Willmar tribune., 1899-12-06

] $0Hfat bue IuNn ana woman were brother
and sister the scene was transferred x
the interior Of one Of the slum tene
ments in the east side Of London Here
the scene painter and carpenter hai
done ne their utmost to produce an exact
! copy OF a famous court and alley well
known to the poor creatures who make
up part Of the outcast London hu.
manity. The rags, the crowding, the
vileness, the broken furniture, the hor-
rible animal existence forced upon
creatures made in God s image, were SO
-skinfully shown in this scene that more
than one elegant woman in the theater.
seated. like Rose Sterling, in sump-
tuous box, surrounded with silk hang
ings and velvet covered railing, caught
herself shrinking back little; as if
contamination were possible from the
nearness of this piece Of painted canvas.
It was almost too realistic, and yet it
had horrible fascination for Felicia
as she sat there alone, buried back in a
cushioned seat absorbed in thoughts that
went far beyond the dialogue on the
stage.
From the tenement scene the play
shifted to the interior of a nobleman a
palace, and almost sigh Of relief went
up all over the house at the sightof the
accustomed luxury of the upper classes.
The contrast was startling It was
brought about by a clever piece of stag
ing that allowed only few minutes to
elapse between the slum and the palace
scenes. The dialogue continued, the
actors came and went in their various
roles, but upon Felicia the play made
but one distinct impression. In reality
the scenes on the bridge and in the
slum were only incidents in the story
of the play. but Felicia found herself
living those scenes over and over. She
had never philosophical about the
causes of human misery. She was not
old enough. She had not the tempera:
ment that philosophers. But she felt
intensely, and this was not the first
time she had felt the contrast thrust
into her feeling between the upper and
the lower conditions Of human life. It
had been growing upon her until it had
made her what Rose called s.aueer" and
the other people in her CIRCLE Of wealthy
acquaintances called Every unusual"
It was simply the human problem in
its extremes Of riches and poverty, its
refinement and its yileness, which was,
in spite of her unconscious attempts to
struggle against the facts, burning into
her life the impression that would in
the end transform her ipt0 either a
woman Of rare love and self sacrifice
for the world or a miserable enigma to
herself and all who knew her.
"Come. Felicial Aren't you going
homer" said Rose. The play was over,
the curtain down. and people were GO
ing noisily out, laughing and gossipipg,
as if "Fhe Shadows Of London" was
simply good diversion. as it was put on
the stage SO effectively.
Felicia rose and went out with the
rest quietly and with the absorbed feel
ing that had actually left her in her
seat oblivious of the plays ending She
was never ahsentmindea, but often
thought herself into q condition that
left her alone in the midst of crowd.
well. what did you think of it7'
asked Rose when the sisters had reached
home and were in the drawing room.
Rose really had considerable respect for
Felicia's judgment of play -
II thought it was vas a 4 pretty picture Of
real life, y" '
II mean mean the acting" satd Re'~
poyea -~o' an
.xneciol- scene was well acted,
---4y the woman s part. l thought
the man overdid the sentiment a little y
did your I enjoyed that. And
WASH t the scene between the two cous-
ms funny when they first learned that
they were related9 But the slum scene
was horrible. think they ought not to
STOW such things in play. They are
too painful,
"Ihey must be painful in real life
to- = replied Felicia.
"Yes. but we don't have to look at
the real thing It's bad enough at the
1heater. where we pay for it. -
Rosa went into the drawing room
and began to eat from a plate of fruit
an1 cakes on the sidsboard.
care you going up to see motherP"
asked Felicia after awhile. She had re-
mained in front Of the drawing room
fire.
"No," replied Rose from the other
room;. II won'S trouble her tonight. If
you go in, tell der I am too tired to be
agreeable
So Felicia turned into her mother 8
room. As she went up the great STAIR
case and down the upper hall the light
was burning there, and the servant who
always waited on Mrs. Sterling was
beckoning Felicia to come in.
''Ten Clara to go out" exclaimed
Mrs. Sterling as Felicia came up to the
bed and. kneeled by it.
Felicia was surprised, but she did as
her mother bade her and then inquired
how she was feeling.
= "Felicia," said her mother. "can
you pray?"
The question was. so unlike any her
mother had ever asked before that Fe-
licia was startled, but she answered:
''tWhy, yes, mother. What makes
You ask such question?
&. 1Felicia, I am frightened Your ia
ther-I have had such strange fears
about him all day. Something is wrong
with him. Iwant you to pray
"Now? Here, mother2''
Eyes. Pray. Felicia :
Felicia reached out her hand and tool