The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-01-02

Joyous applause greeted his speech
Jellan lie Loup, Selling upon an empty
barrel that stood in q corner, %rundled
it forward, and standing it on one end
invited Villon to take his seat upon this
whimsical throne. The poet sprang
lightly upon the perch thus provided
for him., and sat there with his legs
a crossed, holding his long sword against
- his knees with both hands. The men
III and women gathered about him, like
1t bees about a rose bush. Huguette
Ia placed herself on a stool at his feet.
Is Jehanneton flung herself full length on
the ground and stared up into his face.
Robin Turgis straddled a bench at
some distance and grinned. Louis
seized the opportunity to whisper be-
Is hind his hand to Tristan that he found
the fellow, diverting, to which Tristan
w replied grufly that he for his part
found him a dull ape. Louis might
nave argued the point but his interest
+ was claimed by the voice of Villon,
a who, being comfortably installed on his
"a wine cask, was beginning his promised
g narrative. A philosopher would have
y d~iscerned something pathetic in the
picture of the ragged rascal thus cir
died about with ~blackguards of a baser
y, sort, his lean body quivering, his eager
face alive with emotions, mocllery on
his lips and sorrow in his eyes: to the
sardonic King it afforded nothing more
! and nothing less than amusement.
4 You must know dear devils and
e. ever-beautiful Blowens, that three
...aadaysr ago, when I was lying in The ken
o,e {el, which is my humor, and staring at
en' ,,1e sky which is my recreation-I
a. ,t>eak, honest citizen, but in parable or
6ny ItSory, avdear device with the school
tha,7abt 4 saw between me and heaven the
dacisinn + q lady, the loveIiest face I ever
e. 1
reach. bo ,o3. Ahhass i,aiu,,H,,
He went Ding her borrowed mannish-
Vously paced Ito sniSfle and to assert h
.Well:, saio was q faithless pig, but
II intend to take.
myself" hing ITO church-God
"Ah!" said Longche looked my way as
1T will be the Though. she saw me no
continued, as if spec theSycobble-stone I
that 1 shall ever have once and forever.
tunity to hold Miss W,bbleh deal of love,
arms. have looked for'we know little or
three years." 'hen,i it comes it
"Yes?" said Longchampsaocked so silly
no "W VI M;i is W me tn9%9te sa Midd.?ink was the
behind them on her way to fce To-, each
for the last scene. d his~,de-
"This!" L~ongchamps said 80 Of Ms
"Mr. Bushnell insists hat our 40 y
heroine shall marry the manager IN ON
climax Of the new play rs
But" he went on, Il have now madt :
up my mind that he shall not! He says
he intends to play the lead with you q
himself" :
'Mr. Bushnell!" she said. e
"Valerie"- he commenced again.
And he says" interrupted Long c
champs, that he will not produce ii
unless the heroine does marry her man
ager!"
'"That is a difficulty she said. .
Then L~ongchamps took a step nearer :.
to her. -
"You tell me you are tired of the {
STAGE he said, speaking SO that she t.
alone could hear. Il have a little place c
up here in Louisiana. VIII you go w b
there with me and let my sister take q
care of you, and let me-ah-make yol n
q perfect play" 7
She met his eager eyes. 1
"To which character do you propose
to give the lead?" Bushnell asked {
breaking in in voice and in person. {
ITO the spenniless New Orleans news {
paper. man." Longchamps blazed out
5 'Whom the heroine asked to write hel
7 new play!'
= She was idly kissing the rose in he,
l hand. |.
Come into my room," she said, "ane
I'll talk it over with YOU t.
She placed her hand on his arm ant
he started to draw her away.
q The scene! The scene, Miss Went:
= WORTH" the stage manage cried. ."
, am holding it for you"
Bushnell reused himself.
Ring down the curtain!" she said
sayagely, Tell them she is sick"
Say something to herr" Clark en-.
treated him. Its the last perform.
ance, mani! 1t spoils the play!"
e "Oh, yes Bushnell said, duly, 81
spells the play"
He was watching her retreating fig.
ure. Smiling, she passed onward IL
sweet, stately silence, the train Of hel
regal costume, unheeded, sweeping thu
a dusty stage, and Longchamps stopped
at the door for a moment as she en-
tered the reception room of her dress
ing apartments. You might give til
- the audience he called back over hi!
shoulder, when you tell them the.
"a can get their money back the real rea
son Of Miss WentWorth's refusal to fin.
,t ish, because I shall give it to the news
s papers later. 1t was her last appear.
ance." .z
&C His only answer was the sound of til,
re signal bell and the thud of the curtain
pole as it struck the stage rather heav'
lily. Outside he could hear Bushnelli'
81 voice beginning:
re Ladies and gentlemen
He did not wait for more, for insid,
o. the threshold before him Miss Went.
q worth's maid still invitingly held opel
t1e the door of the great actress apart
~, n,ents, and a little farther on, under tn,
chandelier, she stood waiting.
TX -, ~
Is Bow Wow!
Ike Tit-Bits: Talking of dogs" said the
colonel, "a friend of mine has a Gordon
lr- setter. She's the most sympathetic dos
I ever heard of. She has the materna
~ y s,,,k;,o + en- ctrnnC thai she has hrOIgh.