The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-21
WHEN The CURTAIN FELL.

They met at rehearsal and firted In
aa meaningless. light-hearted way. The
pretty. piquant face attracted him
oddly.
When alone wise resolutions took
shape in his brain. only to be broken
upon seeing her the next day.
Discretion was hurled away. and
promises made which could not be
withdrawn.
They had been on tour. for a very
few weeks; delightful walks and drives
were of daily occurrence. The lovers
were seldom parted. Certain malicious
tongues in the little company began to
tattle-it is ever so. He cared for her
too well. or thought he did. to allow
this. Through the sting of scandal the
little romance was hurried into mar
riage. He knew so we'll how sweet and
innocent their love had been. Why
could they not have been allowed to
drift on longer down the stream of
happiness?
BY marrying her he cut off all
chances of attaining to the life so often
dreamed of. With his exceptional voice
and other advantages it seemed hard to
have to spend the best years of his
manhood in provincial. dreary obscur-
ity. She would always be milestone
around his neck. They were certainly
very happy on tour, but it was FOOLS
paradise.
The day at length arrived for them
to part. His opportunity had come.
An offer from a London manager to
whom he had applied long since'
He could not possibly take her with
him. A fearful good-by was whispered
on her side-on his promise to send
l Tor her as soon as possible.
Twelve months passed by. The COM
any had broken up; a long-standing
, 'panto'' engagement had been fulnled,
n T.On
husbands letters,at first regular, though
brief, pleading the strenuousness or ms
efforts to gain an assured positlon, mao
ceased, and for upward Oh TWO months
hers had been unanswered. rearing
that he might be ILL., she had written to
his agents, only to be told tnat ne hao
recently terminated a successful en-
eagement had left town for a short
holiday, and that they regretted being
unable to give any further information.
She was for some time buoyed up by
the hope that he would drop in unex-
pectedly and take her away with him,
and accordingly stayed at her lodgings |
in the provincial town until heart and
brain, and health. and-iast but not
least-funds broke down concurrently.
With but one sovereign in her posses
sion she arrived at the London ter
minus, and proceeded to the of1lces OF |
Messrs. Stage, the well-known agents,
near the Strand. No further Informal |
ton was forthcoming, and upon her |
broaching her own affairs Mr.. FRANK
Stage could only suaVely regret tnat
All companies were complete" and |
that it would be useless to call again |
within the next month.
A terrible sense of desolation seized |
her Securing cheap lodgings, she settleo
down to examine the theatrical papers
for some paragraph which might indl-
cate her husbands whereabouts her
inquiries were received with partially
yelled derision, or excessive pollteness'
almost as hard to bear -.
The workroom. or wardrobe, of GER
tain London theater represented busy
scene. A new musical comedy was to
be produced in less than a week. At
such times the employment of extra
hands" was usual x strange face made
little difference. This time, however, |
, he latest arrival did cause a little f1ut- Z
,,er1 in the 'vvorkrooTn. The set Dallid /
features and burning eyes. scarcely /
seeming to belong to living person, |
gave them a creepy feellng-she seemed I
so thoroughly out of place among |
them.
The gossip Of the stage often reaches |
the sewing room; and the chief topic /
now was the rumored engagement be
tween the principals in the forthcoming /
production, the tenor and the soprano.
Ell be doin is bit with some feel /
in, and 'er too" remarked one roman |
tically disposed seamstress to another. /
The girls would often enjoy SLY peep /
al the rehearsal proceeding so busny be- (
low when the wardrobe mistress vigil I
liant eve was not upon them The pale, |
sad girl showed strange interest in these
Tehearsals, slipping away from work |
whenever possible to gaze down eagerly I
at the people on the stage. Needless OF /
time or refreshment. she never Joined I
the others in their hurried midday snack
across the road.
1t was the night of the opening. |
Everybody rushed about in state OF /
nervous excitement. The tenor had just /
L. - HTT
equipped and resplendent for his part.
Don't be nervous. Percival; good /
luck. old chap" said the acting man
ager. meeting him on the narrow fight /
of steps leading to the stage The men I
pressed hands earnestly. the tenor re- |
spending with a sickly smile.
Why did he feel so nervous? There !
was no apparent cause for it, Note and |
letter perfect. a sweet and sympathetic |
soprano TO work with. what had he to |
fear?
The curtain fell on the first act. The (
audience rose simultaneously with de- /
light, cheering again and again, so long /
and loudly that those behind could not |
realize what had happened until they |
saw Percival. with startled eyes and /
CHASTITY face, despite his elaborate make |
up, supporting a pale woman in cling |
ing black dress.
A doctor. happening to be in the thea
ter, was soon on the spot. she was 4
dead. Over excitement had taxed the
poor weak heart too greatly. She car
.sied her secret to the grave The miser- |
Nfle. shrinking coward, whom she had /
I. ought so long, stood by in silence. He
vas really free at last-free in a sense, /
but not free from the crushing load of |
Eelf-contempt with which his after life |
will be burdened. Will his freedom be
worth the price ?-Constance Arnott, in /
London Free Lance.
Pace Following Dangerous.