The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-16
with tho gray coat. He had heard every

with tho gray coat lie had heard eyery
word
The directors wife, flushed and t-i-
umphant, omergcs from Il side door snd
resumes her seat, unfortunately also
her hat, and tho view of the stage is cut
Off.
Docs tic director paint?" she asks.
Then, before he can answer, "Souctimes
they don't you know"
mo, suppose he sometimes doesn't"
he says, with sidclong glance frcn W.
der his lishes.
ooh you know what mean. Il,now
of ore &rt museum director who never
painted stroke i'll his life, - she says,
while the wonderful green and yellow
moonbcams fall across the stage on
Lcighton's Summer Moon"
Then there is little farce, n reprint
from life, OF domestic infelicity. i'll
which all the actors do what they ought
not to do and leave undone what they
ought to do, and there is no sense in it.
Tho curtain man, as usual, drops tho
curtain i'll tho middle of tho act and
raises it while the actors are staging
themselves.
Shall we go up and look at the art
exhibitions" she asks when it is over.
"Oh, suppose ono is expected to-
he says, with the air of a modern Job.
They join tho throng up the winding
stair, past the big painting of ever and
ever SO many chickens wading up a
muddy slope TO their dinner while the
wind blows their tails all to one side,
past bronzes and marbles of handsome
Apollos winged Psychcs and armless
Ncnusos, while some one inquiries Sc
riously: "Why will they be so careless
with their statuary? l don't believe [
over saw Il Venus that hadn't enc OF
both her arms broken Off,
Now Il head i'll charcoal attracts her
attention. She steps back to get better
view of 1t, comes into painful contact
with the patent leather toe of some
body's foot, and, turning to beg pardon,
meets the eyes of the young man OF the
gray coat and black mustachc uncon-
sciously. She let's one glove slip down to
the floor. lie stoops, picks it UP and
puts it into his pocket Then he walks
away with an air of tantalizing uncon-
Germ. She looks about for her companion
and finds him suspiciously near to Il
correct little panama sailor above n
mass of bronze colorcd hair. The other
young man is ut her side. Presently the
scarlet lips hazard the question: But
where IS the line, Archie? You told me
your pictures were to be on the lire. -
Il have hall mind to write her
one, " he muttcrs under his breath us ne
comes up to There she is attcntivcly ex-
amining Il pen and ink sketch
Come. let us get out of this crush, "
he says, With tie air Of Il man who has
suffered bitter disappointment. Here
is an escape to the stairway, and lie
leads the way out
AS they take their places III the car
some one sits down behind them, and
they thump along i'll silence
Suddenly the lights go out, and the
Car stops. In the darkness something
family touches her check The lights
arc OH i'll Il moment and she casts III in
dignant glance at her moody companion.
How dare you, and right here in the
car, tool she says Indignantly.
why, what have II don't under
stand. What, has that fellow darcd?'
They turn just i'll time to catch Il
glimpse of IL gray coat vanishing through
the doorway.
They arc very silent the rest of the
way home. Mary Mccall III Philadel-
phia Times.