Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1905-03-12
In an Opera
Box
by Lillian C. Pasebof
c99unsAt. 1908. ~ llli.a C. P.scA.i

-
The great hotel facing the park wa
an obeIisk ~ light iecks. Motor car
came aud went nolslly under the wild,
porte cochere.
Back of the large hostelry aud acros.
narrow alley a white girlIsh fac,
banked with pillows looked out wist
fully from the one narrow window Of
third noor back at these evidences Of
life and gnyety. listening 10 the or.
chestra
Suddenly the music burst into a wild
tropical air from Carmen" very reyel
Of life aud youth and lusty. red blood.
ed 10y rhc Invalid buried her tired
eyes In the soft pillows. and her thin
shoulders shook. shaken by the TEN.
pest Of sObs a crutch that had been
leaning against the bedside ratified 10
the floor
"oh. ! can bear their old ragtlme
things without a shiver." she cried
but the opera airs they break my
heart And now shall never sing
them again. know shan'tr'
The incoherent c-y went straight
through the open window like a wing
ed arrow. across the alIeyway In the
grand hotel. and lodged deep In the sick
heart OF listener there. Its note %
suffering and aching longing needed no
interpreter That Il a universal Ian.
guage understood alike In palace and
tenement
John Wixton had been staring mood
lily out Of the darkened shadows OF bis
unlighted room into the still darker
shadows % future that looked
gloomy indeed 10 his usually careless.
sunny eyes lie had been hard hit
there was no doubt OF that-and the
girls refusal Of him had cut deep. lie
had been so sure OF her-too sure. per
haps-but he had thought he could not
be mistaken In that warm light In her
eyes that had set hls heart on fire all
these weeks
The light that lies Ia wOman's eyes
- and lies - and lies - and lies lie
sneered miserably. sitting there In the
dark Curse the whole sex. anyway.
and their deceitful wiles," And his
clinchel hands thumped the window !
sill hcrcely He had mooned over her /
Ike Numbering idiot. he told himself /
holly. aud now sine was engaged. 80
her mother had told him the last time
be called. to Billy Lunders and hls mil.
ions principally the latter. he thought
Lord There was that benstly chan
'onnette from Carmen" again could he
lever escape the thing the song that
,reathed 80 horribly OF her In every
ieductive note. She had worn a red
ose In her hair. too that night be first
net her with the Van I.Orns lie could
mell that rOse now
Tonight Carmen" was on the bill
gain lie recalled duly that be had
be- same box for this performance. 10.
ending % take her aud show her he
that firt night 80 long
20 She had said meu always forgot
he dates woman remembered He
ad meant 90 tell her uf his loving liz. {
e surprise that evening. Was IL only I
'eck ago. How could he ever bear 20 d
Ear an opera again. Curse IL. lie
ouId get out of this sickening old New
ORR aud 20 west 10 ChicagO-any
here
These opera airs they break my '
Fart" broke in the sobbing cry from I
.e window across the alley. John v
isei his head 90 listen same here. o
d. be- mdttered heavily. Its that O
me girl poor little beggar' She does n
we devil uf time 90 IT, lying there q
day with hot water bags aud things c
ound Der It's a shamcrr o
Il want o. be back there on the b
ige again. went ON the voice. "slng-
: with the rest Of the chorus. e
rs a village maiden In Carmen. you :"
ow. Mrs Beebe" To the conscious q
Idle In this already well known fact a.
ere came an indistlnct murmur Of II
nsolatiou from the dark interior OF -
3 little roam s.
And maybe some day might have II
IN Scmhrich or a Melba. my own IN
f-ihe master said so-and now my "
ck's hurt and IN never sing again. IN
know u, n ! could only go Just
re- and hear IL al again | think 60
Iybe could bear II better. hut To In
penncd Ia here all the time like l.
with the snappers Of a trap caught m
r. his back its too The rest was
{ In the Unfolding pillow. pc
he mao In the darkencd window VI
oss the way suddenly stood up. ag
ned ON the lIeht aud squared his an
'uldcrs like soldier ready for
rching. I'm 10 IT. he said grlmly.
] not run away Ike coward IN
e this thing out I've got % 20