Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-09-11
Yes, Indeed. Oh. the thought Of
seeing all that have loved SO much!"
&. SD do1 IA lei ;, -,

, . y
the little old woman, with q xlow bow,
as sheesaccompanied the, manager to-
the stair; and she stood there looking
after Rim for a long, long time. But
her. emotion made her forget that
the house was still asleep and that it
was not yet eight o'clock, for she
slammed the door noisily, after her,
and, stretching. herself Oh the. sofa,
began toshlm q loye-son e.: Then she
sighed. ."Thank. God, there is, still
some good IN HE" IL.
Again there: was knock at the
door; but this time it. was the Ger
berus, armed, with az broom ut
seems to me you are making lot
OF noise in the house-at your age,
"What-did you say?''> demanded
Mime. de Miramoy, her head held
high. -----.----, :-~....- H.,
The concierge was quelled; but aft
er a moment he: found his tongue.
"Welll-you owe . quarters rent
and the landlord-" . j: :;5 o..
"Tell your master that he shall
have two months rent. And if he
is not atisfied-there-" and she
proudly showed him the letters from
Coquelin and Sarah which she still
held in her hand. -,
"But all that don't tell me you will
pay"
,"You insolent servant, go!" cried
Nine. de Miramoy. -
They were exciting days that pre-
ceded the great night. Under the in
fuence of her jealous emotion Nine.
| de Miramoy seemed to be- no more
than 30. She foated as if in
dream, and, calling up all the warmth
and youth there was in her heart, she
was not idle a minute. Visits. re-
hearsals, nothing tired her. She had
insisted that large and striking post:
ers, bearing her name in flaming let
tiers, should be displayed in her street
and in her room; there she recited
her lines over and over again before
the mirror, until she obtained the de-
sired effect, studying her poses and
expressions, scolding, even striking
herself, or approving, smiling amiably
at herself with eyes and lips.
The longed-for evening arrived. The
little old woman seemed like one
awakening from long sleep as she
entered her brightly lighted dressing
room, with it's mirrors all about the
walls. Nine. de Miramoy ran from
one armchair to another, trying them
all.
Suddenly she stopped still in the
center of the room.
"Why, I have forgotten to eat my
dinner! But then I have, my flask of
port"
Then, hearing the thousand noises
of the theater, she went out, thread
ed her way through the throng OF
costumed personages who stood
about in groups or wandered alone,
mumbling their parts; passed open
doorways where men and women
chatted as they dressed; avoided the
machinists, who were manipulating
tangled mass of pulleys and scenery
in a bewildering confusion of orders,
calls, cries, laughter and mufhed clat-
ter; and, more and more intoxicated,
found her way to the front of the
immense stage and looked through
the peep-hole atSthe audience.
Under the lights moved a sea of
blonde boards and bald pates, shining
shirt-fronts and barred shoulders un-
willingly yelled behind a waving
cloud of soft feathers: Scarcely IA
miliar face among them, and how
changed!--only the mere:t vestiges
of the old days.
Nine. de Miramoy, feeling sudden
chill at her heart, hurried back to
her dressing-room.. ,Passively she let
herself: be dressed and made ready
for her part.
""Why is it all so changed, and so
quickly?" she wondered.
But at last she stood arrayed in all
the glory of her peplum, looking as
young as in her palmiest days: When
she stood before the glass, she could
scarcely believe her eyes. She stepped
back and then went close up to the
mirror, which" seemed to have &C
quired magical properties; she smiled,
she showed her teeth, she examined
herself closely. Heavens! Was it pos
sible was she dreaming?~- No. She
shivers like wet little bird in a
ray of sunshine. Her heart is beat
ing wildly. She asks to be left alone
for moment, and once alone, she
casts a swift glance around, hurries
to her poor, everyday gown, searches
hurriedly in the pockets, takes out
little flask, turns to a corner. and
stoops down the better to conceal her.
self-and drinks. 1t is the port,
which she has not forgotten, and
which will give her strength. She
stands up and waits. She tries her.
great scene: s'S'~. "'F<.
| Rome, who has seen your BIRTH. .
:'sAlas!se her voice is no, longer sure"
Nine. de Miramoy shivers and sinks;
into chair to think. ! S@>.'. :
"Mme. de- Miramoy;;'' they call,
presently ''it is your turn to,, go on. :"
But she does not move. There is
knock. She decides, rises opens
| the door. - 80 ca. + Sc Il .ts2.}
,:"oh, M. Delisle, what night!" she
murmurs a little 4huskily,2 and, TAX
ing his arm, she allows herself to be;
led forth. Those, who watch her as
she passes think from her manner
that she is frightened and dares not
confess it,. Her knees even seem to
be weak under her as she walks. They
all encourage her, and she is forced
gently on the stage. AS she appears,
fhe entire house bursts into a great