The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-03-03


Good gracious!"
He rushed toward the mirror. but the
room suddenly became perfectly dark,
His wife had put out the light. Two
soft arms clasped him around the neck,
and Ely, leaning ha- head upon his
breast, began to cry like child that
knows it has done wrong and deserves
punishment.
The bright morning sun shone into
the room.
"Disfgured! am utterly distigured!
How could you do it?'
Richard turned angrily from the mir
ror and seized his hat and cane.
"Good-by!" he called loudly, to wake
his wife, who was still asleep. She
started up.
where are you going SO early, Rich
ard?"
ITO the barber, to have my hair cut"
His voice sounded actually threatening.
Richard, my dear husband, you see,
| I wanted ~ Then, conscious of
guilt, she paused.
He placed himself where the light
streamed full upon him, took off his
| hat and stared at her.
| He rushed out of the room, while his
| young wife murmured, amid her tears:
perhaps he won't forgive me, but it
could not be helped!'
The first part of the programme was
over. During the pause the great con-
Andre was to play. His admirers
poured in and took their places in the
front row. AS if by an electric shock
the thrill of expectation was commu-
nicated to the rest of the audience,
which SO far had been somewhat apa-
thetic, only the pause lasted somewhat
too long, longer than usual.
| At last the artist appeared on the
stage and was greeted by thunders of
applause. Several bouquets flew
through the air and fell at his feet.
But the enthusiasm soon died away.
The hands which had clapped SO madly
suddenly paused. A strange murmur
ran through the hall; people cast in
quiring glances at one another.
This was not the artist whose per-
sonal beauty was so remarkable, but
a very ordinary man, nOwise different
from thousands of others. Why, he
looked almost ridiculous, for his clipped
hair stood up like bristles all over his
| head!
| Richard bowed his thanks for the en-
thusiastic reception, whose abrupt close
somewhat veXed him. Then, as he
again stood erect and placed the violin
on his breast, he made the movement
of the head with which he had formerly
shaken his hair back from his brow
During the first few bars of the music
he noticed the uneasihess in the hall
and felt somewhat embarrassed by 1t;
then he became absorbed in playing,
and heard only the exquisite notes
which he lured from his instrument.
''He surpasses himself" the connois-
seurs and critics whispered, while the
orchestra and conductor gazed as
though enchanted at the great mu-
sician, who had forgotten himself and
his surroundings.
| When the piece was over Richard
once more became conscious of his sur
roundings and stood waiting for the
customary response from the audience.
Here and there were tokens of approx
| al, but the majority remained strangely
Indifferent. This state of affairs con-
tinued until the close of the perform
ance.
"He looks not only hideous, but RI
diculous,' whispered lady just in
front of the stage to her neighbour.
! eyes; what induced him to do such
a thing! He looks like a convict, or a
clown, and those ears!"
HE has forgotten his wig" said a
third
| Andre heard the remarks, as the ex-
asperated ladies probably intended
and, with his vanity deeply wounded,
heleft the scene of his former triumphs
His music was no longer appreciated.
lie had become an object of ridicule
And he owed all this to ELY, his fool
ish, jealous wife!
| Richard had not noticed that ELY
had entered the carriage with him. He
was thinking solely of the humiliation
he had suffered-he, who had played
like demigod!
'Richard," she whispered, pleading
ly, at last, forgive me. know l have
been very wrong" He made no reply.
Just one word, Richard" she sobbed,