The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-02-15

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When | left the club and climbed
into a hanson, it was with half
defined notion OF going to Southamp-
ton and making myself a nuisance
to Jimmie Halstead overnight. Jim
mic is a great friend of mine, and
so, naturally, ! considered myself at
liberty to make life a burden to him.
Financially, l was untroubled;
mentally-well, to be brief, l had
been thrown over two days before
by the dearest girl in the world, had
engaged a passage on the next days
steamer for South Africa, and was,
in fact, fit companion for none save,
possibly, some sore-headed denizen
of the Geological Gardens bear pit.
/ had told the cabman distinctly
Waterloo Then / had allowed him
TO slip entirely out Of my thoughts
When he stopped | jumped out me-
chanically and entered a doorway
AT a ticket window / threw down a
sovereign
After moment, as nothing in
the shape OF a ticket was forthcom-
ing, / looked up, to find the occu-
pant Of the box observing me
curiously.
southampton" ] said, impatient
ly. Not caring whether / ever
reached that place, | was naturally
anxious TO start; it is characteristic
of the clubman
BEG your pardon?"
"South
My gaze caught glimpse Of an
Ornately frescoed wall, full-lergth
portrait of a prominent actress; then
1t fell to the diagram before me-
Recognizing the hand Of Fate, / ac-
Cepted the situation. After all, what
does it matter whether you go to
Southampton or the matinee il your
heart is broken and your life is
wrecked?
Orchestral" / asked
Eyes, sir one left It's the only
seat in the house, and you're lucky
TO get it, took 1t back from young
lady only five minutes ago. Thank
You.
! glanced with some interest at
the slip of pasteboard; | fancied it
would be nice to know what theatre
was attending. 1t was the Comedy
My seat was rather far back, and
] pushed my way by a dozen rustling
women with savage satisfaction at
the annoyance l was causing. The
house was dark as pitch, and on the
stage a man and two women were
talking before huge fireplace.
For awhile / watched the charac-
ters ON the stage walk and sit and
walk again; / even tried once or
twice TO fix my attention on what
they were saying, but with no sue
cess. It was all a meaningless jum-
BILE of words. But the theatre was
restful, the darkness was conducive
of reyerie, and after short time /
had forgotten my whereabouts.
My dreaming was disturbed by a
noise beside me. The lady on my
right had dropped her opera
glasses. / leaned forward to grope
for them on the floor and my head
came in contact With the lady's.
oh" said she.
BEG pardon" said /.
We gazed at each others irdis-
tinguishable features for an instant
pray don't bother, said the lady
softly.
mo trouble at all, / muttered.
"It's of no consequence, she muir.
INJURED, somewhat coldly, I thought
81 can find them when the lights sc
up
Yes, 1 answered, vaguely, when
the lights go up"
The lady was staring fixedly al
the stage; 1 could see that and nc
more. / mentally blessed CD the
opera glasses, and in turn fixed my
attention on the actors. But il
wouldn't stay there; instead, it per
sisted in returning time and agar
70 the neighbor on my right.
turned my head the fraction of an
inch and strove to distinguish heI