The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1903-07-17
TheOld Signor
BY
LAWRENCE HENRY
Copyright, 1905. By Daily story Ia,. CO..

beautiful girl | had ever seen. In q
Kiralfy ballet, too: deuced odd should
find her there. don't YOU think She
was jus; coming out of sea shell. or
something or other. when | discov.
cred her. Such insinuating grace of
movement charmed me; but ] saw at
once she was a novice. for there was
in every posture a modest shrinking
while in her deep. black. lustrous eyes
burned the story of innocent maiden
hoods outraged sersibilities.
But what a dream of beauty. \
form 1.-THE. sinGous. dainty as a
nymph's; voluptuous in its tantalizing
curves as a Moorish sultana. an &c
stasy in every line. Her hair, black
As ravens wing. reached almost to
her girdle. \ poem of love was her
face. the skin a warm olive, soft. sooth-
ing. inviting, while the red coral of he r
arehed lips made the white teeth with
in elisten like polished ivory. 1t was.
however. in the depths of her maenifi-
cent eyes that everything was summed
up. Timid at the moment. but with
mirrored possibilities unlimited: hate
and love, passion and tenderness. in
tensity aud languor-I saw all there.
and well. | went around behind the
scenes.
! knew the stage manager, Duval.
Locked him up. and in a casual way,
ycu know. sought some information
concerning my maid of the sea shell.
She was on the pay sheet as Fran
cesca Paul; had made her first APP
pearance only few nights before;
possessed a father. a swarthy. keen
eyed old chap Of rather distinguished
appearance. whose lowering brow sus-
Rested something unpleasant. also a
brother. Pietro. no less threatening.
possibly more formidable: that bot h
the father and Pietro always most
zealously escorted Francesca to and
from the theater
| thanked Duval. but as I was leav-
Ing him he cried after me: Look out.
old man. know you're dead game.
but it's dangerous! Those Gagos don't
play lawn tennis"
After a brief search found my sweet
euchastress in recess between some
stage trumpery. apparently trying to
evade the attentions of an oyergroWn
lout of a fellow. who. with greasy leers.
was trying to do the gallant rs !
stepped up ! CHANGED to hear his last
remark. and | knocked him down.
"Oh. signor." she murmured. you
have my gratitude" and her voice was
like the chords of a harp.
"Ah. You speak Engljsh.' ! eager
~ responded
"Oh, YES. Pietro and do. but poor
papa not so we'll. All. but aren't Won
afraid that big brute will come back -
She came close to me, forgot he fle Sh-
lngs, her bare neck and arms: as She
turned her troubled face up to mine |
caught the incense of Ter breath. I
could hardly resist the impulse 10
grasp her in my arms and press her TO
my heart.
All. those women from that far-ofT
sunny land! They learn things in The
nursery that some womtn never
know
"Oh. YOU must not spoil 4 all now. =
abe gently coCed. as she >hlV backed
away. Then she seemed TO remember
the scantiuess Of her attire for. sIarc-
Ing down at herself. reddish glow
mixed with the olive OF her cheeks. the
long lashes of her eyes flHttereG With
out lifting. Hesitatine a moment. she
suddenly, like a startled faUn. elided
by me and disappeared in the uircs
As she passed low-keyed breathless
sentence quivered to my ears:
Il am to be here every night"
After that | managed to see Fran
cesca often, always at the theater
however, and always with the certain.
" that al he last drop II the curtain
the old Italian and pietro. the son.
were to appear This was awkward
of course.
| remember an occasion. after my
sweet. pulSating little divinity and /
had reached terms of excellent III der.
standing, that the sisHor suddenly an.
peared before me as | was entering
theater In tenes Vibrant uith enc
tion he startled me with p ,vauta r.
maree my Francesca >"
For a moment | was uouplu>sed and
stared hlankly at him, then an al once
the humor Of the thing struck me-mt
want TO maryland from Tie corps Ge
ballet! | could not repress a smile
"Looka cut, signor!" he Kissed. "ze
life at stake in zissa play us net u
heart of ne card, but re womau'>
heart"
Darling at me a venomous look from
eyes that seemed to turn green ike a
cats. he lost himself in the crowd.
Well, TO cut il short. one night the
old signor and the faithful Pietr,
came to the theater for their Frances.
ca. and she WAS gone. She was not
theirs any more. heard afterward Of
the awful row they raised Petro was
for everybody's blood. while the old
man sobbed and tore his hair. and
muttered VOWS of vengeance-buf
they returned home alone.
/ thought ! had been loved before
I met Francesca. Bah, One dent
know how deuced fat a elaret is until
L Il