The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-10
p Twelfth Might TabloaU

and then she put her arm around me and
gave me a Miss.
| And you will tell Ralph. this. kittie?'
| Yes. auntie, | will.
| Very we'll, my dear. am sure / can
rely Upon your promise.
! l had an opportunity OF speaking alone
| with Ralph after luncheon. Ralph made
/ the opportunity. He was the most In
/ gentous boy at making opportunities-and
using them, He wanted to use this one
now. He tried to kiss me. / drew myself
| away and held him at arms length I
had given my promise, and l meant to
keep II.
my lover. evidently taken aback
| Ralph" said. everything must cease
| between u.s.
What the-ir,od heavens. Kitten But
/ | know what 1t is. The maternal has
been at you
Yes 1 admitted. "and the paternai.
| too"
| his brow lowering, ito bully you-an or
| phan Sirl-just because they think that
they have the whip hand OF you. I-f'H
take care to let them know what think
NO, no. Ralph For heavens sake,
! don't do that. or you will ruin all
! Tit seems to me. Kitten" rejoined
my cousin, gloomily. that IL they have
all Is pretty well ruined already"
/ "Ah, Ralph" I said, IL did not ex-
aetly promise to give you up: Fl only
! promised to place myself unreservedly In
aGnt's and uncle's hands. to do whatever
| they direct
"Efum" growled Ralph. biting his nails
and frowning THE same thing-a dis
! tinction without difference. or course.
| we know very well whit they will direct
They are both dead set on this match
: with Lady Gwen. Nothing will put them
Off it,
IL am n-not quite sure, Ralph"
| He caught the intention in my tone.
"WhatI'' he calculated. eagerly DO
you mean to say that yeu think there Is a
| chance Of their consenting to our engage
| ment, kitten?''
"a chance-yes. An OFF chance, per-
what do you mean. Kitten? What
ling?''
You are our stage manager tonight,
| tableau at the end?''
! 'Eh2" he exclaimed. with a mystiied
! air, lone extra tableau2 Why. there's
no time Kitten How about the rehsar.
it?'' ~''
There would only be two actors. and
they have-have already rehearsed their
I parts pretty often: and as for the dresses
/ believe 1 know where to put my hand
| upon them
Hang it. Kittenw said Ralph Pm
no hand at riddles. What's the answer7''
! l went close up to him. / whispered
! full explanation into his ear. He
! started. Looked doubtful. Hunmed and
hawed- Twfrled his mustache. Said: by
! Jover Was bowed IL he didn't think
! there might be something in It. Under
/ took to cooperate Styled me delicious
/ little darling Machiavell Put his seal
| 20 his undertaking. 1 accepted the seal,
/ but remembering my faithful promise to
auntie) simply as seal.
| We then arranged details. This extra
c ca6ean was m come on al the end az
a fba
man might be routed out. l believed 7
knew where I could unearth the Iady's,
and. in fact, / made all necessary sug-
gestions for the proper production of the
/ picture Ralph seconded my sugges.
lions most heartily. We soon had the Lit.
tie scheme cut and dried Nothing was
cess of the presentment. 1t only remained
TO see whether that success would be
realized.
The afternoon wore on. The evening
| came. The guests arrived. At last we
/ had fairly started on our series of tab
| leGux- Poor Ralph was in such a state
! of nervous excitement that. every time
/ he spoke to me, I could distinctly hear his
tongue click in his dry mouth. / myself
/ was in a terrible state Of tension. But
| managed to conceal my nervousness bet
ter. although my heart was palpitatine
! painfully. and cold shivers Of perturba-
| ton kept wriggling down my spine.
I The other tableaux seemed to be drag
/ cling fearfully-to be hurrying all too fast
4
| the twinkling of an eye-after whole
| century-the crisis overlook US Ra.ph
\ and stepped onto the stage together
| Ralph held my hand. His was burning
| hot: knew that mine was icy cold. My
| heart was beating in my ears, my head
| my throat If had opened my lips at
! that minute l should have burst into
/ torrent of sobs. There was a high color
/ on Ralph's cheeks. his eye sparkled: his
| face was handsoner than ever under
stress OF a great excitement. His dress
| set his manly, vigorous frame in full per-
| lection. The frtlled shirt. the green swat
| lowtails. the gorgeous waistcoat the
| pantaloons! I could only hope that mine
| became me as well; that / appeared to
| equal advantage in my ringlets, my short
| WASTED muslin. my sandals. my frilled
| what-d' ye-call-' ems.
| The stage had been arranged to repre-
| sent an alcove, leading out Of a ballroom
| The music Of Sir Foyer de COverley struck
| up behind the scenes and the sound OF
| tripping footsteps and gay laughter was
| to be distinctly heard-the work of in
| visible confederates. Ralph and | sat side
| by side upon a couch His left arm was
around by waist His right was extended
| close in front of re eager TO seize and
| impris0n mine, while he was entreatfng
| me to yield to him. And l. with DOWN
cast eyes. and face demurely averted. was
/ making up my mind. Then the curtain
! ran up Some one announced the title Of
J the tableau in stentorian voice-''Mak-
I ing Up Her Mind a Twelfth Night Epi-
/ sode of the Twenties''-and every nerve in
| my body was ungling and 1 was dazed
| and sutTocateC with very excitement.
| Then a horrible sensatiOn-a creeping
! crawling. benumbing Sensat ion-St0e over
| my limbs: my head swami my sight grew
| dim and hazy, and all my strength and
| self-cOntrol seemed 10 leave me and to
/ float away into the hot and vapory air
| above the footlights. | gave one gesping
/ sob. I sank hack on Ralph's strong arm
| and-that is all 1 remember.
When next opened my eyes I was on
! the sofa in Aunt Maria's boudoir. Auntis
| was beside me | saw her face. There
| was such a changed. sweet expression
/ upon it, aud-yes, actually yes-there wers
! still wet tears upon her cheek She stoOp-
| ed over me and kissed mel cannot sag
/ how tenderly-and then she called me Kit
| ten. So I knew ii was all right.
! | closed my eyes and vert Off again into
| ed shortly by the opening of the door,
! Uncle had come in, and Ralph Uncle
| laid his hand upon my forehead and
| smoothed back nv ringiets.
! Hey, little Kitten" he said in ca
| And then he added. as he looked down at
/ me: ''Pshawi The likeness is wonderful.
/ You are simply resurrected here, Mollie,
| IN our little dessed-up puss-"
And you are resurrected in Ralph, Ru-
/ pert. He is your very self at thirty years
! ago"
/ As she spoke their eyes met in a look OF
/ extreme tenderness. 1t was easy to see
/ of what they were thinking. I don't know
| how it was. l began to feel rather guilty
/ now; to have It borne upon me that I had
had perhaps done rather mean thing in
| making a stage picture OF that dearly
cherished episode; in dragging into the
/ glare Of the footlights what was so sweet
/ and sacred memory to both.
II ought not TO h-have done It" I
faltered. liam S-sOrry. 1t was h-hor-
| rid Of me toto make ii p-public likt that