The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-07
THU: SPARK
OF GENIUS
BY HOWARD FIELDING
Copyright, 1902, by Charles W. Hooke

body. or at least as II one Hiu tHe ilSh'
to put few letters after ones name.
In fact. in recent communication 10
Mrs. McAndrew inclOsing the amount
of her weekly charge for the accommo-
dations l signed myself John Cham
dler, G. B. =.
Our landlady is widow of middle
age. a good hearted. simple minded wo-
man who lives ever as if in the sight
of the late Mr.. McAndrew and will die
gladly when her time comes to join
him. He was very superior man, she
saws. and so highly educated that she
could not understand more than half or
his conversation, but she loved every
word. She occupies the small front par
lor which is separated from my room
by folding doors with heavy, somDer
curtains, and had supposed that this
barrier was impervious to sound. out
one afternoon when l was dressing for
dinner l heard wOman's voice, loud,
strained and angry, forcing its way
through doors and curtains.
"How dare you. How dare you" it
cried.
Twas just putting on my coat and
oaused with an arm through one of the
hleeves. Again that voice was upllft-
ed, even more strenuously: "iow Dare
you. How dare YOU"
Now. upon a question of the rights
End safety of such a good woman as
Mrs. McAndrew | would fight man
nine feet high. or two of them II nee
ussary. slid into my coat and through
the curtain seemingly with single
movement, and my hand was appraised
10 smite the heavy doors when | heard
uur landlady's calm voice very close,
us if within yard of me-
II think that was very good, she
said.
"WeIl 90 back" said a masculine
voice which | recognized as that Of
Horace Wilton, young man who lives
on the top floor. You didn't tell IL
Onel? You didn't tell me-"
"Oh, I'll answer you no more.' eX-
claimed some one whom l now knew
not to be Mrs. McAndrew. believe
what you please of me. want no
more of your help. Let me go! Let
me go"'
keep it up Keep it up" said
Wilton excitedy. Don't drop down
Let me go! Let me co. Frantic
you understand Now try again."
let the curtain fall and stepped
back into the middle of my room,
dazed. Not even the violent scene
which had supposed to be in progress
,.{., 1N.N
yond those doors would have surprised
me nearly so much as the reality. \
theatrical rehearsal in my landlady's
parlor!
The bell which rings when dinner is
ready sent forth its summons. ! step
ped out into the hall just in time t(
meet Mrs. McAndrew. Behind her
saw Wilton and a very pretty Cir
who sits beside him at the table. She
does not live in our house, but come.
here for her meals. l had understood
that Wilton and Miss Lee We're en-
gagged, but | had never given any espe
cial thought to the subject of tn,
young lady's occupation. She had beer
among us only week or two, and sh'
was so quiet and modest that she sue
ceedcd in almost ctiacing herself, Il,
spite her good looks. | found it impos
siblc to believe that she was an actress
that it was she whom | had just hear
declaiming hysterical lines under tn
direction of Wilton and With the con
plicty. even with the praise of Mrs
McAndrcw Such was the fact, how
ever. Her eyes were still red from tn
shedding of emotional tears, and M
ticed during dinner time that she woul
be shaken now and then by tremol
Of excitement
Wilton is Il thin, tall, intense sort
fellow. quite handsome in his own p
culiar way and very much of Il gent
man. After dinner he took occasion
say that he hoped l had not been di
turbed, and Miss Lee added her oN
hope that hadn't heard anything, h
cause she had done it SO badly.
fished up some sort of Il complime
which did not seem to impress her. b
when l confessed my surprise at lear
ing what her profession was S
flashed a sharp glance of interest up
me out of her pretty brown eyes.
was the kind of look that goes throu
q fellows head
you'll be more surprised, l thinl
said she, IF you ever learn that In
good one
The insight and the truth OF this
mark staggered me. 1t was fact IL
had not been impressed by the lit
that l had heard. 1t had sount
strained and forced. Moreover, Nj
Lee was not my notion of an actrt
The morrow was Sunday, and N
McAndrew favored me with a bl
call in the afternoon. and we talked
Miss Lee.
you'd never think she was an
tress, would your said she. Its s
pity. l asked Mr.. Wilton why he