The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1905-02-02
CHAPTER III.

| L
How l managed to descend the tree
without falling l cannot understand: my
hands and limbs shook as with a palsy,
and my head swan a. with a deathly
sickness. When I reached the ground
wss so faint that Josiah had to support
me for several seconds. When | rrcov-
cred, he helped me over the garden wall
The whole way. Josiah never ceased
talking; but was too bewildered to heed
his words. l was only reused to atten-
ton when, upon hating before an ex-
tremely gloomy. solitary looking build
ing. my companion cried. Here we are-'
We plunged down a narrow passage. Jo-
siah presented a small slip OF paper to
man who stood behind a half-door. and
we entered the pit OF the theater.
Ii was really a Hall of Dazzling Light
The play. l have since ascertained, was
Shakspeare's Romeo and Juliet" Sit
ting In that little country theater. wit
Messing what was. perhaps. only a third
rate provincial performance. a new world
was opened to me-the glorious world
OF poetry and imagination. l trembled |
with a dazed delight at the soft beauty |
OF the love scenes: my heart swelled with |
kindred IRE at the passionate outbursts;
and l sobbed at seeing the lovers die In |
one another's arms 1t was no fiction to
me. but reality, beautiful almost be-
yond realization. yet painful almost be-
yond endurance.
When the curtain fell. | fell with II
from my Elysian heights. With a SILVER
swoks to the dull realization OF myself
My first action was to turn to Josiah. |
and grasp his hand in silent gratitude.
did not wish to see any more:
wished to get away now, to dream over
what | had seen. Josiah had to 20 be-
hind the scenes to get the proof Of the
next nights bill. and / waited outside
the stage door until he returned. In a
few moments he came out In a great
furry.
LOOK here, Silas," he said; az can't
70 back with you / must get home d.
rectly, or there'n be an awful kick ND.
Come along: Ill put you In the road. so {
hat you can't miss your way"
l shall never forget the sense OF desc
alton that fell upon me when / found
myself alone in the street. All the direc-
ions Josiah had given me vanished In I
IN instant from my memory. and stood
helpless. not knowing which way to turn. 4
was in the outskirts OF the town, It was q
Iearly eleven O'Clock. and not a soul was
bout I walked straight on. fervently {,
oping that II might be In the right direc- /.
ion-
Finally I was In the middle of a long :
treet. one side Of which was occupied II
y ordinary houses. but that on which
found myself was distinguished by Il
ne OF vast gloomy looking buildings, G.
nrreted walls hung with ivy. and broken a
uins- felt awe-struck at the mighty :,
lies Of masonry that lowered above me. :,
was standing right before an archway y
a grand Norman tower. walked tim
lily beneath its black, vaulted roof. to
le iron gate at its further end, and peer II
at the line Of crumblIng ruins that d,
,se among the trees and shrubs, white Q,
nd CHASTITY. In the moonlight !.
As / stood thus. | heard a rustic.
billed with a sense of fear. I turned 's
nickly round Through a rent In the
all. many yards above my head, came
broad ray Of white light As turned. al
was falling upon an object that fasci- es
,ted my gaze. 1t was the head and th