Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-22
THE END OF THE PLAY.
nY Elixnheth VI. dinner.

full, with superb voice whose notes a
gushing critic declared to be like per-
feet pearls strung on a golden thread
and with trick of rollicking through
her part with an infectious gayety that
made even the most world weary be-
hearted once more.
1t was while 'The Queen OF the Can
nibal Isles" was at the very zenith of
J its popularity that the little prima dom
ma dropped into quiet restaurant one
| day for bit of lunch, and while the
[ waiter was gone to fill her order let
her thoughts drift into happy day
dream. What happiness to have youth
and beauty and fame and Dick--best Of
all, Dick-what a swell he was, and
how she loved him! So her thoughts
drifted on, until she became aware that
two fashionably dressed women had en-
tered, and taken seats at table next
hers, and were audibly and indiscreetiy
| discussing their friends.
Have you heard the news about Dick
Lamison?" inquired one.
NO" returned the other.
why, he and his uncle have had a
frightful quarrel about an actress.
Seems Dick wanted to marry this lara
lie Grande, who is singing in The
Queen of the Cannibal Isles and his
uncle swears If he does he will disin-
herit him.
But don't you suppose his uncle
would forgive him?" put in the other.
Never Consistency is the old gen
tlemans strong point"
He'd never get over what ne would
consider Dicks making mssdl'iauce
You know his pride. He always talks
about the Lamisons, as il they were
the royal family"
But who is this cara lie Grande?"
ooh, | don't know. Somebody with
beautiful voice. Came from some
common family, / dare say. People
one never heard of. He'll be an awful
fool to give up a fortune for a woman
whom like as not he'll be ashamed Of
as soon as the novelty wears off. Try
some of this lobster Newberg. It's
DELICIOUS. the woman stopped abruptly.
There was a vacant chair at the table
at which they sat, and cara had come
swiftly forward, her beautiful face as
Write as death, and had dropped into
it.
II am cara lie Grande," she said in
a low tense voice, and / could not help
hearing what you said. Is it true that
Dick I.amison will be ruined if he mar
ries me? IL did not know-he never
told me- never dreamed that he would
have to make any sacrifice for me.
I-she laughed little mirthiessly-"T
even thought that the sacrifice would
be the other way, and that | would be
making it for him. Perhaps" she went
on, breathlessly, Il am not the wife for
him. My world hasn't been his world,
but never thought of harm coming to
him through me.
"You are right when you said I was
common born. l was born under the
canvass of circus tent, and my first
recollection Is of hiding, poor COVER
ing little creature, behind the trunks
in a dressing tent until my father slept
his drunken fury off, and my careless
mother happened to remember me.
when other children were learning TO
lisp their bed time prayers, was being
tossed from one to another on a high
trapeze, too young to know the danger
of death they dared for me. So /
grew up. Old in knowledge Of the
hard and bitter side of life before l
was old in years, with no gentle influ-
enee to guide me, no womanly counsel,
nothing but feeling here and she
laid her hand-her beautiful artists
hand, as white as lily and as strong
as a mans upon her breast until she
crushed the violets pinned there, that
made me know that even amidst the
squalor of such life must keep my
soul clean or should die of self loath-
ing.
by and by found out that had
voice, and l begun to sing. Oh" she
said bitterly as one of the women at
tempted to interrupt her, Il begun at
the bottom there, too. 1t has always
been the bottom with me. | begun in
the chorus, and l sat UP nights and
sewed, and shaved, and starved, and
worked, and climbed inch by inch I'M
til" and she flung out her hand with
superb gesture to wnere they could
see, through the window the play bills
with her name on them Haunting big
| letters.
THAT isn't the atmosphere in which
| Dick Lamison's wife should have been
| reared, is it?" she went on, with a
| quiet scorn in her voice. "She should
| be one like him-born to the purple,
and aristocrat to her finger tips, one
whom the winds have never been per-
mitted to blow roughly upon, who has
| lived in the shadow of her chaperones