The sun., 1904-06-05

| nrst meeting hcdoes tio"S"''
70 La Belle Aspasia and her mysterious
disappearance after her triumph IN me
Bridal Nothing mysterious apout M'
| old fella," replied Morris; shes oeeh m
! America Indeed" -Yaas! Met her IN
New Orleans. In splendid form! knocked
EN-! Made her pile! Turned the heaos o.
half the youn gsters In the STATES "s"'
have thrown the handkerchief where she
liked, II she hadn't had the rnisfortune 70
be splioed to that downy old card sey.
mourl" Married. cried Reade. married!
.Didn't you know thatf thought every
one knew 1t. Marriage Of 'conVenienoe;
Hard uplt Out Of an enlargement oio
rooster had q Bit stalled himself on ior
man OF fortune-old story. Guess she mas
to keep him now The news took heades
breath away. -Still in America! ne
sasped 'Oh, no! Back here these these
three months" ,'Indeed!" 'Yaas; trying
to get an engagement but CROWDED OUT
Saw her the other day, looking TOT enoP'
or new play TO take into the country. i've
got the very play to suit her. exclaimed
Reade, who had just finished 'Chrisue
Johnstope.' -No?" Yes! Give me an m
PRODUCTION Certainly. Here's my card
ri send my man around, and make an
appointment for you to see her az CLOCK
tomorrow afternoon. Hellol Iheres
God save the Queen, and we must clear
out. Come along! Good night Old man!
Hold hard! Where am to find Aspasia-
/ mean Mrs. Seymour" mo. '1a 'Jermyn
street. So long-so long' Heade says
that, ridiculous as it may appear. he couldn't
sleep all night. Fifteen years ago! And
yet it seemed but yesterday that saw her
at the Haymarket. .(the very theatre at which
nv play Masks and Faces was then being
acted), as Aspasia; and now married-yes,
and married to an old rooster.
Punctually as the clock struck the next
afternoon, he was at the door OF l3
Jermyn street, with his dearly beloved
1Christie Johnstone" under his arm. He
was shown into the drawing room and re-
ceived very courteously by his divinity.
who appeared none the worse for fifteen
years wear. A little plumper, it is true,
but not too much -My friend Morris
SAYS you have play which would suit me.
said She Il think have HIM! Ever
seen me act1' 'Yes saw you play
Aspasia at the Haymarket in The Bridal
with Macready." THAT was half a CEN
tury ago and must have been my grand
mother" she laughed. .No," Reade re-
piled seriously .it was yourself" 'Really?'
.Yes. really what did wear?" white
sAmite, embroidered with blue and gold,
hanging sleeves. shoes Of gold with three
straps over the instep. the daintiest pair OF
feet, and the most beautiful pair of -
Thank you, it Is not necessary to 60 into
details Besides. I've heard it all before.
But you've a good memory! The idea of
remembering all this time that my-ahem!'
Remember! l shall never forget them!
Then there was your hair" "0h, I've
got that still-at least lot OF it. But
Aspdsia. Ah my Aspdsid days are over!
want something more prosaic and less
romantic This play is not prosaic, but
it is romantic" Him. Have you ever
done a play before?" "A great many, but
I've only had two acted sWhere?" .One
at the Olympic; the other is being acted at
the Haymarket now" Indeed! What's
it called," Masks and Faces ! thought
everybody knew that" Never heard of
III" So this was fame. And Who in-
auired Mrs. Seymour. plays the leading
part, nv part7" Mrs. StirkRF What!
that great fat thing!' well, a. to that
really" -Oh, never mind her. Come
to the point and let's hear the play Thus
treasured, Reade began TO read Christie
Johnstone- to the best of his ability. When
he had finished the first act. she broke the
silence with: Good. very good, indeed,
for a story 'Twould make a capital novel;
Reade stayed 10 hear no more. Snatchng
up his hat and his manuscript, he darted
out of the room without even a good day,
Nor was the check to the playwright's am.
bition all or the worst. Hehad thought all
the world alive to the fame Of Masks and
Faces" and this barbarous creature had
never heard Of 1t or of its author
Next morning brought note from Morris
to the following effect: My dear Reade-
La belle Laura [confound his impudence-
how dare he call her Laura has asked
me to forward the enclosed. She says
you are eccentric, and think so, too. Yours
always" The enclosure was directed to
Reade in q large scrawling hand. As he
tore il open q f5 note f1uttered out and
fell to the floor. Evidently she had mis-
taken him for a Tripet. He got to know
the letter by heart, and kept It to his death
It RAN as follows: Dear sir-I fear l must
have offended YOU to-day. / beg you to
believe had no intention to do 80. was
under the impression that you wanted to
dispose Of your play. and, as really thought
it batter adapted for novel, ventured to
make the suggestion. As, unfort unately,
I cannot produce your charming work.
hope you will permit me to place the en-
closed at your disposal as some slight ac-
acknowledgement Of the pleasure derived
from your admirable reading. Yours faith
fully" Naturally, the recipient of this
letter did not know whether to be annoyed
or delighted. He!-who had been vice
president Of Magdalen College, Oxford.
He-who hattered himself that he was
coming to the fore as a dramatist-t have
f5 note hung at his head. like a ticket
for soup to a pauper or Q bone to dog
and by an actress. too! Yet she said his
reading was admirable; and, after all,
there ia some virtue in a f5 note. Any
how, it showed the writer had a good heart
OF course. Reade made up his mind to re-
turn 1t immedistely-but how! By the
post or in person?
Thinking the matter over as he strobe
through Covent Garden, magnificent
bunch Of hothouse grapes caught his
fancy, 80 he secured it, and made tracks
for Jermyn street. He knocked At the
door, but got no answer, knocked again.
but still no answer. He was turning way
impatiently, when the door opened eau