Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-12-03
A Farewell Performance.

~ their own, whose inhabitants had
nothing whatever to do but eat, drink
and be merry; n charming sphere
where everybody tried their very
hardest to be amusing and amiable,
and where nothing was ever taken
seriously--that is, in public. When
they did good deed, they did it by
stealth and threw mud at il afterward;
when they spoke of things human
aud divine they hid their true selves
and real meaning under an impenetra-
BILE cloak of Aippant slang and cheap
witticisms. Halliday and Miss Verrall
had much in common. They used the
same devices to conceal their good in
stincts, and occasionally went so far
~ to hint at a decided liking for this
or that play, person or picture. Now
and again they caught sight Of one
another for brief instant, but the
passing glimpse was always too short
to lead 10 longer one. They had
known one another some two years,
and, living in the same small world,
met almost every day in the season and
every other one out of il. These meet
ings could hardly he considered profit
able. Sometimes they hirted for a
change-the flirtations of this peculiar
people are so like love as to be undis-
tinguishable from the genuine arti-
cle--and, maybe, shook off the motley
for an occasional brief moment of rest
simply pause between two acts,
with the orchestra playing in between
to remind them that they were still in
the theatre. Thus, the net result Of
their aoquaintanceship was that Doris
Verrall had never got word Of sober
sense out of Jack Halliday, while Jack
Halliday had never heard syllable of
wisdom issue from the delicate lips Of
Doris Vsrrall.
Doris was an only child and mctber-
~ 1l sd hsf ~ NM - p
house together and Mutually spoiled
one another these last 10 years. Thsy
had miniature Mayfair palace all 20
themselves, an Arcadia that would
have surprised most of the Utopians,
among whom Doris took her pleasures,
by reason of its restful simplicity and
quiet affections. Father and daughter
were very fond Of one another each in
their own way-Mr Verrall in digni-
fed, old.world manner that reminded
one Of Balzac's elderly aristocrats,
while Doris showed her affection by
being disrespectful She treated
Daddy" as she playfully styled Mr..
Verrall, like big spoiled child, and
he was az clay under her fingers. The
old gentleman was allowed to live his
own life in peace and quiet. while
Doris danced and made merry under
the chaperonage Of score Of friends.
II was Sunday evening in June.
The sky was clearing fast after days
rain, and London looked as though il
had Just come home from the laundry.
Doris and Mr.. VERBAL, who had gone
down to the park for mild constitu-
tional, ran up against Jack Halliday,
bent on a similar errand, and bore him
home to dinner He had never dined
en- famille with the Verralls aud won.
dered what it would he like.
The dinner was success. All three
enjoyed it--Jatk Halliday most of all.
IL was different from the shallow gilt.
ter of his everyday life. II reminded
him Of the "Home, Sweet Home "tha,
Patti sings about, and the domestic
Doris, carefully looking after hei
white-haired old father, was an unex
pected revelation. 1t seemed strange
to think that this pattern of filial af.
lection was the cynical, witty and flip
pant Doris Verrall he had hilbert,
known For moment or two til,
thought made him uncomfortably self
conscious. He was an intruder, h,
had no place in the domestic economy
of that household, no right to pry into
their attachment aud intimacy. Thi,
feeling gave way after the first few
moments. No one, save himself, no
ticed the incongruity OF his presence
he was evidently q welcome guest anc
belonged to the picture. Doris hat
never seen him so quiet before. Tt
him she seemed new being, NOR,
like one Of the people in the books h,
reads IN his lonely chambers than tn,
Miss verrall Of yesterday.
They grew silent after time, Will,
Mr.. Verrall talked lovingly abou
books aud pictures aud men ans
women who had written and painte,
them. The old gentleman had
simple, homsly way about him tina
Was rsstful. Doris aud Jack Listened
contentsdly, and again Hallida,
thought Of the people in the books
While the girl looked encouragingly a