The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1901-07-12

intermission between the second ana
third acts. when n young en-.
tered II. She was alone, ana s'nteu
herself with such an air or languid IN
difference to operas in general and to
Carmen" in particular that one won
dered for what reason she chose 10
lend her presence to the scene. She
did not even raise her lorgnet ana
sweep the house with an i~uventoryinR
glance. Many glasses. however. were
leveled al her. Even H. the family
,ircle there was u mnrmur OF r,cog-
milton. Sydenham Willoughby's
laughter was familiar to n, classes oil
society, for reporters heralded her DO
ings and printed her portrait when
there was the slightest excuse Tor it
and often when there was none. be-
cause she was n beauty ns well ns an
heiress. Leaning back In her seat she
was u ra,ishing vision. Her black vel
vet costume was IN sharp cont 81 to
the ivory-whitenrss Of her skin. and
there was an unusual charm IN her
expression and manner. which her air
" %unconcsrn heightened.
The curtain rose. There was twi.
light aud fire-gluw In the smuPgler's
stronghold. The audience drew quiet
hreaths while the strains of the cN
q%uisitc prelude sounded. Eiiuorc VII.
loughby looked on NJ one who. seeing,
sees not aud having ,ars. hears not.
She Ind moi drift.d To the opera house
hat day. nor yet had she rome to hear
Carmen for the twentieth time,
Each motif and action shc could an
t%icipatc. but for her there was NO
motive of any Importance except that
which was the key To her own personal
affair. The singers might have been
puppets, might have left the stage. the
audience might have disporsrd-aud
she would scarcely have taken note Of
H.. She only saw before her those
scores which for many days had been
hllinR her mental vision.
She had come Ia the opera for free.
lnm; Ia think. to decide: to avoid
questioning eyes and jcsting voices.
FOR her world was waiting GREATNESS
to hear the truth. The solitude NJ her
own room va opp. cssive- she craved
the alnnerssF thpt only n crowd can
give. To come to u dccis ion why
should she? Lite was pure pleasure
~ II had bron-why must u change?
She was puss' ssrd with u ftr.ing Of
profound irritation that nj! the po.
tentialitirs ~ wealth ard beauty
which before had shielded her from
every annoyance nav awaited nothing.
Decision could not he bought not put
aside ON any prttcNt. What should
she do? Which should II be" Pros
aud cons presented ihemsrlycs In
quick succession. Moods ns Varyiugas
the culnrs In n bubble claimed her for
their oWn What should ,hc do?
In the stage twilight Mercedes and
Frasguita shuiiied cards and read their
drstinirs in clenr tones. 10 Elinore
the rocitati,e brought only the tamil.
lar voice OF n In her miHd.picturc;
'I'uomo che amarrd amarui" C"I!im |
loved aud will love every. u. fore
Gilmore there sioud q form. Young and
strong and must-rful. with u proud
Joy In smilc and =, siurr. There was
moonlight The dash of waves over the
rocks a wumun's promise given.
TIN amor di Carmen non pua
durar!' c'carmen's love docs not
Quickly Elinorc's hrsi mird-gictur
gave place 20 u more brilliant one. and
IN Il she was central figure against a
background of the lUNurics she loved.
She saw a retiuur of attendants. thor.
hors,s, rare jewels. houses
and lands-nnd beside her small, bent
and Insignificant the master ~ II nll.
With nervous reStlessnrss she changed
her position. feeling that emotion was
ovcrmnstering the voice Of culm r,a.
The curtain fell on the twilight
scene. the lights flashed hign acain.
E.inorr drew hersclf up In Gignincd
'rrctncss ns " to defy che weakness
that was cnticing her, and spoke with.
in herself.
at Il right and best. The other
he madness. l should be an
hap" but even the THOUGHT shrank
unfinished In the presence Of a
great truth, Hush! the first Violin
the haunting, thrilling Torcador mu-
sic! Owe her nature swept n second
OF stern resolve. And Vet the
eternal feminine still asserted itself.
,csolved-irresolute; firm. undecided
Fillmore paused, for nne rccapiiulat-
ing moment before the irr,,0cable
amen of her choice ,hould be said.
In the adjoining box u plainly
gowned woman had entered. WAS sent
ing herself with the chilgreu. beside
goldeu-hnired Agatha. Turning to her
with n quick scream of joy. A'atha's
finger slid down the front Of
the plain black waist. from cue button
TO another, while the sweet, shrill
rang out: "nich mani Poor
nup,-oh auntie, auntie. les poor
mAu!'
Everyone WIN saw. and htard, and
understood, shifted; some who had
counted buttons in u long gone child
hood, slghcd; but the person who sat
In No. II grand tltr neither
smiled . sirhed. Turning startled
1000 NH..N