Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-01-23
CHAPTER RI.


How I managed to descend the tree
without falling l cannot understands; my
hands and limbs shook as with palsy,
and my head swan as with a deuthly
sickness. When l reached the ground
l was so faint that Josiah had to support
me for several seconds. When l recov-
ered he helped me over the garden wall.
The whole way. Josiah never censed
talking; but was too bewildered to heed
his words. l was only reused to atten-
tremely gloomy, solitary looking build
ing my companion cried. Here we are."
We plunged down narrow passage. Jo-
siah presented small slip Of paper to
man who stood behind halfdoor, and
we entered the pit of the theater.
1t was really Hall of Dazzling Light.
The play, 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, new world
was opened to me-the glorious world
Of poetry and imagination. | trembled
with a dazed delight at the soft beauty
of the love scenes; my heart swelled with
kindred fire at the passionate outbursts;
and l sobbed ut 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 it
| from my Elysian heights. With a SILVER
awoke to the dull realization of myself.
My first action was to turn to Josiah,
aud grasp his hand in silent gratitude.
| did not wish to see any more; l
wished to get away now. to dream over
what had seen. Josiah had to go 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 great
| furry.
Look here, Silas." he said II can't
20 back with you. l must get home di-
rectly, or therell be an awful kick up.
Come along; I'll put you In the road. SO
that you can't miss your way"
shall never forget the sense of DESC
lation that fell upon me when l found
myself alone in the street. All the direc'
tions Josiah had given me vanished In
an instant from my memory, and l stood
helpless. not knowing which way to turn
was in the outskirts Of the town. 1t was
nearly eleven o'clock. and not a soul was
about. walked straight on. fervently
hoping that 1t might be in the right direc
ton.
Finally | was in the middle Of a long
street, one side Of which was occupied
by ordinary houses, but that on which
found myself was distinguished by q
line Of vast. gloomy looking buildings
turreted walls hung with ivy. and broker
ruins. l felt awe-struck at the mighty
piles OF masonry that lowered above me
was standing right before an archway
Of a grand Norman tower. l walked tim
idly beneath its black, vaulted ROOF, t.
the iron gate at its further end, and peer
ed at the line of crumbling ruins tha
rose among the trees and shrubs, white
} and CHASTITY. In the moonlight
As l stood thus, heard a rustic
Chilled with a sense of fear. I turned
quickly round. Through a rent In thu
, wall. many yards above my head. CAM
! broad ray of white light. As turned
, it was falling upon an object that fasci
J mated my gaze. 1t was the head ant