The Huttig news. (Huttig, Ark.) 1907-1955, 1908-04-25
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Vic Wah came in and put out all the
lights save the one in the screened
corner of the stage. Alfred heard him
leave the room and pass through the
kitchen, giving Stella an elaborate
goodnight before he shut and locked
the outer door
With the grating of the key and the
assurance of no further intruding, AL
fred slipped from the actual, the sor-
did, into the love-land his Romeo's
dress recalled. The darkness was well
come. Not even yet would he call
Stella. For a moment he would dream.
No need of lamp or candle; the re-
splendence of his visions illumined
him. The song in his heart throbbed
melodiously on, it seemed for hours
yet it was only minutes, and but few,
when the rustic of skirts and second
light appearing behind the screen
aroused him. The rustling went and
came again, and a faint tinkle of
china struck his ear Then he heard
his name!
Mr.. Vincent" softly; and after a
III SdIu, ACSIl1lluSly, IlUlllSO,
Alfred sprang out of his nook, but
did not speak. There she stood, above
him on the high stage, the light from
behind the screen faring sidewise
upon her; next him the cheek he had
longed to kiss in the play, but did
not. A little pale she was now, yet
SO fair and sweet, Her lips were apart,
her hand lifted as If to catch the
sound of his coming. How beautiful
she was, How sweet and womanly!
And in the lonely darkness how near
and intimate-his own! his own!
She leaned forward a little, her
iraperies flowing softly about her
feet behind the graceful stage-edging
of fir tips, her dear, wistful eyes peering
Tito the gloom He knew she thought
him out there somewhere in the dark;
hungry, weary, waiting for her. He
was not hungry, he was not weary;
but he needed her-she little knew
how he needed her And no matter
how far asunder lay their future, to-
night he would have her, love her, &C
cept the service Of those dear hands.
Impulsively she called again: 1Oh,
Romeo, Romeo, won't you Gomez
The tender voice with the heart
ache in it thrilled him, chided his ST.
lence; startled him with apprehension
also, lest the association of the name
lead her. to say those other too true
words.
"Tis but thy name that is my
enemy
1t should be her enemy no longer!
Here l am Stella-sweetheart." He
whispered the last word as he caught
her down-reached hand and sprang up
beside her
AS in a baby's face fresh-waked
from sleep, the warm color swept up,
rose-tipped cheek and lip, veined the
white lids and paled off to the softly
waving hair. Her eyes opened wide,
frank and joy-fooded as child's. She
turned to him Doubts and questions
fed He was there! He called her
Sweetheart"
In the sheltered, spicy nook behind
the screen, prudence, business, duty,
all slept forgotten, while nameless
youth pledged lifelong love and de-
votion to a dowerless, homeless, I'M
worldly woman.
1t was Stella, remembering his long
fast, who cut short the precious mo-
ments and lured Alfred from his loves
empyrean SUBMITS to his daily bread.
She rearranged the dishes and went to
the kitchen to make fresh tea, he fol-
lowing that no dear breath OF her
should be lost to him. Back to the
table again they went, stepping lightly
that they might wake no ear above;