The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-06-18
A STAGE WAIT
By WILLIAM BUCKLEY.


tow did the thing well, as beftted
the father of the bride, and the COM
pany wandered over his 2O-acre garden,
and gaZed and gOrged and summed them
selves after the fashion of their kind.
Though | knew very well what it would
be like, | ran down on his invitation,
and was now, of course, regretting l
had come, as I pensively picked out a
clematis-shaded seat, and fel! to watch
ing the poses of :hree young girls in
enormous sleeves, who were attitud-
Jhizing neal a bank of white lilies, with
something, too, of the flowers sweet
st~ateliness about them, despite the har-
lequinade of dress and speech and man
ner.
y prettily-defined p~entagonal shadow
fell at my feet, and looking round 1
say Nine. de Tocqueville coming to a
halt before me. She is just as well
known as Arbuscula-only in another
way-the kindliest, wickedest little
lady who ever stabbed a reputation to
death, or planted a bunch of epigrams
upon the grave.
And Solomon in all his glory" she
said, nodding towards the three graces,
while she sloped her parasol to bring
the rose-colored lining to bear upon u
sunshine of Provence.
1T is TO be hoped not l replied, "else
the queen of the south must have been
easily impressed"
20, they were a commonplace lot"
answered madame, lightly. Solomon
Was a fraud-Renan settled that long
ago. The queen of Sheba was a very
paltry person too-yeu ~recollect how
she showed her legs-unintentionally-
over that mirror? What would she have
done if she had seen the cinemato-
graph"
Heaven knows" said I, sitting a
yawn. They have one here. We are
TO be on exhibition, I daresay?"
Yes laughed madame, with the
added glory of a monograph for the
organ, you know And she glanced in
the direction of a marquee towards
which the company was beginning to
%gravitate. 'Dhey took pictures of u
noble selves entering the church, within
the sacred edifice, as the reverential re-
porters say, and browsing in the gar
dens."
1T may be amusing" said 1, tenta-
lively.
1t is sure to be-" she responded, "for
the humor will be strictly unconscious.
l am just beside the rood screen, near
Nine. de BelIevil!e."
Another representative of La Belle
France?" l asked, languidly.
No, a countrywoman of yours" she
answered, but she was married to a
Frenchman; they lived near our estate
at Dion. He died last month" She
sighed-the s~uspirat;on was not a eulo-
GUM on the deceased.
Rather early to attend a marriage?"
1hazarGed, being oid-fashioned on some
matters; but the suggestion of mourn
ing, now that you mention her recent
bereavement, was admirably carried
out in the toilet"
Madame smiled ard shifted her sun
shade.
by the way, our host was very faith
full to his partner" l observed; '-he did
not marry a second time, though Mrs.
Chedderstow died when the girl was
born, 1 understand"
Yes, her first child" replied madame.
The first! Surely you forget Fred,
the engineer, who was killed on the
Niger"
II do not forget him." said madame,
quietly: she was looking sadly at one
of the girls, whose profile was turned
towards us at the moment. 1t was her
eldest daughter, Miss Lucille. 1 made
some complimentary illusions to the
young lady.
.'She is well enough" remarked
madame, carelessiy. do you know the
other, on the right?"
1 shook my head regretfully.
Indeed! Then l shall introduce you
II you are very good. That is Miss
Langton, Prof. L~angton's daughter"
she replied; we like her exceedingly,
for she has been staying at Dion till
quite recently with an invalid aunt.
You surely have met the professor"
Il know him slightly" 1 answered,
remembering how he had wearied me
with a most erudite account of "AIl
Fools day." the last time 1 saw him;
"but my ways are not scholastic"
NO" said madame, with unneces-
sary warmth of assent. "He is wrapped
I'D in his work, whatever it is, some
thing about the great aux. 1t is we'll
60 nave an object in life"
Il wonder whether ne will wake to
the fact that he has a beautiful daugh-