Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1906-11-16
vaguely that he was interested.

casual nearer interested in any an
ecdote relating to him, and the fact
that the grief caused by his wife's
death was known To many persons TO
whom he was a stranger. She won
dered If a similar grief made this man
alphabetically Interested; and she
said, reverting almost to the begin
ming of the conversation:
1T is no wonder that her death was
such a shock to him II that it made
him reckless. l suppose he has been
trying to forget his sorrow. / suppose
people do try, until they can believe
that what they want is, not TO learn
to forget, but to learn TO be strong
enough to remember. Don't you THINK
SOP" she appealed to him.
"Yes-oh, yes, / do" he said. He a
thought she looked almost too young
TO be so strangely wise.
Has your husband been on the stage
long?" he asked abruptly.
Lon? oh, yes; very long. BE hasn't
done very much yet-not so much as
we hope he may. / am constantly an
ticipating seeing hin do something
really large and fine. He is young, or
course, and may get opportunities" she
smiled wistfully. He will be all ready
for them when he does-and so
shall t.
Seton smiled. There is a great deal
in that" he said.
Isn't there?' the girl said. And in
hoping. l remember Mrs. Seton said
she cared even more about her nus,
bands success and his profession than
he did himself; n l think l do. one
must care tremendously TO care that
much"
Yes" said Seton, as he regarded her
beautifully sensitive face. Again he bit
his lips; he was older than his under
study, but he was young enough TO see
his life, stretched before him, long n
brilliant and solitary. This girl had
said of the play he was seeing that 1T
was clever and worldly wise n hard,
as many people had said of him. He
did not forget that she also had said
of it that he might nave produced it.
Still with a singular keenness she a
seen that the strongest force in his
life had been the tender, exalted girl
who would have turned her eyes from
his play.
Following his reflection, he asked:
DO you like this play?"
mo, L don't" she said quickly. But
l admire it; it is so clever, one must
admire it; and all plays interest me
but I'm glad my husband isn't under
studying it,"
You prefer Seton's play?"
"Oh, yes, indeed! l like Seton best
in Shakespearean plays, though" she
added. Il have a copy of the one he
produced that year that l met Mrs. Sc
ton; she sent it to me-"
She did," Seton asked. He knew
now that his wife must ave thought
well of the girl.
Yes. she did; with her card, bank
ing me-for the opera glasses, YOU
know. Wasn't it beautiful in her? !
shall always remember her." she re-
peated. "She was so uplifted. l saw
her just that little while, in that I'M
conventional way, but there vas some
thing about her that made what is
finest n highest seem naturally most
desirable. She CAV one patience, too;
I'm even a little more willing to wait
for my husband's-"
Opportunities" Seton concluded for
her.
Yes. The wife of a famous and
successful man doesn't always have
that effect the girl said.
Isn't it an effect almost as valuable
as an an opportunity Seton OBJ
served.
Almost" said the girl. Perhaps
the neXt valuable" She smiled at him
frankly. Sometimes Patience gets
tired OF her monument"
As she gave expression to this opin-
ion h last act of the play began. AS
it ended, ana before the crowd had be-
gun to rush as precipitateiy from the
balcony as it had rushed TO it, Seton
turned to the girl and smiled. Don't
get tired of your monument" he said.
Then he lost sight Of her in the crowd.
she smiled at his parting advice, as
she made her way down the long
flights of stairs, and then she sighed.
III Try mott" she thought. Poor
man, he looked SO unhappy, as though
some awful thing had happened to
him. He ought to know now to give
adyice."
Seton, meanwhile, went to his hotel,
more chcered n he had supposed he
could ever be again. He had d~iscour-
aged his friends when they would have
spoken to him of his wife, but the wife
of his understudy had touched the sub
ject so happily. She had taken his
wife as simply and as sWeetly as she
had been wont to give herself. His
pleasure in this made him remember
the less impatiently the girls specula-
tons as to himself. Her relation to his
understudy awoke in him a new inter
est in the man, whom he had long
known so very slightly.
When, somewhat later, he went to
the theater, he more han once looked
critically at the husband of the girl
who had been CT his right in the sec
ond balcony of the neighboring thea
Lt4' ICIIdpS opportunities Ildy DC
his chief requirements ne reflected;
usually they are not, though"
At the end of his play, he observed
to the stage manager that he was more
than ordinarily fatigucd.
Think you'Il be all right tomorrow"
said the stage manager, anXiously.
"Yes-Oh, yes, certainly" Seton said,
cheerlully; but the next afternoon he
telephoned to the theater that he would
not be equal to his performance that
night.
what shall we do?" calculated the.
stage manager.
why, I've got an understudy, have
MT II" Seton said, impaticntly. He
can do it; he'll be all right in it."
wei it is the best we can dol"
agreed the stage manager, dolefulIy.
Yves, it is-this season!" said Seton
to himself, as he left the telephone.
He smiled slowly. Then, suddenly,
he turned to the telephone and called
UP a dramatic reporter who was one of
his particular friends. Say, Philson!
Don't be alarmed if you hear about my
sudden illness. It's nothing serious;
I'll be able to appear again tomorrow
night, | think"
Great Scott!' came from the other
end Of the telephone, aren't you on
tonight? You're sure it's nothing seri-
Gus %
Perfectly; it's this beastly weather"
who substitutes? ?"
MY understudy, of course"
rs he any good?"