Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-26
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Two Matinees, ;
* by EHzaketh Beaumont Kennedy. X

ny Elizabeth Beaumont Kennedy.

Everybody liked Billy Brown. who
sold tickets at the Lyceum window.
The other men in the office told him
their secrets and borrowed his money,
and the little lads who rented opera
glasses would have fought for him any
day and gloried in the battle. But the
person whom Billy desired most to
have like him was a blonde matinee
sirl with soft eyes and gold-glinted hair.
She came so regularly through the sum
mer opera season that Billy grew first
to expect her, and then to long for her.
yes, l nave saved you something
good. Miss Ward he would say, while
his eyes lit up with a pleasure that was
unmistakable. And she would smile
back and thank him with shy modesty.
Once when a sudden storm came up he
carried her to the car under his UNI
brella, but she had declined his escort
any farther; so the season was nea it's
close and he really knew very little of
her beside her name.
1t was the last matinee before the
fitting of the singers, and Billy felt he
must learn something of her or life
would be very lonely until the winter
season opened. Finally he decided on
a bold step. He chose two excellent
Seats, and, reserving the one on the
aisle for himself. he gave her the other
when she came. THE Bohemian Girl"
was the bill for the day, and the cur
tain had just rome up on the second
act when Billy slipped quietly into the
vacant seat beside Miss Ward. She
looked at him at first in startled sur
prise, then colored beautifully as she
hesitatingly returned the bow he gave
her. He had meant to boldly start a
conversation, but the music was begin
ninS so he a to content himself with
offering her his glasses and picking up
her fan. At the next interval, however,
he said bravely as the curtain fell:
Rafael and little Myers are in fine
voice today" To which she made po-
lite but distant reply. But Billy was in
love n desperate and not to be
daunted, and so with the utmost def
erence he went on to talk of the opera
season, it's artistic and financial sue
cess. And gradually the girl unbent,
so that they We're chatting like old
friends when the curtain went UP. Then
her attention returned to the stage; but
Billy sat studying her absorbed face, it's
delicate curves, it's sweet wOmanliness
and thinking hat life would mean to
him if he had a wife like that to work
Aoi' HS Adu always Dtcu SucIl d lonely
fellow, without mother or sisters, n he
was so warm-hearted and affectionate
that he felt his isolation keenly. Every
word the girl had uttered convinced him
he had been right in his estimate of her
character, and his loneliness grew upon
him.
when other lips and other eyes
Their tale of love shall tell"
sang Rafael in his clear, imprisoned
voice: and the girl, turning her head
suddenly, met Billy's longing eyes in a
gaze it was impossible to misinterpret.
For one fascinated she met
that gaze, then her lashes swept down-
ward and a deep rose-tone suffused her
face.
When hollow hearts shall wear a mask
Twill break thine own to see,
In such a moment 1 but ask
That you'll remember me-"
sang Rafael, and the vast audience
thrilled and stirred: and Billy leaning
sidewise whispered into the small ear
near his shoulder:
will you remember me at such a
time?-I would sell my soul to serve
you'll
Again the soft eyes met his full of a
vague questioning; then apparently
satisfied, sank to the hands clasped in
her lap.
Pardon me- Billy whispered humbly,
under cover of t@e applause, for he
trembled lest he lad offended her, ''but
you see I lave been watching you and
thinking as"-.c you all summer, and so
l seem to nave known you for ages. I
should not have spoken thus, of course
but, by heaven, l meant it,"
She made no reply. and if WAS not
until the last scene was over that he
spoke again, then it was only some
commonplace about the end of the sea-
son. They came out of the theater to-
gether, for he kept persistently by her
side. But on the corner she stopped.
Il wait for my car here. You have
been very kind to me this summer, Mr..
Brown, and I shall carry away from
your city many grateful memories of
YOU"
You are leaving the city," faltered
Billy.
yes; my stay here has been only
temporary: I a relatives elsewhere
who are claiming me-
You will not come to the matinees
this winter?"
"NO."
And Billy knew his place at the ticket
window would be unbeatable. The
misery in his heart was depicted plainly
on his face, and perhaps that was what
Snade the girl put out her hand.
Il hope we shall meet again some
time. Good-bye." And she stepped on
to the car that had paused at her sig
nal and was whisked away before Billy
caught his breath. Then he cursed him.
self for a fool for not following her. He
was pushing enough in business mat
ters, but somehow in her gentle presence
he lost all capacity for assertive action.
The autumn was so dreary for Billy
that he gave up his place at the
Lyceum window and went on the road
as agent for a new star" The
change was a relief, but he still longed
for a sight of the soft eyes and gold
glinted hair, and still dreamed of the
home the owner might have made for
him. One afternoon in a western city,
Vor