The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-05-18
By EVELYN VAN BUREN,
COPYRIGHT 1911

1 never was one for matinees. Pm
not iriN louS, but can understand a
good time"
/ All the way TO the Grand Union
/ Opera House, each OF them holdin..
/ TO grandmother's warm, black-gloVed
| hand pceking past her for exchange,
/ OF joyous Slances, they tripped on i'm
| the smoky. leaf-scented darkness.
softly, softly. 1t was nobody's bust
ness. So Betsy Smith mustn't know.
An. the brilliant wonder of the
/ Grand Union opera Housed Lights
and more lights. from away down the
main street they Sparkled and glowed
and invited and told i'm great scintnlat-
| ing letters what was within.
The Power of Good"
~ stirring MelOdra- Va
lora spelled out and Narcissa pro
nOunCed.
Grandmother Pollard was silent.
She led them firmly along, her head
50 high, her chin so set, il seemed she
must be thinking: Il don't care if
/ Betsy Smith does find il out. We're
going, going. no matter what"
Then within and on down the aisle
with Such gay music going, she drew
them, pushing one and pulling the
other and into the seats to which the
boy showed them she hurried them
almost angrily, but she was just de-
termined. And then for one dark
moment she bent and whispered that
she had forgotten her glasses. But
\ they all as quickly frightened because
/ the twins could read her the pro-
gram and she could see we'll enough
without glasses
The curtain rose UPON a splendid
red plush -Chaired room. Instantly
lady entered; a tall lady with black
black hair and eyes and a dress that
triled maSniiiCentlY. From her man
ner il was plain that she would make
a lOteOf trouble. And when a great
tori fr1 fr..r.
diamond-studdcd waistcoat came in.
She began telling him of the trouble
she should make.
She was very bitter against one
Pauline.
The great masterful diamond stud
ded gentleman went out thOughtfully,
pulling a black mustaChe. and at an
other door Pauline came in.
"Ah. little Pauline" the dark one
began i'm a very deceitful voice.
Pauline was a lovely creature in
pink. She was small and pink-cheek-
ed. and her hair of gold was a mass
of little curls. Her eyes
Lady Dugdale-" Pauline had be
gun in the softest voice. when Grand
mother Pollard Strengthened Stripped
the twins each by little hand and
waited.
To them the rest of Pauline's words
were lost just her voice. soft and
fearful. her checks brightly pink be
tic vision from which in terrified as
constituent the twins We're torn by
Grandmother Pollard. out of their
seats. up the darkened aisle. past the
rows of faces she drew them along
into the street. hurrNing from the
lights and JOY TO which she had. but
brought them.
Presently she slackened her pace
and her grip Of the little hands
Il may be mistaken she said; Il
didn't have my glasses. When you
keep thinking spose a thing might
happen. you're apt to imagine it is
happening"
Valera was crying softly.
Don't cry" said her grandmother.
IL was request more than com
about tonight. Don't cry. Narcissa
isn't"
Narcissa was glad Of this. She
wanted TO. but she hadn't
Something had happened to their
grandmother. They hurried on in the
darkness. up their own street with
chances across at the darkened house
of Betsy Smith. glad now she hadn
known Of the going.
In the little bedroom they were dis
mantlcd of their splendor even as they
had been rObbed-fOr some strange
circumstance understood but uncon-
trolled by Grandmother Pollard-of
their evenings JOY.
she left them the lamp TO go toi
sleep by tonight. not even refcrringl
To brave children who did 50 i'm dark
ness.
"To-morrow." she promised. wen
do something To- make mp"
1t they'd play out all day nice and
not bother her. she said they might
have a tanN-pul that night and in
Vite any two i'm the ncighhorhood they
liked. The invitation had been carly
personally delivered To- the desired