The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1904-04-08
"ln a Stage Box"
BY
JULIA NJ. KNIGHT
z could not tell when first she
da~ned upon his sight, radiant


Union of youth; began to haunt his
thoughts, to intru6e upon the privacy
VI his art. Yet it seemed now that she
had been there since the opening night,
IN the left-hand stage box, a single slight
girl, with a face like rose, and flower
n her chestnut hair.
It was at the close of long, hard
Eorked season, and they were playing
brief spring engagement in the quiet
little city, and longing YEARLY for the
moment of release when they could flee
10 mountain fastness, or seaside resort,
for the rest so needed in the taxing ca
reer of the actor.
1t was phenomenal engagement con-
tidering the lateness Of the season, and
Roy Stirling, the leading actor, who was
creating some stir in the dramatic world
by his rare histrionic powers, had moth
ing to ask Of the enthusiasm evoked by
his every performance. He was the ia
Forite of the hour, the matinee idol, the
promise of even the most captious of
eritics, on the high road to an early and
intoxicating fame, yet seemingly I'M
spoiled by it all.
Who was she? Only a nameless girl
In the flower and fragrance of her youth,
who came nightly with her gay compan-
Ions to the little theater; yet, unknow-
ingly, she gave inspiration to his finest
art, color, life and interest to the most
hackneysd role he was called upon to
portray 1t was not Juliet, in her bal
cony, to whom he poured out his pas
sion with southern warmth and aban-
Comment, the proud beauty of Lyons,
to whom he pleaded for pardon, but
the little girl in the stage box; so near,
yet so far, so clothed in mystery and
enchantment.
He knew her not, her name, her en-
Vironment, her fate, but each night as
the iootlights frightened, the violins
thrilled in the opening overture, the
great curtain rolled up to reveal the
fascinating mimic world, she sat in her
accustomed place, till it seemed the play
Gould not go on without her.
She is simple, rare, unique; for her
heart still untouched, her life unwritten,
her sensitive soul like that of the poet
divines all through anticipation; in the
speaking face she turns to him, the
gray eyes that follow him about the
stage, what does she not reveal; she
responds to his every touch as a rare
Tioliu to the hand of its master.
The actors, alive to the humor of the
situation, rallied him about his latest
mash" the leading lady pouted, and
protested that he made love to the stage
box rather than the rightful heroine of
. the play. He laughed, frowned, and
turned them aside, but their careless
raillery fingered in his thought, con-
irmed his own fears and forebodings.
Could this be love? He secuted the
idea to scorn, would have none of it.
Was he the man to be swayed by a
girls smile like his fellows, turned from
his great ambition, his career, by a
dream BETTING a schoolboy?
So he believed, protested and re-
solved; but one night of absence on the
part of his fair unknown taught him
lesson in humility not lightly to be
forgotten. Where now were the magic
of his art, the exhilaration, the ABSORB
ton, that had never failed him before
The house seemed empty and void, the
friendly audience cold and pulseless
the play moved with leaden feet; and all
because a girls face was missing from
Ats accustomed place.
Then realization came home to him
with sudden force; he knew now that for
many weeks this girl had been his sole
audience. his gentlest critic, warmest
admirer, most innocent devotee.
To her he had looked for inspiration
response. sympathy, ind she had never
failed him. When the thunder of APP
plause rang in his ears, and he came
before the curtain again and again to
bow his Acknowledgements. he was ever
conscious of a more delicate homage
coming from that box so close to his
hand, like the fragrance from a flower
Only a girl unknown to fame, yet for
the time she had ruled him, man of the
world, student, actor that he was, and
he could not escape her subtle spell. the
silken meshes of the net she had not
the coquetry to throw 1t was passing
strange; yet the humiliating fact was
revealed to him in the sense of loss her
absence brought, which could not be rea-
soned away or dispelled by his most
heroic resolves.
When next she came with gay, girl
fish throng. he could have taxed her
warmly for her absence, but his own
buoyancy and spirit returned, and he
had never portrayed his gallant role bet
ter. so they said.
By this time he had become acquaint-
ed with all the habitues of that box;
the youthful. vivacious mother, the
scholarly father, the girl companions,
and an occasional admirer who seeks in
vain to divert her attention from the
stage. Were she an aspirant for his
trionic honors she could not give the
mimic Life passing before her a more
absorbed and undivided attention; could
not show a more subtle recognition OF
the beautiful art unfolding like flow