The Cairo bulletin., 1908-01-01
IN THE GLOOM
OFTHE GALLERY
by Faith sIinlicr.

the next by "a reSEccitd merchant.
Above them come toe saiy Wehdnd
bookkeeper and the st.isslins pro-
fessional man. under the roof Is tne
half-starved family or ,br begging
letter writer. In the ors,hersta chairs
OF the theatre on this cold January
evening were gathered the fashion,
ables Back OF them SAT these on
the fringe Of society Aha,e stairs
came the middle-aged folk from the
suburbs, and still aboee. In the galr
iery. one saw poor students with
heads full OF artistic dreams and
pockets insuGicicntly Sugpiscl With
money.
Happiness, though. was there be-
side tnem. Happiness especially lin
gcred near hoy and a woman. N hom
mere chance had placed side by aide.
where they could lean over The brass
rail and gaze down on the stage, as
IL into a we'll Tae boy vas charm-
inga curly haycd student Mita
earnest eyes. aud tnc long nervous
fngcrs OF the pianiSt the woman
was perhaps two Years older than
ne IL wears, but wrinkles had already
gathered about her eyes. an,, her
moath twitcAcd Wien aho Was not
aNafe Of &C. as 90 those mouths lhat
haze taytcd the bitter draft Of sup
RENE mretchpdncss. Her attire esi-
denrea desire 10 make the most OF
things, one saw such desire IA her
many times washed white bodice. be-
dee ked With carefully moulded lace;
in her white gloves. so obviously
noElc-cleancd, IN her hair. adroitiyl
arranged to hide the premature
sprinklInS of gray.
1t Is odd that we should meet
here, she was SAYING, y haze,
longed to see this play above all else,
but somehow | did not seem able to
manage it until tonight Mhen kind
fate seut Autograph pass in my
Nay So Glens Of my papils have
gone to Florida, sou have no idea
now cold winter interferes with the
work OF the music teacher for be-
ginners. II it be mild families re-
main III town. let but the thermome-
ter sink end presto They're on to d
warmer cline. little ones and all
The play began. The leading wo.
can, a woman With q vibrant voice.
exhibited In n simple role an emo
tfonal quality long appreciated By her
loyal admirers, aud lately acknow-
lodged by the world As the play
progressed il developed irat sort on
pathos that presently brings n sym
ratoetic audience to tears Down.
stairs there Vas deft wiping of eyes.
in the galleries people welt openly
and unashamed The curles hare |
pianist gave himself up unrcscr. ealy
to the lHNiny Of an -powerins
emotion With the artists natpre
he forgot his material woes III the
lnental woes OF the woman in the
play
Occasionally he turned. his beau
tiful eyes swimming III tcars. and
Whispered to the woman Broken
sentences, these were. or even dc
taciied words. interspersed with sieha
OF tlnt supreme contrnt which ac-
comralsios elf-abandonment to abso-
lute misery
With the woman II was different.
She did not weep She was conscious
only OF tugging at her heaststrlngs
" bile before her vision unrollcd incl
dents Of sordid and miserable past.
sac had been always dospised. grind
ing poverty had ever been her por-
ton. disappointed ambition her only
surety. and poor little ambition at
that For q litile while .,outn had
been hers, bnt soc had thrown il
away In unapprec!sted sclf-saeriilce
Talent had been hers. also. bat Il was
early lost IN application to unwoTih;
york A body forced to bear heavy
sil] shrink. tds woman's NINA na 3
peeH uaduly strained 5cfo9c deveiop-
pent. to result ia decay Ali tbi..
yer shading the background. cane
nto full view while the stage pic;are
was TO be seen. II vas TOO pi;liu'
'or weeping when the neart biee.l-
be eyes are CRY.
As the play went ON happiness
seemed within tho grasp OF the W.
ran in the play. sac had money at
%; mand she would buy happiness
She would have nothing e. SIC
.ould not buy but this, il appeared.
vas to be purchased The wom ~ in
he. gallery sat uP and 1resiaed
quickly. Was happiness indeed 10 oe
rad for the buying2 She nad never
}, core known this. And II so. woat
Iad she to give in payment.
Unconsciously she spoke aloud
Can buy happiness" she as@c.l
A hand met hers in the hot gloom
# the theatre. The long. slender
myers OF the pianist crushed her
my nand within their grasp. His
myers crept TO her wrist. He seem,
d to be taking possession OF aer
me could not move. she could not
urn her head Fascinated. she gar
d on the stage. she heard the words
+ the PLAY uttered in vibrant tones.
nd al the time that relentless hand
ras on her throbbing pulse.
Into the moonighf-oyer the
n6x-oHt Of my Iife-into the moon
IghtA-oyer the snow"