The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1904-02-17
CHAPTER XIX.

ed around him. was engaged
in writing in his note and date
book, wherein autobiography, ledger
and journal accounts and such miscel-
laneous matter mingled indiscrminate-
". To-day she said to me, 4 am GO
ing to the races with Mr. Saint-Pros-
per- What did | say? Yes Of course.
What can there be in common be-
tween Lear and Juliet? Naturally she
sometimes turns from an old fellow
like me. Now. If she were only slip
of a girl again, with her short frock,
her disorder of long ringlets, running
and romping-
~ thousand details pass through my
mind, "reminiscences of Der girlhood,
tightening a lonesome life like glim-
merings of sunshine in a secluded
wood: memories of her mother and the
old days when she played in my New
York theater, for Barnes, the stroller,
was once a metropolitan manager!
Her fame had preceded her, and every
admirer of histrionic art eagerly await
ed her arrival Then this incompara-
BILE woman fell i'll.
"'You see? | have ruined you she
said sadly.
"T am honored, madam was all l
could reply.
"She placed her hand softly on mine
and let her luminous eyes rest on me.
"Dear old friendr she murmured.
"Then she closed her eyes, and l
thought she was sleeping. Some time
elapsed when she again opened them.
death will break our contract, Mr..
Barnes,' she said softly.
81 suppose my hand trembled, for
she frightened her grasp and continued
firmly. 1T is not so terrible, after all,
or would not be, but for one thing
"'You will soon get well, madam l
managed to stammer.
"'No DO you care? 1t is pleasant
to have one true, kind friend in the
world-one who makes a woman be-
lleve again in the nobility of human
nature. My life has been sad, as you
know. l should not regret giving II
up. Nor should | fear to die. My
child-what will she do?-poOr, moth
erless, fatherless girl-all alone, all
aloneT
Madam, IL l may-will you permit
me to care for her? If l might regard
her as my childr
How tightly she held my hand al
that! Her eyes seemed to blaze with
heavenly fire. But let me not dwell
further upon the sad events that led to
the end of her noble career. Some
thing of her life | had heard; some
thing | surmised. Unhappy as a wom
an, she was majestic as an actress
The fire of her voice struck every ear
Its sweetness had a charm never to be
forgotten"
A knock at the door rudely dispelled
these memories. For a moment the
manager looked startled, as one alb
ruptly called back to his immediate
surroundings; then the pen fell from
his hand and he pushed the book from
him to the center of the table.
Come in," he said.
The door opened, and Saint-Prosper
entered.
"Am | interrupting your asked the
soldier, CHANGING at the Uttered table.
Not at ALL" answered the manager
recovering himself and settling back
in his chair. Make yourself at home.
You'll find some cigars on the mantel
or if you prefer your pipe there's a jar
OF tobacco on the trunk. Do you find
it? | haven't had time yet to bring
order out of chaos. A managers trunks
are like a junk shop, with everything
from needle to an anchor"
Filling his pipe from the receptacle
indicated, which lay among old cos
tunes and wigs. the soldier seated him
self near an open window that looked
out upon a balcony. Through a door al
the far end of the balcony a light
streamed from a chandelier within
playing upon the balustrade. Once tn,
figure Of the young actress stepped fol
a moment out upon the balcony She
leaned upon the balustrade. looked
across the city, breathed the perfume
of the flowers and then quickly van
ished.
Can you spare me a little time to
morrow morning. early, before re
hearsal2" said nt-Prosper finally.
YES" returned the manager in sur
prise. what is it,"
"a foolish piece of business. TIL,
PATRON Is in New Orleans"
Barnes uttered an exclamation Of an
noyance and apprehension. Here
What is he doing here?" he said. 80
thought we had seen the last of him
Has he followed-ConstanceT
81 don't know. We met today at thu
races"
1T is strange she did not tell m
about It," remarked the manager with
out endeavoring to conceal the anxiet.
this unexpected information afforde'
him.
"She does not know he Is here" AM
Saint-Prosper briefly related the cir
cumstances of his meeting with tn
land baron. to which the manager lis
tened attentively.
"And so she must be dragged into itg
exclaimed Barnes at length resentfully
"Her name must become public prop