Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-02-08

y Jun NIkty A@# MANM~M MUA tAWN ADANM
on d bench. prey 70 feelings tina
stirred her young heart fOf the Ore
time. RaouI followed her and thel
talked til the evening. very shyiy
They were quite changed, cautious ii
two dipIomatists. and told each 0thel
things that had noshing TO DO with
their budding aentimentR When theJ
took leave OF each other by the road
side. Raoui. pressing kiss on chris
tines trembling hand. said.
maoeIviseiie. l snail never forge
youiv
And he went away regretting hi
words, for ne knew that Christine
could not be the wife OF the vicomts
de Chagny.
AS for Christine. she tried not Il
think OF him and devoted herself
wholly to her art. She made won
dsrful progress and those who heard
her prophesied that she would be the
greatest singer in the world. Mean
while. the father died; and, suddenly,
she seemed to have lost. with him,
her voice, her soul and her genius.
She retained just. but only just.
enough OF this to enter the conserva-
toire, where she did not distinguish
herself at all, attending the. classes
without enthusiasm and taking o prize
only to please old Mamma valerius.
with whom she continued to live.
The frst time that Raoul saw Chris
tine at the opera, he was charmed by
the girls beauty and BY the sweet
images OF the past which 1t evoked,
but was rather surprised at the mega
tive side of her art. He returned to
listen to her. He followed her in the
wings. He waited for her behind a
jacobs ladder. He tried to attract
her attention. More than once. he
walked after her to the door Of her
box, but she did not see him. She
seemed, for that matter, to see mo-
body. She was all indifference. Raoul
suffered, for she was very beautiful
and he was shy and dared not con-
fess his love, even to himself. And
then came the iightning-iash OF the
gala perfOrmance:--the heayens torn
asunder and an angels voice heard
upon earth for the delight Of mankind
and the utter capture OF his heart.
And then and then there
was that mans voice behind the door
You must love me!''-and no one
In the room.
Why did she laugh when he remind
ed her OF the incident OF the scarff
Why did she not recognize him? And
why had she written to him? i
Perros was reached at last. Raoul
walked into the smoky sltting-room OF
ths Setting Sun and at once saw Chris
tine standing before him, smiling ami
showing no establishment.
$50 you nave Gomez" she said. Il
felt that l should find you here. when |
/ came back from mass. Some one
told me so, at the church.
"Who?" asked RaouI, taking her
little hand In his.
my poor father, who y
dead ~ ~ '--'
There was a silence; and then
ktnVuA uDACAs Il
ibid your father tell you that
love you, Christine. and that can
not live without your
Christine blushed to the eyes and
turned away her head. In . trem-
bling voice, she said.
me? You are dreaming, my
'riend!"
And she burst out laughing. to put
herself in countenance.
Don't laugh, Christine: am quite
Ierious," Raoul answered.
And she replied gravely: Il did not
make you come TO tell me such things
Is that"
"You made me come, Christine;
rou knew that your letter would not
cave me indignant and that | should
lasten to Perros How can you have
Fought that, II you did not think 4
owed your" II
Il thought you would remember our
,ames here, as children, In which my j
sther so often joined. really don't
now what | thought. Per !
Idpb was WAOA6 " 4WAiSO w JNAAas /
This anniversary and your
uddsn appearance n-n,y room at the
pera the other evening reminded me
/ the time long past and made me
rite to you as the little girl that IIl
hen was. !"
There was something in Christine's
ttitude that seemed to Raoul not /
atural. He did not feel any hostility ,
4 her; far from 1t; the distressed af-
ecti6n shining IN her eyes told him /
hat. But why was this affection dis i
ressed? That was what he wished /
) know and what was irritating him. !
when you saw me in your dress Z
lg-room. was that the tirst time you q
otised me, Christine?r q
She was incapable OF lying. h
"No," she said. II had seen you sew \
raj times IN your brothers box. And 4
leo on the stagei" Il
Il thought so!" said Raoul, COM 4
i