The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-03-14
CYRANO COURTSHIP.

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as Cyrano made his appearance. This
conduct on her part was as distinctly
disappointing as though | hadn't fully
expected her to act in such a manner.
To tell the truth, 1 really didn't want
to take Phyllis to see "Cyrano" at all,
because-well, you see, I've a pretty
big nose myself. 1t isn't a Cyrano mem
Der by any means, of course, but even
as a child the women who didn't like
my mother used to pity me openly on
account of it, and my college friends
still allude to my unfortunate proboscis
as a regular wind splitter. So, as l
said, I wasn't at all anxious to see
"Cyrano' in Phyllis company, and if
1 hadn't feared her suspecting the rea-
son of my unwillingness in this regard
l should never have done SO. As it was
it really hurt MT a little when her dim
Piles began to come and go at sight of
Mansfield's colossal nasal organ. | said
nothing, however, and it was not until
the end, of the ''poet's bakery act that
received my first cruel blow.
81 think Mansfield is perfectly sub
lime, don't you p gushed a pretty girl
of Phyllis acquaintance who sat in
front Of us. 1t was with difficulty that
Phyllis restrained the dimples from
open instruction as she replied.
well, they say it is only a little
step from the sublime to the ridicu-
lous," she remarked with dancing ey es,
land as | never in all my life saw any
thing half so ridiculous as that nose /
suppose it's wearer is at least approach
ing sublimity."
"Phyllis, said l when the music
had given me half a chance to speak
without the girl in front hearing all l
said, don't you think it's possible for
the owner of a big o to be anything
but ridiculcus2"
Phyllis cast a miscellaneous glance at
me over her shoulder and before MAX
ing answer buried her face in the big
bunch Of violets had given her.
"All things are possible, she then
rather cruelty said, ''but l should think
it would be rather difficult for the owner
of a big nose to be anything else.
The kiss scene was beginning now,
so l had a long act in which to recover
SO much of my equanimity as l might
When Roxane had delivered her pas
sionate exhortation to Cyrano to protect
her lover from all the danger which
might threaten him at Arras, begin
ming with sword wounds and ending
with cold, and when she begged her
cousin to see that the wordless object
of her devotion wrote to her frequently.
Phyllis turned to me as the curtain fell,
and l could see there were tears in her
eyes. She acted as though she would
have said something, but did not. For
once I was wise enough to hold my
tongue and to leave all chance of assist
ance for my cause to fate OF providence
and the girl in front of us. This girl
had been crying openly, and her eyes
were all red and moist still as she
squirmed about in her seat in order to
face Phyllis.
"Oh, Phyllisl Isn't it a pity such a
perfectly grand character should have
such an awful nosel' she exclaimed
weepingly. Phyllis regarded her with
an air Of chilly contempt.
"What under the ever blessed canopy
does the kind of nose he has matter2"
she inquired loftily. with a character
like Cyrano's features don't matter in
the least. Who with any soul at all
would dream of considering or wen
remembering his nose2'
The girl in front of us was properly
squelched, and l was unwisely elated.
''Who, indeed 2" | murmured ac-
quiescently. Phyllis stiffened immedi-
ately.
81 wasn't talking to you. thank
you, she remarked in a tone softly
suggestive of icebergs and the Klondike
and so on. l was so crushed by and in
dignant at her manner and speech that
| didn't even come to her rescue when
she lost her handkerchief during the
course of the fourth act and was in dire
distress for another wherewith to wipe
away the tears consequent upon Rox-
ane's sorrow over her lovers death and
Cyrano's wounding. And she in turn
was strangely silent when we rose at
the conclusion of the last act and made
our way toward the street.
The crowd was great and we were
obliged to stand a few moments in the
foyer. Phyllis turned to me suddenly
with an apologetic touch upon my arm.
81 didn't mean what | said about
about big noses, " she said softly, and
picking shyly at my coat sleeve as she
spoke-''that is-not about all big
noses. Cyrano'-recovering herself
somewhat as the onward movement of
the crowd recalled her to conventional
ity and the recollection of where we
were-"Cyrano was perfectly lovely in
spite of his nose. He was so sweet and
faithful to his love. she finished more
naturally as we anne opposite a fine
portrait of Mansfield which hung on the
wall near by. Her wraps were still on
my arm, and | drew her aside gently
to don them.
Phyllis, " l said softly as she slipped
into her jacket and dropped the fur
collarette into its enviable place about
her throat, Phyllis, do you think Cy-
rano was the only man in the world
who was ever faithful to his love in
spite Of a big nose?"
She looked up. she looked down, she
blushed wildly, but | held her firmly
facing me-under guise of %buttoning
her coat-and she was compelled to
make some sort of reply. After a mo-
ment it came, and Unexpectedly gentle,
considering all things.
mo" she said sweetly, 81 don't. |
suppose there are men living ven now
"a few of them anyway-who are
faithful like that"
My heart gave a great bound of joy,
for 1 had been longing to ask Phyllis a
certain question for many months, and
Phyllis was not always kind. Iaugured
well for my question from her late re-
mark, hut, mindful of the lesson of
the earlier evening, l was careful to al
low nothing of my elation to be seen.
"Phyllis. l asked again, holding
both her hands in mine under p~retense
of giving her her muff, phyllis. do
you think I'm one of those men?"
"I-I-don't know; perhaps said
Phyllis, blushing gl~oriously, but she
pulled her hands away from mine in a
hurry and set her face toward the street.
l was at a loss how to continue the
interesting series of questions which
might never be so alphabetically and
conveniently ~propounded and responded
to again, and again Fate or Providence.
in the form of the girl who sat imme-
diately in front of us, came to my aid.
"Oh, Phyllisl'' she cried, evidently
forgetting all about the snub admins
tered by that charming damsel in dis