The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1901-04-19

l.
like robber to write without arous-
ing suspicion. He felt that it was
his last chance to write something
worth while.
Several days later Pierre and his
wife went back to the city. He was
loath to leave, but Martha was hap
Ply in anticipation of new triunphs.
Her devoted count had promised to
open new, and yet more Fashionable,
houses to her.
eve will push your husband" he
said, in protecting tone.
"Work, PIERRE" added Martha.
"The Endorsement of the count is val
liable. Don't throw away the chance"
Pierre Dubreuil did not answer.
Nowadays he appeared to be indif-
ferent to all that went on around him.
One day at the end of melan-
choly dinner tete-a-tete with Martha
he said:
by the way, the Gymnase will pre-
sent play of mine in a few weeks.
The newspapers made the announce
ment this morning."
"What!" exclaimed his wife, curl
ously. lou have said nothing of it
to mel"
''What was the use? I have always
had such bad luck with my work that
I have not mentioned this one even to
YOU"
Martha was satisfied and the
thought of a play by her husband
pleased her vanity. She liked to i'm
agine herself in box on the opening
night.
She kissed her husband on both
cheeks.
"Are you content?" he asked, anx-
iously.
eyes indeed, my husband" she
answered.
When the time approached for the
representation Martha was happy.
For the newspapers contained many
advance notices and most of them
spoke Of the play as excellent.
The play presented at the Gymnase
was not comedy, but drama of
great depth and emotional strength
representing a drama of the strong
est human emotions. The blase pub
lie was delighted. 1t was tri, mph
with few presidents in the enthusi-
asms it aroused. It was a masters
work that people said would place
the author among the rank Of the
worlds foremost dramatists.
. Martha, charmingly dressed in
mauve, was in box with a crowd
of friends, among who was the per-
sistent count. From the first words
of the play she was surprised. The
story acted on the stage was familiar
to her. 1t seemed as if she had had
the same experiences in the days of
her courtship. She clapped her little
hands in applause, proud to listen to
the clever words and charmed to see
the dead days revived. She sought to
glance in the eyes of her husband hid
den behind a curtain of the box.
In the second act the action grew
quicker. A crisis came between the
man and wife. The words they spoke
were those that had passed between
Martha and Pierre. Evidently he had
put his own experience into the play.
1t was interesting, but what would
come next? Martha had been Sc in
different to Pierre that she could not
guess.
the drama the suffering of her hus-
band was analysed with a masters
hand, cruel in his resignation, tor
ture and tenderness. The role of the
woman was studied with psycbolo-
gy delicate and mocking. It was q
masterpiece.
Martha listened with beating heart.
Each phrase spoken by the con,edi-
ans was for her like the stab of q
dagger. Was it possible that she had
made Pierre suffer like that? For by
this time she knew that her true his
tory was being told on the stage.
"Bravo," shouted the count, who did
not understand the real meaning of
the play. my friend, your husband,
is clever fellow, and we will make
something of him.
But Martha did not answer. SIZE
stifed her emotion.
''Take my arm," said the count, at
the end.
"Not to-day" she answered. IT
shall be proud to go on the arm of my
husband"
Pierre followed her with difficulty,
making a passage through the admir-
ing crowd. When in the street his |
friends crowded to congratulate them.
They wished to give them a supper.
When the supper had ended and they |
reached home in that house where
Pierre had experienced so much hap
piness and grief, Martha fell on h'r
knees before him and broke into tears.