The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-07-16

ll;b- bul a month after lue troupe Htu
entered the metropolis she invited him to
GO. They turned down the gas. which
burned in a dark colored globe. and read
poetry together. When they had finished
reading they spoke of the verses and of
love and morality. The guest talked in a
low. soft voice and the hostess answered
in like tones, not because she wished 10
be affected. but because she felt subdued.
He made many foolish speeches to her and
she exhibited her respect for his knowledge
in every fourth sentence she delivered. But
when he attempted to retain her hand aft
er they had adjourned into the hallway
she took no pains to prevent his seeing
that she did not like it, And this was
Sunday night.
The young actor continued spending his
few idle evenings with the leading woman
and the illumination continued so slight as
TO have been cause of uneasiness to the
trust which provided il had not the item
been a small one. Mrs. Browning was well
thumbed, and so was Moore. but neither
received the attention given Byron. The
visitor always modulated his voice, and
made remarks for which he very sanely
despised himself after he had left the half
lighted room. For the remarks were not
sensible. People in the company said evil
things without believing them or really ex-
pecting each other to believe them. Most
players can tell their associates everything
they have done and several things they
have not done in a months time, and then
they must have new matter about which
to converse.
Ralph Davis was constantly being praised
in the newspapers and always handed the
clippings TO Miss Gorham to put on his
side of her balanced mind. To them
he added dozens of experiences of which
he was invariably the hero, hundreds of
little kindnesses which put him to no in
convenience and numerous protestations of
affection. With all these the aforesaid
mind finally tipped. After hearing him
! improvise a petulant, third disagreeable
monologue one night she gave up and told
him simply that she loved him. There
was no romance or nonsense in her way of
saying it-sae had used all that in saying
commonplace things. But he kissed her.
II was not the first time he had kissed her,
but it was the first time he had kissed her
without protest and even easily-cenquered
indignation on her part. And after bit
he went into the street which led to his
hotel. When daylight came he was angry
with himself because of what had Hap
pened.
Within the week receipts fell eff at the
theatre in which Mr.. Davis and Miss Cor
achieved the success prophesied for it,
nastiness having become rather usual in
New York, and nothing but billboard ma
terial had been gained by staying SO
long. An announcement of the final per-
Torrance did not increase the business
being done, and so arrangements were
made for taking the piece on the road
, again. Excepting for the two leading peo-
pie, whose work had been so praised
. har far OH
pected to complain at their absence, all
the more expensive members of the COM
bination were dismissed. There was new
heavy man and a new ingenue and a new
soubrette, who was a singularly handsome
girl. Neither the folk who were discharg-
ed or those who took their places were
informed of the engagement between the
former friends for the simplest of rea-
sons. Ralph Davis had requested that the
affair be Kept secret, and Katherine Cor
ham never disputed his wishes. Nor was
she anxious that they should know.
For an extraordinarily long time matters
continued as they had been with the two
principals. The manager of the company
proposed to feature each, and both accept
ed the proposition. The leading man did
not always accompany his opposite to her
hotel after the performance, but she went
with no one else, because he asked her not
to do so, and he never failed to meet her
within the half hour. She said very little
of her affection for him, and showed less
in the ordinary way. This was not much
to the actors liking. and his regard for
the girl had begun to fall off amazingly
when she saved his life. The occasion
was a simple one. a drunken stage hand
stabbed at him one night, and Miss Cor
ham deliberately stepped between them
so that she received the knife wound in
her shoulder. 1t was not a severe wound
but she tainted, and the shifter was dis
charged.
The soubrette's name was Addie Eel
Miss Fellows was present when her COL
league was revived. Did you do it be-
cause you loved him." she whispered
while she was bathing the cut.
No" answered the victim. a glance al
the man she had saved reminded her o.
his request
Miss Gorham was quite silly about he;
cut. II was nothing more than painful, but
she did not appear for a week, and acted
much like an invalid. She did not talk
about the accident itself. but she said SC
much regarding her sufferings that Mr.. Da.
Wis was moved first TO feel guilty about
them and then to be disguised. Miss Eel
| lows came to the room daily, and he inya-
riably escorted her back TO her hotel He
took her to the train on the Sunday Of
their next jump. Miss Gorham was moi
! jealous.
| On the contrary, the two girls became
I great friends. They were together larg,
| part of the time not required for theii
duties. The leading man seldom accom-
/ panied them on their rides, nor did he of
| ten make third member of their party
| As the months wore on the affection o.
| the elder for the younger grew NOR,
! marked. She displayed a tenderness tina
was almost motherly, and that was moi
| in the least warranted by the slight ad.
! vantage she had over the soubrette in the
matter of age. The change might have
been the result Of the increased charity
and womanliuess Miss Gorham had fell
since she began loving, and it might have
| been caused by the same strange worry
! that of a sudden had made her more quie
and reserved than ever. But it was Meth.
1 or.
Ralph Davis began seeing more of tn,
woman TO whom he was not engaged an,
1 less of the one TO whom he was. He haC
won the heart Of the last, and that OF tn,
/ first was still in doubt. Then Miss Cor
ham had been more silent since the nigh
! on which she had confessed her regard [,
him. and seemed not nearly so much awe,
at his abilities and his stories. Her so
| clety became matter OF Indifferent in
terest to him, and finally OF absolute tor
ment. He evaded her. She taxed him witt
this one afternoon, and he avoided he
| questioning She Insisted and he lied.
The company had reached Chicago.
Miss Gorham thought more than wa
good for her, but she lost a great deal o
foolish sentiment She stopped readin,
poetry and gave up endeayoring to max
her room, at whatever hotel she happened
10 be staying, look like q curiosity shop
] & .,Aic.anns ~ tha thnatra r-nra Iarn.o an.