The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1898-10-21
ASACRIFICE FORLOVE


TOR n whole week IA high class
II shakespearean company had 90
\ cupied the boards Of the Theater
Royal IN the provincial town OF L,
and night after night they had played
to crowded houses.
The great actress who was the star
Of that particular heaven had smiled
into the boxes, graciously accepted
bouquets from the stalls and bowed
her thanks to the gods IN the gallery.
But she had never yet been conscious
Of two pairs OF eyes which each even
Ing had followed her every movement
from the pit while the owners Of those
selfsame eyes bad hung GREATNESS on
her every word.
But nO-not both the owners. At the
commencement Of the week they had
both been absorbed In this beautiful
woman. who, with her dazzling love
illness and fair. gracious presence,
walked the boards each night In some
new character, but as the week waned
Gilbert Stone found that the tiny. slight
girl beside him was occupying more of
his thoughts than the brilliant creature
who impersonated Shakespeare's hero
Ines 30 perfectly.
Who the girl was or where she sprang
from he had not the least Idea. She
might think It was mere coincidence
but the man knew 1t was no accident
which placed them side by side each
evening IN their modest seats in the pit.
That first night II had been chance, but
the second and the third II was not and
he could hardly have confessed to him
self what the feeling was which made
him witch for her so eagerly ut the
early door.
Lover No, 1t was not love; not such
All everyday thing as that, surely! II
was worship-a blind. mad worship
which he had suddenly conceived foi
this fragile child.
Gilbert was mechanical very Go
hath Tall, broad and strong as II giant
while she-she was a slender, dainty
thing, with white, oval fnce which
seemed nll eyes, as she looked at hin
gravely and handed him bnck his pro
gram or her opera glasses, which they
had got into the habit of sharing. HI
couldn't believe It was love. II was
reverence, devotion; and yet If ther,
had not been that strange, invisible
barrier between that barrier which
men are 80 much quicker to rccOgniz,
than women-lt might have been low,
nay, love It should have becnl
But she was as far above him n
Juliet was above Romeo In the balloon.
scene And there was no climbing nj
for him, no hope Of her descending Il
his level; that he knows we'll Blu
while he might, he would sit there un
der the spell of her sweet presence, 0nC
perhaps some day there might be
chance when he would be able TO serv,
her. Shakespeare had been his rulini
passion from his boyhood up, but nov
this unknown girl had changed al
that
And she Vivian Sydney-thls weel
had been an epoch In her life. He
father, a colonel In the Indian army
had died years ago, leaving her and al
invalid brother alone In the world. Eek
ceptlng for the care of this brother
Vivian had lived In u world Of dreams
q world peopled entirely by imaginar
heroes and hcrOlnes. When she wa
quite a tiny fragile child Lambs Tale
from Shakespeare" had been her idea
Of everything. As she grew older tn
great plays became her famllia
friends; and nOw-ln spite of the fac
that she must face the crowd alone
In spite Of her brothers feeble remor
etrances, 10 spite of the fuct also tina
she must deprive herself of all hop
Of u winter gown by spending her sler
der savings on this tre0t-the fascin1
ton was strong upon her, and go sh
must.
So to and fro she went. and as sh
loft the theRter she was always diml
aware that strong. protecting arr
came between her and the crush; ther
was always room for her In the hurr,
ing crowd from the pit door.
At last the week drew to an on,
and Gilbert Stone sat beside his gi
comrnde for the last time Conrad,
they were IN their love for the lmmo
tai bard. and perhaps who knows 2
II wns this link which had knit the
souls IN yet stronger, closer bond A
he turned 10 make one of his few hri,
comments 70 the girl, Gilbert met h,
Dyes full and fairly for the first tin
met. and for moment held them d
the great and uncomfortable longlu
OF his own soul Then the curtain WI
rung up on the final scene. the ligh
were suddenly lowered. and all oy,
were turned on the stage once more
All eyes save Gllbert's, and his drar
in the girls fragile beauty, under GOV,
OF the dim light, as though he cOu
never drink his al.
lie knew now that he loved her.
b was no longer tho worship at distal
4 ahrlups n WINS tho DnsgiOnatO love of