The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-03-25
lin a Stage Box"
BY
JULIA NJ. KNIGHT
e could not tell when first she
daMned unOn his sight a radiant

y - ~ l4el DllS
had been there since the opening night,
In the left-hand stage box, a single slight
girl, with a face like a rose, and a flower
in her chestnut hair.
1t was at the close of a long, hard
worked season, and they were playing
a brief spring engagement in the quiet
little city, and longing wearily for the
moment of release when they could flee
to mountain fastness, or seaside resort,
for the rest so needed in the taxing ca
Teer of the actor.
1t was a phenomenal engagement con-
sidering 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 10 ask of the enthusiasm evoked by
his every performance. He vas the IA
Rorite of the hour, the matinee idol. the
promise of even the most CaptiOus of
critics. on the high road to an early and
Intoxicating fame, yet seemingly I'M
spoiled by it all.
Who vas she? Only a nameless girl
In the flower and fragrance of her youth.
who came nightly with her gay compan-
IONS 10 the little theater; yet, unknow-
aDgly. she gave inspiration to his finest
art. color, life and interest to the most
haekneyed 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-
donment. 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
~sBchantment.
He knew her not, her name, her en-
vironment, her fate, but each night as
the footlights 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
,rould not go on without her.
She is simple, rare, unique; for her
heart still untouched. her life unwritten,
Ger sensitive soul like that of the poet
diyines 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
giolin 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
oox rather than the rightful heroine of
che play. He laughed, frowned, and
@urned them aside. but their careless
raillery fingered in his thought, con-
drmed his W fears and forebodings.
Gould this be love? He secuted the
ddea 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 n night of absence on the
part of his fair unknown taught. him
n lesson4in humility not lightly to be
forgotten. Where now were the magic
of his art, the exhilaration, the absorp-
ton, that had never failed him before?
The house seemed empty and void, the
&riandly audience cold acd c:.sc!ess
the play moved with leaden feet; and all
because a girls face was missing from
Its accustomed place.
Then realization came home to him
with sudden force: he knew nov that for
many weeks this girl had been his sole
audience, his gentlest critic, warmest
1admirer, most innocent devotee.
To her he had locked for inspiration.
response, sympathy, and she had never
failed him. When the thunder of an
plause rang in his ears, and he came
before the curtain again and again to
Dow his Acknowledgements, he was ever
conscious of a more delicate homage
coming from that box so close to his
baud, like the fragrance from aflower.
Only a girl unknown to fame, yet for
The time she had ruled him, man of the
world, student, actor that he was. and
ne u o escape her subtle spell, the
61iken meshes of the met she had not
9he coquetry to throw. 1t was passing
strange; vet 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.
Wnen next Sne came with a gay, girl
ash throng, he could have taxed her
warmly for her absence, but his own
o~noyancy and spirit returned, and he
a never portrayed his gallant role bet
ter, SO they said.
by this time he had become aeonaint-
ed with all the habitues of that box.
nfhe youthful, yivacious mother. the
scholarly father, the girl companions.
sand an occasional admirer who seeks in
vain to divert her attention from the
ssstage. Were she an aspirant for his
ssrlonic honors she could not give the
mimic life passing before her a more
a0sorbeda and undivided attention; could
moi show a more subtle recognition Of
z beautiful art unfolding like q flow
Gr before her vision.
The handsome young actor had y
ssSlayed better,so they told him: with
more grace, spirit and magnetic fire. s.
g delicate art, than now at the close
90 q long, Wearisome season when ali
sasi1ers ionged to be freed from the fet-
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