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

S-T1
Just you wait a minute, now, viii
you?" Longchamps answered. II,
drawled out the words, but there wa
no drawl in his eyes as he abrupt.
turned away.
He wanted to reach a decision. H,
seated himself. with his back to Bush
nell and though rapidly.
\, The day Miss Wentworth had. sen
for him to ask him to write the e
play she wanted, outlining the fact tina
it must be a play of the Creole life will
which he was identified, and a pla.
within a play, she told him how mucl
she had heard Of him and the abilit.
that was said to be his. His ability
HI had told her, he had never denied
1t had been proven, he said with J.:
something he could not help. But h.
was tired. He had worked very hard
He did not think he ought to undertake
the commission with which she wanted
to charge him. What object could h,
attain by writing something else? Rep
utation? He a that. Money? H,
didn't want it. He could use no NOR,
than he had. But, in the end, he bega1
to write the play. He said he found
that people always did the things Mis-.
Wentworth wanted them to do.
AS in a kaleidoscope, there flashed
through his mind, as he sat there, pic
ture upon picture of his so far self
satisfactory career. And if he wal
writing her play for her, it was not be
cause she wanted him to do so, as HI
had said, but because up to that tim
his life had been-what had he called
it, acknowledgements unsatisfac,
come to think that she was the one wht
could make it less so. r&. 81
So, after their two months acquaint
anceship-a period they both used t.
that his judgment of certain pow
lers WaSJcorrect, with never a word il
RlaxA'language and only their eyes ant
n&hFeir signs to help-he had given hel
THAT night a rose, the rose, the gift. No
of his usual homages paid to WON
at the time that asks the question tha
only 3 red, red rose a ask. Did h.
dare bAlieve as true the answer h,
thought Ashe had given? That was tn,
decision Mat Longchamps wanted t.
..
He went BACK to Bushnell, who ner.
paced fhe stage.
"Wen?" said<tLongchamps.
"The fact is,'sI Bushnell said. slowly
IT intend to take>the lead in the play
myself"
"Ah!" said L~ongcHamps.
TT will be the first time bushnell
continued, as If speaking to himself
that 1 shall ever have had the oppof
tunity to hold Miss wentworth IN n!
arms. I nave looked forward to this 10!
three years."
"Yes?" said LongchampSs
''What is the trouble witp you W
now" Miss Wentworth said coming "
behind them on7 her way to Inc stage
for the last scene.
"This!" Longchamps said 70 her
"Mr. Bushnell insists that our at..fes:
heroine shall marry the manager inlne
climax of the new play"
but" he went on, II have now made
up my mind that he shall not! He say
he intends to play the lead with you
himself"
MI. BUSHNELL" she said.
'"Valerie'- he commenced again.
"And he says" interrupted Long.
champs, that he will not produce il
unless the heroine does marry her man.
ager!" ~.
'"That is a difficulty she said.
Then L~ongchamps took a step nearer
to her. IT.
"You tell me you are tired of the
STAGE he said, speaking so that She
alone could hear. Il have a little place
up here in Louisiana. Will you go VI
there with me and let my sister take
care Of you, and let me-ah-make YOU
a perfect play?' ,s.
She met his eager eyes.
TT which character do you propos,
to give the lead?" Bushnell asked
breaking in in voice n in person.
ITO thetpenniless New Orleans news,
paper. man." Longchamps blazed out
"whom the heroine asked to write he
new play!" .5-
She was idly kissing the rose in he
hand.
Come into my room" she said, AN
I'll talk it over with YOU"
She placed her hand on his arm an
he started to draw her away. &
1.-THE scene! The scene, Miss Went
WORTH" the stage manager cried. 4"
am holding it for you'll" ~
Bushnell reused himself.
Ring down the c%urtain!" she saie
savagely. Tell them she is sick"
Say something to her!" Clark en-
treated him. It's the last perform
ance. man! It spoils the play!"
.Oh, yes" Bushnell said, duly, 81
spells the play"
He was watching her retreating fig
ure. Smiling, she passed onward j
sweet, stately silence, the train Of he
regal costume, unheeded, sweeping tn
dusty stage, and Longchamps stoppe
at the door for a moment as she en-
tered the reception room Of her dress
ing apartments. "You might give t
the audience" he called pack over Iii
shoulder, when you tell them the
can get their money back the real rea
son of Miss Wentworth's refusal to fir
jsh, because I shall give it to. the news
papers later. 1t was her last appeal