River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-08-01

I = eW are so uulA III iLltilOldis
1T is immoral" said Daphne,
thoughtfully at isn't a nice idea
that . married woman can talk like
1 that to a man" She blushed a little,
afraid of having meddled with sub
| iccts beyond her knowledge.
isn't she delicious!" murmured
Lady Rainbury you don't see
gowns like that at the Lands End,
do you, Daphne?" she added, in a
higher key.
"Oh, no. said Daphne, seriously.
"They are very wonderful. Has Mrs.
/ Calthorpe a daughter?'
I'm sure l don't know. She's been
playing about for years, apparently
without any ties. Do you know any
thing about her?" asked Lady Rain
bury.
Nothing to speak Of" said Col.
Eastwood, conscious double entente.
I'm just home from India, you
know"
There was a knock at the door of
the box. The colonel rose and opened
it, There was whispered colloquy.
| Then he returned and said: Lady
Rainbury, your nephew BERTHE is here.
He begs you to go to the door for a
minute"
'Impertinent hoy! Why can't he
come in?" said Lady Rainbury. But
I she rose good-naturedly as she spoke.
Daphne felt draft on her back,
and heard voices at the door, but
| she did not concern herself with
them. There was smothered ex-
| clamation. "Heayensl What have |
done? How could / l1now?" A few
| inarticulate sentences, and then the
door shut and Lady Rainbury re-
turned. She looked curiously shaken.
MY DEAR" she said, her usual man
ner quite gone, shall we go home?
It's rather dull; don't you think SOP"
Daphne looked surprised. IF you
ike, Lady Rainbury," she said, sub
missively, though she was disap-
pointed.
That's right, dear. Where are the
wraps?"
Colonel Eastwood half rose, with
an inquiring glance. At that moment
| the curtain rose. Mrs. Calthorpe was
on the stage Daphne paused, as if
fascinated; the actress was looking
at her. She was gorgeous in black
velvet and diamonds, with great
lunches Of yiolets at her breast and in
her hair
As she spoke her opening lines,
and stepped forward, change came
over her face, haggard, drawn look,
and dazed expression in the eyes.
She stumbled, swayed and fell. In an
instant the curtain was wrung down.
Daphne leaned far out of the box,
with her hands clasped.
oh" She almost sobbed, sis she i'll =?
Is she dead?"
Lady Rainbury drew her gently
away AS they left the theater a man
came before the curtain and told the
audience that Mrs. Calthorpe was too
i'll to proceed.
Next morning the papers contained
a paragraph to the effect that Mrs.
| Calthorpe was i'll at her hotel. Daphne
read the address and noted it. In the
afternoon Lady Rainbury left her for
an hour; She was expecting Mr. Brooke
at tea-time. Without losing n minute
Daphne stole downstairs in jacket
and hat, and softly left the house,
hailed the first cab she saw, and drove
to the hotel. She had never been out
alone in town in her life, and was full
Of tremors and vague alarms. She
paid the cabman-a shilling too much
rallied all her forces, and entered
the hotel. 1t was a quiet one in a
rather questionable quarter. She
gave the attendant a card on which
she had written in her childish hand
Daphne Brooke begs Mrs. Calthorpe
to see her if she is not too ILL.," Then
she sat down to wait.
While the man was gone with the
card she sat in a chill of trepidation
Soon he returned and ushered her up
stairs The door of the room was
opened by a maid, who Immediately
withdrew.
On the sofa by the fire was Mrs
Calthorpe, mass of white tea-gown
with a hollow, implanted face. The
face quivered when Daphne came in
"Oh, are you better?" asked the
young girl, eagerly, taking the thir
hand which was extended.
, Yes. dear" said the actress. "Hov
kind of you to come! What mad,
you think of it?"
II knew it was all wrong to come,
said Daphne, with the divine candoi
of a child, but | couldn't help it!
did so want to say things"
What things? Sit down here ant
! say them. Who was that with you
r last night? l saw you in the box"
, Lady Rainbury. Father and l me-
her last summer, and she begged hin
, TO let me have a week in town."
5 And she brought you to scene
+ Why did she do that?'
Because | saw your picture in tn,
4 window-the one in the big blacl
! hat-and | wanted so to see youl
{ never wanted anything SO much,
, think"
The play was not favorite o
= mine" said the actress, little un