The Washington herald., 1908-09-06
Entered at SfafioneTS' Hall.
All Rights Reserved.

picture that was reflected in the glass
Her face was pale and cold. but fault
lessIy beautiful Her magnificent hair
had been roped and twined and arranged
by one Of the first artists in Paris. Her
dress. one OF Paquin's most marvellous
and gorgeous creations. was in itself suf-
hcient 10 excite the envy Of every woman
who set eyes on t. A tiara of diamonds
glittered on her head. q string OF the
same cold. sparkling jewels enhanced the
soft whiteness Of her throat. and line
OF diamond stars scintnlated along the
corsage- Of her dress. She wore no gems
but diamonds. and had always refused
to accept anything else from her husband
Perhaps she looked upon them as the
hard embIems Of her life
She looked at herself for few mo-
ments IN the glass, and smiled family as
she thought Of the contrast between this
picture and the one she had seen every
dav in her little white bedroom at home
Her maid. a French girl. stood behind
her with a raptUrous look in her dark
eyes
Laura Tankerlane went down to dinner
and the meal was a pleasant one for al
parties concerned Lord POrtlington
I brought with him an atmosphere OF boy
z LalhtL4d--E Lt-l41EAAH 81 Af44.-
Of bis wife's beauty and Of the evident
effect Il produced on his friend. was IN
the best Of spirits. while Laura was only
Z too glad OF this change from the daily
tete-a-tete meal with her husband and
T exerted herself 20 appear as happy and
/ charming as possible
When the meal was over they drove 20
E the Colonnade. and entered the box which
I Lord Portlington had secured for them
4 r-7- r-E
[ the more fashionable parts Of the house
I were nearly full A new actress was ap-
/ pearing in Paris that night. For weeks
/ past the papers had teemed with puffs
and paragraphs about her beauty. her
! genius. and the Jewels which were ru-
I mored 70 have come from the scion % a
/ royal house. She was not a FrencEwou1-
I an. and therefore Paris was anxious TO
see her. and. If necessary. disapprove Of
t her presumption in appearing in a FreDch
play.
! All eyes were turned on the newcomers
. as they took their seats in the box. Laura
I TankerIane IN the middle and the two
men on either side OF her Tanksrlane
smiled griuly as he saw the opera glasses
turned on them. and kept in position for
I a longer space than courtesy or even
I curiosity demanded A fierce joy seized
him as ne saw the eager looks Of the men
I and the envious giances Of the women
Z He had paid a long price for his wife-a
{ price that was not TO be rechoned In SOW
eTeigns. but IN moments Ike these he
was repaid
Il mattered nothing 70 him that he rec
d oEuized Two OF three acquai1tanCes in the
house. He knew well enough that they
/ would wonder what relation he bore 20
I the beautiful woman by his side. But he
did not care what they thought Their
curiosity would remain unsatisded-
Laura was not IN the least 6iscoDposed
By the amount OF attention she received
! Her Indifference showed very plainly the
7 change THAI her nature rad uuderEU-e
! since she left Laverstone- L was hard e
believe that the daughter Of q simple
farmer could sit unmoved with the eyes
Of fashionable Paris staring at her But
she returned their stare with VelI-hred
i composure. and took IN all the details ct
the WOuen's dresses and Jewels as though
size were examining a row Of fashion
plates Under ordinary circumstance
such q feat would have been the result ot
years Of training But there are moments
lin our lives which count for more n the
moldilE Of character than many years
When the piece commenced. she turned
her attention 70 the stage The play was
a modern drama. wei written viEorrcS
an artistic combination Of light and shade
Ten minutes after The rise OF the curtain
the Coutesse de Larnac. played by The
new American actress was announced
. and rustic OF expectation ran through
the house As she entered. there was q
burst Of applause-the generous recognE
. tion given by Partisan audience 10
B foreigner
Laura Taukerlane's glasses were fixed
on the face OF Nademoiselie Jackson. and
! she did not notice that her husband, Uhc
. + had been leaning forward over the edg'
Of the box. had suddenly started 20 ar
/ upright position. and had then leaned bacl
50 that his face was hidden from th'
stage
3 The first impression Of the new actress
: who was expected 10 take Paris by storm
was q trihe disappointing 10 an audieuc'
accustomed 20 distinction. II not actua
beauty, in the appearance Of its fsvorites
{ She was small almost insignificant o.
stature. and her face was not in any wal
( remarkable for its IoveEness- Her hat
and eyes were the most noticeable fea
: lures. The hair was dark. glossy. any
abundant; the eyes were large and brl
liant a combination Of Qualities that i
70 rarely found. for large eyes are generall7
dull and lusterless. and keen. piercing
eyes are usually small But IN spite O
these two redeeming features. the gen
eral opinion was decidedly against Made
mOiseIle Jackson. and the applause dieC
z view Of the audience
What a mite whispered Lord Port
Iington. Poor little thing
Mrs Tanfrlsue did not reply He
glasses were still leveled on the girl
! face. The great eyes fascinated her Fo
S a second they rested on the box in whicl
she sat. and IN that second Mrs Tanker
lane felt that this little actress had rea'
! all the story OF her life She shivered
and then leaned back IN her chair AM
! then she noticed that her husband wa
I not looking at the stage She smiled 7
3 was hardly likely that Mile Jackso'
would rivet the attention OF a man Tx
William Tankerlane.
+ Yet before ten minutes had elapsed thi
fragile, Insignificant little woman he
= sripped her audience with 50 strong
{ hold that the whole house seemed TO VI
l brate to the words that came from he
lips. and before the first act was owe
the critics realized that a great geniu
had come into their midst
- The first note OF her voi-e broke n
spell OF Indifference and even ConteTp
p with which her entrance had been greeted
II was a wonderful voice strong an
resonant and yet so perfectly under con
> Z troll that its merest whisper was distinc
Not a single infection Of it was lost o
those who heard IL
! Il portrayed the mind apd heart Of III
speaker as clearly as though all he
thoughts and emotions had been write
g down on paper
Here" said Legage. the greatest dram
atist Of the century. fis a woman VIZ
e a soul expect great things Of this Iittl
$ one"