New-York tribune., 1906-05-13
The Heavy Villain
Continued from page 6

tnen, the voice went on with the Sergeant S
lines IN " The Honor of the Regiment, mingled
hopelessly with the lines of others and with
a pack of nonsense intended, doubtless "a
appeal especially to the present audience all
constantly interrupted by the piping cry
/ " Pitch into him. buddvI Give II 10 him
Give it to him!'' and by the frantic claPping OF
the two little hands, until with Boom
boomi bOOm!" TO represent the destructive
volley of the firing squad, the whilom
drama, with fitting climax came TO its logical
end.
And the beautiful dream-lady? What
became of herr" Again the shrill, excited
tones came to me from the other side Of the
| curtain.
All, dearyl" answered the Sergeant, now
in an everyday voice. The beautiful lady
as you do. Only the little ragged boys
high up IN the gallery care for me; and
they whoop, and whistle, and stamp their
| feet when / do well, and that S all the praise
get. Everyone hates me-they all hate the
heavy villain. He's always IN a mess, YOU
know, and never gets anything he wants
nothing but kicks and blows, and maybe shot
through the heart at the end And it makes
the heavy villain old, and sour. and Grabbed,
and cross to think of 1t. All, mel It's hard
| luck, deary; hard luck on and off the stage
these many years. Empty pockets often and
| holes IN the heavy villains coat, and piles of
| debts to pay, sweetheart, ever since you and
l were left alone to fight it out by ourselves.
| But love You. VIII take care OF you
The little voice trembled, but tried 10 be brave
and steady.
Yes, yes, know IT. deary, and it makes me
very. very glad, said the Sergeant. his voice
trembling bit also.
And won't the beautiful dream-lady ever
love you too!''
all"
Have you asked her? queried the child
| anxiously.
No, ! haven't even asked her." replied
the Sergeant rather hopeleSsly but ! came
very near it once, for big black dragon was
going to eat her up so | thought. He a
terrible dragon, though he wore beautiful
clothes, and looked very handsome to dream
ladies, who when they leave dreamland and
come to live with US, can't always see very
well. They think everyone Is good and beau
tful all the way through, Just as they are But
/ could see beneath this dragons beautiful
clothes, and found out that he had already
eaten up one pretty dream-lady. SO that she
disappeared and her father and mother could
never find her any more. And | was very
| frightened, for saw that my beautiful dream
lady was beginning to love the dragon. And
so L But he will never hurt her any more
now"
4 should think the dream-lady would love
you for saving her from the dragon, cried
the child, excited again.
No, sweetheart; for you see this beautiful
dream-lady has big, big cave hidden some
/
bags and bags of shining gold. If ! asked hel
10 love me, she would think had come tc
steal her gold, and she would be frightened and
run away forever. No no, darling; that dream
| play that / have often played for you would
end-it has ended-like all the rest have
ended unhappily. For, don't you see, deary
| am only the heavy villain, after all, and
have nothing but poor heart"
! could scarcely see the little girl, or tho
Sergeant, OF Mrs Gilpin who followed me, a:
ran into the room. My silly eyes had beer
so long blind, and now tears filled them. MOI
could ! speak plainly; for the tears had some
how found their way into my throat, and wa
sobbing.
oh deary, deary,' | cried, don't lister
any more, don't listen any morei Listen only
TO mel For | am the dream-lady come &
life And if / have bags and bags of golc
hidden IN the ground, what of 1t? What j
that which your brother has hidden in hi
breast and shows only to you! / was blinC
IN the broad daylight and could not see IT
any more than ! could see the wicked dragon
But my eyes are opened now, and what do
see deary?-a great big golden heart, deary
a great golden heart that is bigger and heavie
! and better than all the hard and shiny golC
in the world, heart that IS brave and loyal
a heart that IS tender and patient and true,
heart that watches over poor little dream
ladies wandering about helplessly like bats il