The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-12-15

nest young man he never would have
become involved in the affair with the
actress. Had he been inclined to
-porty i,.eas and hankerings for
'green-room escapades" and affairs
with bellies OF the stage, such as af-
fict so many otherwise normal young
fellows, he never would have become
entagled with Viola Markham, and
certainly never would have given
Rodgers Corners such a shock as he
did.
Paul grew upa very commonplace
sort of boy. He was steady, indus
trious and saving. Everybody about
Podgers Corners agreed that he was
model boy--only some insisted he
was not overly bright. But others
said IL was only lack of imagination.
OF that you may judge later.
He accomplished great deal in his
slow, methodical manner, however,
and by the time he was in the early
twenties had cleared the cumbersome
Indebtedness from the farm left by
his father when he and his sister
were mere children, and improved the
property until il was one of the
model farms in the vicinity. When his
sister married he divided the farm so
as to leave the homestead in her part
and after that he lived with her and
began to add to his own acres
He never had felt a desire to live
in the city" nor even to go there.
He moved contentediy in his little
sphere, his only extravaganza being
books, and he grew to be stalwart.
h9rd-handed, sun-burned son of the
soil.
When 1t became necessary for him
TO go to the city to fix up some dis
puted matters with the firm to which
he sold a large part of his produce.
he regarded the event with dread.
1t was largely because of his sis
ter's repeated admonitions that Paul
determined to visit theater. He had
only partially completed his business
and had to stay over another day,
anyway. So he found himself facing
the footlights from balcony seat.
and mentally clubbing himself for
wasting rs cents in so scandalous
manner.
just then the curtain went up
and moment later Paul Comstock
was plunged into new world. He
had never seen play before and the
scene before him was as real as life.
He sat leaning forward, with half
parted lips, drinking in the panorama
before him. 1t was all so new, so
altogether wonderful that he rubbed
his eyes to see II 1t were not dream.
His interest quickly conferred in the
vivacious soubrette who played the
ingenue. She was a merry little
blond and had n very good part as
sweet and guileless maiden who
solved everybody's troubles and cir
cumyented the burly, black-mus-
tached villain, despite the most
alluring temptations.
Paul Comstock thought she was the
most beautiful creature in the world.
Never in his widest dreams had he
imagined such human perfection. AS
a matter Of fact, he had thought lit
tie about women. Romance had thus
far had no place in his life or mind.
He had seen only the plain, sim
pie girls of his neighborhood
with only their rural attire
and taste to enhance their natural
charms. He knew nothing of the art
Of stage makeup" and TO him this
glorious creature behind the foot
lights was just what She appeared
both IN appearance and character.
When the curtain went down on the
first act he sought out her name on
the programme. 1t was "Viola Mark
ham," Each succeeding act added to
his enhancement. When the end
came he sighed deeply and stumbled
from the theater.
He went home next day bearing In
his innermost heart the vision of
blue-eyed divinity all
smiles and Grace--a ray of sunshine
which thereafter warmed and slim
ulated his lonesome life. He built mir
castles, of which she was a part, by
day and dreamed of her by night.
He lived on his lonely life very
much the same as of old. but a new
element had come into it. He had
built shrine and placed therein a
memory.
A year or more later he saw a
in newspaper which
startled him as he had never been
startled before. II read:
"A benefit performance win be
given Saturday afternoon at the Nv
ceum for Viola Markham, who has
been doing ingenue parts in we'll |
known companies for some years and
who has been seriously i'll. Miss
does not improve as rand.
ly as hoped and the physicians saw Il
is absolutely necessary for her to
give up all thought of work and seek
: Ssolute rest and quiet and country
mir for a long season. Her friends
hope to realize enough by the benefit
performance to enable her to do
this"
r-auPs heart sunk as he read. and
he maryeled greatly that so fair a
divinity should not have legions az
powerful friends who would iumn AZ
the chance to aid her in distress. and
it was incomprehensible to him. The
idea of her being i'll and poor dis
tressed him beyond measure.