Middletown transcript., 1909-09-25

and raised the heavy sash and
looked out. A hoarse murmur
came up from the street far be.
low.
The haze in the room was grow.
ing bluer.
Come, the man quickly called
to the egirl THERE'S plenty Of pure
air here. Don't look down. Do
you see this ledge here and the
fre escape FIVE windows away I?
Yes Well when the time, comes
praise God. it will not
you and I will walk along that
ledge to the escape.
Yes, said the girl. I under
stand.
You are splendid, said the man.
l am horribly afraid, said the
girl.
So am !, said the man.
They knelb together by the
window and learned out across
the sill, and both were silent.
The crowd shouted, the gongs
a+
crashed, and then the smoke
seemed to lessen.
The man drew back.
I'll investigate, he said.
When he came back he was
coughing and laughing, too.
Dangers over, he cried. They
checked the fire on a lower floor.
Now they are trying to get the
elevator up. He locked at her
curiously. Don't they usually
faint when it's all over?
She suddenly laughed. She
laughed hysterically.
Don't, he gently cautioned her.
You cant imagine what I am
laughing at, she said. It's at q
scene in that two.act play l told
you about. I thought it wonder.
fully realistic when I wrote it.
But now. She suddenly laughed
again.
Sit down, be said. You are exciting
yourself.
! must tell you about il, she went on.
The hero and the heroine are penned in 9
lofty building and a fire breaks out-just
as this did. And then the two show
their real natures-just as they would in
actual life. She grows sentimental and
he cnrses fate. She remembers her happy
childhood and be talks about dying like 9
rat in a trap. And l thought il was rea-
listic.
Come, said the man, don't you want to
go home?
Why, no, said the girl. I want 70 tell
yOu about the play. You know you said
it was very doubtful if / ever saW you
again.
I hopeI was mistaken about that, he
said. And the girls cheeks suddenly
flushed.
I know have done pretty much every.
thing wrong, she hastily said, but want
you to hear the whole plot. Let me tell
You the third act. will talk fast.
He nodded and she began the relation.
She gave the scene with q simple earnest.
meas that was impressive in its unaffected
way.
You see what meant 10 emphasize,
she said. Here il the young wife wild
with anxiety because she fears her hus.
bands honor lie in danger. These peo.
pie who are his enemies, the young
husbands stepmosher and the stock gam
bling rival, havs come to denounce him.
You see the course she takes. She delib-
eratelg lies TO save the man she adores.
Her nature suddenly changes. She lies
glibly and arsistically. Tie stepmother
and the broker know she Is lying, but the
husband and the father think she is
speaking the truth-=and the truth is alb
llorrent. The father, bowed and broken
by her faIsehoods, dsnounces her. To him
she has always been an innocent, truth.
ful child-4he thought that she may be
lying Is absurd. And the husband,
stupid, turns from her. and goes away
with the unhappy father. 70 add to her
wretchedness the stepmother telIs her
He He sssaeei Hce was khroWn .aWaS-that her
husband bad been proved innocent Of the
charge against him. The girl paused and
looked Is the man. = there anything In
tilat3 she asked.
He was staring at the ceiling.
lam trying 10 see the scene, be slowly
said. It's little hAzy. / like Il. like
il better az It grows clearer.
The girl watched him with sager eyes.
lie quickly lnoked down at her.
What do you say toCollaborating Oh Is
he abruptly asked.
Before che could reply TO this astOniah-
ing question ths door suddenly opened
aud stout man entered.
He paused and ssAssed from the GIRL 70
tile man.
Then his face lighted up.
Nhy, Brewster Allen be ioyougly cried,
I'D dslishsed p w yUn ! 1 Would have
Isssis iip sooner. bui slsai iEFr on lie sixth
i loE keps me tuning II ths aiEsas. Did
u stsre gpu And hase you 100 = play
l1l me
Hs sminent dfstEsl laue1 s1e