The Port Gibson reveille., 1904-06-09

A
DISPENSATION
OF
PROVIDENCE.

AN1a AoA ~ lupus Va MIN esAAA =
tall youth. tugging at his embryo mus
tache.
"Oh. but I'm frightened" said anoth-
or girl. 1T was bad enough to think
Of rehearsing before any professional.
but Mortimer Lesliel | shall die Of
terror"
IT'S jolly good Of him, commenced
the treasurer OF the Langside Amateur
Dramatic club. "A professional would
have cost me no end. and Of course
Leslie doesn't want fee. He's rather
friendly with Paterson, and as he's
spending a weekend there he offered
TO come anA give us some hints to-
night"
How do you feel, Miss Forrest?"
asked the girl who had said she was
frightened.
Everyone looked curiously at the girl
addressed, who had been standing very
quietly in the background. She was
a comparative stranger to most Of
them. on long visit, for her health's
sake, TO a friend in the neighborhood.
The girl who had originally been cast
for the leading lady's part "A Look
and Leap" had just had an accident
in the hunting field, and Miss Forrest,
enthusiastically recommended by her
friend, had been asked to fill her place.
~" she said, smiling family. "0h,
I'm-trying not to be frightened"
The stage manager, excited and lit
tie irritable. flung open the door sud-
denly.
Come in Come in" he urged.
"Leslie's not going to eat you"
Thus encouraged. the party tiocked
into the room, Kate Forrest dropping
behind and entering last.
Mr.. Leslie-Miss Forrest"
She looked up serenely. and met his
startled, eager eyes. No answering
flicker OF recognition stirred in her
own, and he flushed hotly. She did not
mean to know him. Bowing slightly.
she passed on, and Joined the group
round the fire.
A crowd of bitter-sweet memories
rushed upon him-and upon her. The
quaint village OF Brittany where they
had met nine months ago; the long.
hot days on the beach; the acquaint-
anc.e. ripening fast-so dangerously
fast-into friendship, and something
more; and then the sudden, sharp end
ing of Il all, the foolish, unnecessary
quarrel. II had seemed such a small
a. ~ wssk kA
such a large thing-to him. who did
not. Only that they could not meet or
write for six months. After that.
But there had been no after that. He
had refused. with unreasoning vehem-
ence, to hear OF It. And that was all
He had gone out of her life. she out Of
bis. And now-she was to be coached
by him for some wretched amateur the
atricals. OH II was intolerable. She
sighed impatiently.
First act, please" II was his voice.
and the murmur of conversation ceased
suddenly.
He explained, altered, corrected Wig
orously for half an hour, and then
came her cue.
Let yourself go a little more,
please" he requested, after her first
few lines.
She flushed and hesitated.
Don't walt. Cue again, please"
She smiled suddenly, and did his bid
ding.
mo. that's not quite right yet" he In
terrupted. did YOU" he asked sud-
denly, ''see Margaret Ellison in the
part when this was in town."
"Yes," she admitted.
"Then-can't you remember?-I |
didn't see her myself, but you must be
able to remember a little how she took
the part?"
She considered. Yes. | think do
but" She stopped
VERY well, then" he said, brlskly. |
Ignoring her unfinished sentence. "once
more. please. And you. Mr. Kelly
the self-conscious Juvenile lead started
much slower, please, and try not
TO talk about love in the tone you
would use for discussing the weather"
The young man looked offended.
'1f you could forgive" he re-
peated, sullkily. and striving after the
desired intensity.
The great actor strode across the
floor.
mo. no; that won't do at all. Allow
me-"
He waved the self-conscious young
man aside, and motioned to him to
watch.
Then suddenly he realized what he
was going to do. The words that he
had to say to her-as an actor-were
the words he had longed for nine
months 10 say to her-as a man. II
he said them-as a man-wouId she
IF you could forgive" he said.
and his voice trembled with passionate
"Jove! What an actor!" murmured
the electrified stage manager.
Doesn't he do 1t gloriouslyT He
caught the whisper at his elbow, and
waited breathlessly. Would she. too.
think he was doing 1t gloriously? Or
would she understand?
Her eyes sought his for an instant In
doubt. Then, with the quick, sympa-
lhetic intuition which had first drawn
him to her, she understood, and her
lips parted tremulously.
IF | could forgivel" she breathed.
with world Of tender reproach In
her tone, and held out her hands to
I'm. He grasped them in his strong,
hin fingers.
Tie stage manager surreptitiously