TH
er company, for all Of him.
Not that Vance particularly minded do
ing that for the salary's sake, for it was
by no means munificent, and a continual
series Of cursings, hard notices and misap-
piled Kisses had taken all the soul out Of
his work. But certain heroine's part in
the same show was taken by Miss Eaton,
for whom Vance had great regard, and
being torn from her seemed even worse
than being torn from $85 week. At first
he had meant to ask her to go with him,
but no had reflected and Counted the
house" and decided that proposing mar
riage on IS cents and no prospects took
more check than that possessed by badg-
cred heavy villain. At tho last moment
he repented and wished that he had risked
it anyway, but it was too lato After the
show there were just time for dressing and
nine minutes to catch the train for long
jump. II proposing was only a matter of
three minutes, he would have taken
chances even then, but man with IS
cents feels more like proposing by tele-
graph than word of mouth at the best, and
three minutes-neverl
When Vance had summed all this ND, the
hero had como OF the stage and the orches-
ira was playing music that would have
made the theft Of chicken seem blood
curdling. The buzz saw to be used in at
tempting to murder the heroine was max
ing noise that justified its namo and left
a margin. Vance got up and brushed him
self before trying murder for the last time.
If the scaffold had been the end awaiting
him, he could not have felt worse. The
manager was in the audience and the I'M
happy, would be scoundrel would have
given all Of his false iewelry to sec him die
of apoplcxy In time to queer the show for
the evening
Alone and unprotected drifted in from
the stage, and with the consciousness that
Miss Eaton was waiting to die he walked
past the wing to the front with angry
strides. The heroine looked at him pity
ingly, and be turned away and wished 1t
were manly to weep. Then she delivered
her first line, and In a moment they were
quarroling. Everything went smoothly
until within few minutes before time to
ring down the curtain, when he discovered
that she wanted to speak to him and de-
cided to let her. He had a line coming,
and he walked up close to her before say
ing it.
you have trihed with me long
enough" he said loudly. in accordance
with the directions of the stage manager,
land now tell you for the last time to be
more careful OF what you say. Have you
no respect left for NOR
No" she replied energetically, and
while the gallery was applauding the
doubtful sentiment managed to get in to
him, You do not make this last jump
with usg"
Unfortunately not" he said ~ was
ordered to drop after this stand. And why
not?" This last in desperately angry
tone. The boys up stairs were growing en-
thusiaStic.
why notY' came back the response to
the cue, Because you ire n coward and
cur; because you have treated me as no
man of honor would treat a woman; be
cause hate and despise you more than
even can tell you; that is why. We are
awfully sorry to lose you-awfully sorry"
BE careful have warned you for the
last time, and if you do not beg my pardon
for that will
You will WHAT" 1t was coming too
fast for side remarks now, and man in
the dress circle dropped his programme.
II will will tie you to the log resting
there; l will pull that lever; will see
that you never rcreat your abuse in this
world. Never, nover!'
you will not, for if you do, as sure as
there is a God above us | will carry you
with me, if il is the last thing we do. l
may die, but l will have company" There
was round Of applause, and ho found
time to say, will you really LU sorry"
with noticeable emphasis Oh the YOU"
II would care more than you cuu guess,
she said.
Thank you. You will do no such
thing, and you know it. give You enc
chance and Il last one. You must, you will
hear me- and what is more, in 4 Kissing
tone, you viii do what l ask ~
THAT depends on what you wish, she
said and then to him. "l--l--I really
really and truly wish l could go with
Won.
"lou must accompany me-" he cried.
Il will not - she answered, and in the
cat calls that followed he was able to get
lis enthusiasm well up and say earnestly:
You can 60 with mt if you will. | love
you, Miss F,atun-Ality, love you, and
have loved you with all my heart, and
ord-and ! am going to keep on loving
If you will let me- And then in the
tone made necessary by the line will you
be my wite--will YOU" he whispered i'm
mcdtatcly after taking up his former con
yvrsatiGn where he had left on. The man
agcr noticed his earpCstn,.s and thought
that he was really acting remarkably well,
YLcn Miss Eaton spoke
NO, never, :" she Eaid, and then in a
low voice, intcrse with emotion, II will"
"Thcn die, said Vance, and It was no.
ticcd that when he threw her Oh the buzz
saw II was even more tenGcrly than usual,
ard that the kiss he forced on her was real
And when tho manager came back to
praise his work and tell him TO remain
with the company he found the heroine
sitting on the lap Of her would be murder
er.-Channng J. Pollock in Washington
Post
PiWckPd Rabbit.
You Loo: tired my dear" said Mr..
Nowlywsd to his wife, who is college