Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-06-03
A SACRIFICE.

| tTOtlStEs iIbIhtt~. MIS-. Ssil oii Aiit
lounge sobbing hysterically Her hus
band, Colonel Langley. strobe up and
down the room, angrily lisplacing vari-
Gus chairs and tables, while the boy
cousin-for he was not much more than a
boy in ycars-uricd to paciiy the trio.
'All right. sir. Go your own way, 90
your own way and be -" The last
word was lest i.s the door slammed behind
the irate colonel
Oh, Ted, How can you he So fooliSh:"
said Mrs Langley brokcnly. How can
you dream of marrying q vulgar. uncdu-
Gated danCer:'
Mother replied the boy sternly, Il
love Madge Baptiste, and whether she he
dancer or Il duchess, d millionaireSS or a
retired shopkeeper's daughter, it can mat
ter TO no one but myself if / really love
her.
The mother recommended her hySterical
cries. The cousin, a fair, pretty girl about
his own age, went to him and rested her
hand on his shoulder Teddy, say no
more now. but come with me. Let us
think the matter over calmly"
The next evening Gwendoline stole
| quietly from the house and drove to the
theater where Madge Baptiste danced
nightly. 1t was dusk when she arrived.
She sent up her card, telling the commits
sionaire that the business was urgent He
returned with the information that Miss
Baptiste would see Miss Harper for few
minutes. Then she found herself in a
small and dainty dressing room. Clouds
of soft, silken petticoats lay here and
there. A large jar of flowers stood on the
mantelpiece, and the dressing table was
covered with silver powder boxes, scent
bottles and make up utensils. Photo
graphs of actors, painters and poets stood
in every available corner. Old programmes
in wooden frames and one or two etchings
hung on the walls. Before large mirror
stood Miss Madge Baptiste arranging her
hair
''Ah come in, Miss-Harper Excuse
the untidy state of the room. / think
you'll find chair Let me see, don't
think have met you before. Perhaps you
are a journalist, or
"No, haven't ever met you before,
stalnmered Gwendoline, ''I-came-I
think you know my cousin, Mr. Langley"
She felt her face growing red. She did not
know why she blushed, but this vivacious,
beautiful girl frightened her She had ex-
pected to find such different woman-a
vulgar, i'll bred woman
"Mr Langley? Teddy Oh, yes, 1
know him well. So you are his cousin9
Ted and l are fond of each other, you
know in fact, we think of getting mar
ried soon-at least, he thinks of it. 1
didn't know he had a cousin-such a pretty
cousin, tool'' with u laugh. "He kept that
a secret. "
81 really came to speak about it-about
this marriage" said Gwendoline nervous
ly "You know his people
"Oh!" Madge Baptiste turned sharply
from regarding herself in the mirror
"Oh, understand! They have heard
perhaps he told them; he said he should.
They object-ah? And you?" She drew
chair opposite the girl and sat down and
rested her arms on her knees with her face
between her hands.
81 am only his cousin. We have been
chums always l said / would see you,
and tell you that his father and mother
were angry; that he was merely a boy
and'-
Eyes, yes-I know. Don't go on" She
looked Gwendoline up and down. She saw
her youth; she guessed the real reason of
her visit. "Ted is a boy in years, 1 know,
but he is a man for all that. He is 2a and
l am 23. Besides, L am only dancer, and
he is Colonel Langley'sso Please under
stand have-no-wish to-marry him
if his parents object. Twill tell him he
must go away and not see-me again. I
shall miss him at first expect. a dam
GERS life is a lonely one, you know. She
has SO few friends, and unless She All,
there is the callboy. Well, goodby-and
if don't see-Teddy-again-sa goodby
to him-for me.
But Miss Harper had risen and was
holding Nadge Baptiste's hands in hers,
while two tears ran down her checks.
"Oh, don't, please! How cruel you must
think mel | didn't mean to-I really
didn't. But his mother was SO unhappy,
and l thought you We're al mean, 1
didn't dream you really cared for him. He
shall marry you 1 know he loves you''-
and then she burst out crying.
Miss Baptiste! Curtains waiting!
Hurry upr' yelled small youth at the
door,
'Let it wait; can't comet" replied the
dancer curtly. Then in a soft, gentle
voice to Gwendoline: Don't cry, dear;
you have been ever so kind. know you
meant well in coming. But don't think
had better see him again. You'll make
a much better wife than T. There was
suspicious break in her voice
"Nn. no. said Gwendoline, between
her sobs, blushing violently 81 never
thought of that only care for him as
sister, But as she said it she realized
that she lied.
Come, dry your cyes-why, I'm begin
ming nowl What a pretty pair we are
Poor Ted! Why here are two nice girls
each trying to make the other marry
him
'You-you-will marry him. Promisei
shall never forgive myseif-if you don't
did not know you We're SO good and SO
beautiful
What will father and mother say?"
"Oh, I'll interview themr' laughed
Gwen, drying her eyes.
Even as you interviewed me? Yes,
will marry Teddy if you really wish it,
but not else. l couldn't hurt such good
little thing as you"
And then both women began to Cry
again, holding each others hands.
And Miss Gwendoline Harper also an
nounced, in Colonel Langley's drawing
room, that Madge Baptiste and her cousin |
Ted were quite right to marry each other,
and that she would help them through the |
And Ted kissed her and said she was a |
brick, and the colonel hoisted the white |
flag.
And after it was all over Gwendoline |
sat in her bedroom holding photo of her |
cousin in her hand. And her tears splashed |
on the faded portrait. 81 hope |
she will love him-as much as I love |
him. - she said softly Madame