Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-06-28

When Vance left the stage at the end OF
the first act, he was very angry.
In the last three weeks everything had
been bad, and the climax at hand was
spoiled because it had been expected. When
Vance had been taken out Of Il 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 it, ana it only took the
manager three weeks experience of poor
criticisms, poor houses and poor meals to
know it too But after he found it out he
did not put the cause 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 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 a great regard, and
being torn from her seemed even worse
than being torn from S37 week. At first
he had meant to ask he4' to go with him,
but he had reflected and "counted the
house" and decided that proposing mar
riage on IS cents and no prospects took
more cheek than that possessed by badg-
cred heavy villain. At the last moment
he repented and wished that he had risked
it anyway, but it was too late. After the
show there were just time for dressing and
nine minutes to catch the train for long
jump II proposing was only matter of
three minutes, he would have taken
chances even then, but a man with IS
cents feels more like proposing by tele-
graph than word of meath at the best, and
three minutes-never!
When Vance had summed all this up, the
hero had come off 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
to murder the heroine was max
ing u noise that justified its name and left
Il margin. Vance got up and brushed him
self before trying murder for the last time.
IL the scatfold had been the end awaiting
him, he could not have felt worse. The
was in the audience, and tho UNI
happy, would be scoundrel would have
given all of his false jewelry to see him die
of apopleXy 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 he turned away and wished it
were manly to weep. Then she delivered
her first line, and in a moment they were
quarreling. 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 trined 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 me?"
mo" 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 us?"
Unfortunately not" he said. 81 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 not?" came back the response to
the cue. Because you are coward and
cur; because you have treated me as no
man of honor would treat 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. l 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 a man in
the dress circle dropped his programme.
II will will tie you to the log resting
there; will pull that lever; will see
that you never repeat your abuse in this
world. Never, neyer!"
"You will not, for if you do, as sure as
here is God above us will carry you
With me, if it is the last thing we do. I
nay die, but | will have company" There
vas round of applause, and he found
line to say, "Will you really be sorryg"
With noticeable emphasis ON the you"
would care more than you can guess"
The said.
THANK you. You will do no such
hing, and you know it. give you one
nance and last one. You must, you will
rear me, and what is more" in Kissing
one, you will do what l ask. -
That depends on what you WISH" she
aid and then to him. GILL really
eally and truly wish / could go with
GU"
You must accompany mel" he cried
Il will not" she answered, and in the
at calls that followed he was able to get
is enthusiasm well up and say earnestly:
You can go with me if you will. love
on, Miss Eaton--Alice, love you, and
ave loved you with all my heart and
inland l am going to keep on loving
you will let met And then in the
one made necessary by the line, "Will you
e my wife-will your" he whispered i'm
lediately after taking up his former con-
ersation where he had left off. The man.
ger noticed his earnestness and thought
hoV hC was AcoAAy aooiIlS ISludfhdUly we'll. |
hen Miss Eaton spoke.
"No, never" she said, and then in
Nv voice, intense with emotion, II will"
"Then die, said Vance, and it was no.
ced that when he threw her on the buzz
NV it was even more tenderly than usual,
nd that the kiss he forced on her was real.
nd when the manager came back to
raise his work and tell him to remain
18th the company he found the heroine
tting on the lap of her would be murder
'.-Channing L. Pollock in Washington
ost.
Plucked Rabbit.