Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-09
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| Social Bucaneer
BY Frederic s. Ish0m
Copyright 1910, by eObbs- Merrill Company.
Copyright 1910, by Robbs- s-MsrrI Company.

| had been said; her eyes, starlike, had
met his; seemed as if they would have
held him yet longer. But with blithe
mien and manner, he had gaily made
way for others; her laugh, a little
forced, at some one elses words or
witticism, had followed him as he
turned from her.
1t rang in his brain; thrilling, sill
very! It would follow him down the
pathway of time, amid strange, far
away scenes. Che sara, sara! What
was written, was written! One must
pass through different lives, gehennas,
realms of Pluto, and all that
Again he bent over the part" his
present momentary concern, and as he
did so, he sank down, native fashion,
upon a rug. His supple muscles
adapted themselves readily to the atti-
tude his thin lips, as he merged into
the role he considered, wore a sug-
gestion of that Elusive irony one oc-
casionally encounters in a bronze Of
the Ming period. Suddenly the enig-
matte lids lifted and showed the full
radiance Of his eyes. They were rath-
er remarkable eyes, now, replete with
lights, like the play of bright moon
beams between dark clouds. He had
turned his head to listen to a peremp-
tory tapping from without; the little
Japanese play had begun.
To most of those in the audience
the plot of the little play went for
nothing; the production seemed main
ly picturesque, replete with unreal
people and titles, with many fantastic
scenes. But the costumes and the
acting of Chatfield Bruce and Mar
jorie Wood more than saved the day,
or the evening.
The young hostess, in the role of
Miss Happy-f for a. Thousand Years,
presented, as the society reporters af-
terward affirmed, an adequate Inter
probation of that ironically felicitous
part" When her lover, the beggar-
prince, who robs the rich to give to
the poor was, in the natural course Of
events, or vicissitudes, led to the exc
cutioner, at the command Of her future
lord, the great Shotgun, she changed
her state" very beautifully, in other
words, died. And with artistic con-
sistency she refused to come out
again. in answer to numerous recalls,
as did Mr.. Bruce, after he was sup
posed to have paid the final penalty.
Instead, the curtain again went up
and the audience was regaled with
the audience was regaled with the
sight of a single cherry tree. Had
they remained quiet, they would have
heard the faint sound of the wind.
They could see, however the branches
of the tree move, the blossoms fall one
by one as the curtain went down for
the last time on the pretty fluttering
things. What did it mean? Several
i'm the audience looked at one another.
Was it symbolical?
The pupils of Miss F1ossie's eyes,
bent on the stage from one of the
boxes, were slightly dilated; with fin
gers pressed closely against her warm
palms, she had witnessed the lovers
parting The scene was, of course,
most unnatural from the European, or
American standpoint. CeremOnious
bows! That leave taking seemed pitt
fully cold. Only the eyes spoke, yet
how much they said!
Those of Chatfield Bruce seemed to
express in that brief moment more
than a volume of words; Marjorie
Woods puzzled Miss Flossie. What
did she read in their depths? Incred-
ulity; wonderment, half understand
ing? Miss Burke had not followed the
plot; she liked her plays allegro, vi
vace; this stage representation was
| double adagio.
Had she seen the play within the
play, the chances are she would have
been more interested; had she looked
| behind the curtain a moment later
her curiosity, if no livelier feeling,
would have been greatly stirred.
Chatfield Bruce and Marjorie Wood
stood there, now, on the stage alone,
Forgotten were the characters Of the
play; it was two real people who look
ed at each other.
You said l might see you once
more, and so l came tonight" he be-
gan.
Yes" she answered. All the bright
color had gone; she was very pale.
Il promised to explain a little
he went on, inexorably, with seeming
ease. He could not show her any of
the pain that the knowledge of the
immeasurable gulf between them made
him feel. But it would have been
much easier just to have left, to have
gone away, without that"
She lifted her eyes slightly. You
are going away. them" she managed
to say.
Yes; Oh. yes" he answered care
lessly.
The shining draperies about her
stirred. Far" came from her lips
She seemed speaking without volition
of her own.
"As far as may be-" he said, with
a reckless laugh.
He had to keep TO his part now; no
playing the craven at that moment
though this was the hardest task he
had ever set himself. She drew a lit
tie from him; perhaps the laugh and
the preciptate light shining from his
eyes. in some way, cut her. belated
| blossom fell and clung to her. He
looked at the tiny trifle; it would Ions
cling to his memory.
I'm sorry you found that key" he
spoke with what seemed brusk, terri
| bic hluntnrsS. "But it was ChrOnicled
in the book of fate. one Of the Sis
ters three led your footsteps straight
To it. Why did YOU not give me up?'
She did not answer. 1T would have
been easier for me than this" His
| long shapely fingers lifted involuntar-
| ilv to his brow; the last words had
broken from his lips i'm different tone
| clio Ia, o,.n,. bnar1 from, hin, bn-