The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-04-23
Copyright, 1909, by Doubleday,
Page Z csWpanv:
Continued.)


(Continued.)
Il guess you don't allow any girl ia
surpass Elnora," said Mr.. Brownlee
"She comes home with Ellen often, and
my wife and 1 love her. Ellen says
abe Is great In her part tonight Best
thing In the whole play. OF course
you are I'm to see 1t. If you haven't re
served seats you'd best start pretty
soon, for the high school auditorium
only seats a thousand"
"Why, yes, Of course" said the be-
wildered Sinton. Then he hurried to
Margaret. "Say," he said, there Is
going to be play at the high school
tonight, and Elnora is in it. Why
hasn't she told usT"
81 don't know" said Margaret, 'fbut
I'm going"
$50 am l." said Billy.
NE, too" said Wesley, unless you
think for some reason she don't want
rs. Looks like she would have told US
II she had. I'm going to ask her moth
er."
Yes, that's what she's been staying
in town for" said Mrs. Comstock
Its some sort Of q swindle to raise
money for her class to buy some silly
thing to stick up In the schoolhouse
hall to remember them by. I don't
know whether It's now or next week,
but there's something Of the kind to
be done 80 49,.
'Well, it's tonight" said Wesley,
''and we are going. It's my treat, and
we've got to hurry or we won't get In.
There's reserved seats, and we have
nome so it's the gallery for us, but
don't care 50 get to take one good
peep at Elnora-"
''S'pose she playsT whispered Mar
garet in his ear.
"Ah, tush! She Couldn't" said. Wes-
ley.
well, she's been doing it three years
in the orchestra and working like a
slave at It."
''Oh. well, that's different. She's. in
the play tonight. Brownlee told me so.
Come on, quick! Well drive and hitch
closest place we can find to the build
ing"
Margaret went in the excitement of
the moment, but she was troubled.
When they reached the building
Wesley tied the team to railing and
Billy sprang out to help Margaret.
Mrs. Comstock sat still.
sCome on. Kate" said Wesley, reach
ing his hand.
I'm not going anywhere" said Mrs.
Coms.ock, settling comfortably back
against the cushions.
All Of them begged and pleaded, but
1t was no USE Not an inch would Mrs.
Comstock bulge, so they left her.
They found seats near the door where
they could see fairly well. Billy stood
at the back OF the hall and had goo6
view. By and by a great volume Of
sound welled from the orchestra, but
Elnora was not playing.
Out in the warm summer night {
sour, grim woman nursed an aching
heart and tried to justify herself. TIL,
effort irritated her intensely. She lean
ed back, closed her I. les and tried tt
make her mind a blank, to shut ou
even the music, when the leading vic
lin began a solo. Mrs. Comstock Dor,
1t as long as she could and then slip
ped from the carriage and fed dowI
the street.
She did not know how far she wen
or how long she stayed, but everythin:
was still save an occasional raised
voice when she wandered back. Sht
stood looking at the building. Siowl,
h. ELL
ed up the walk. Elnora had been com
ing here for almost four years. Whel
Mrs. Comstock reached the door sh,
went inside. The entrance to the audi
torium was packed with people an(
q crowd was standing outside. Whe1
they noticed q tall woman with whit,
face and hair and black dress one b!
one they stepped little aside, SO tina
Mrs. Comstock could see the stage. /
was covered with curtains and NJ
one was doing anything. Just as sh'
turned to go a sound so faint tina
everyone leaned forward and listened
lrifted down the auditorium. 1t wa!
difficult to tell just what it was; afte
one instant hall the audience locke;
toward the windows, for it seemed
only a breath Of wind rustling freshly
opened leaves, just hint of stirring air
Then the curtnins were swept asid,
swiftly. The stage had been trans
formed into a lovely little corner o.
creation, where trees and flowers grew
and moss carpeted the earth. A sof
wind blew, and it was the gray o
dawn. Suddenly a robin began t.
sing, then a song sparrow joined him
and then several orioles began talk
ing at once. The light grew stronger
the dew drops trembled, flower per
fume began to creep out to the audi
ence; the air moved the branches gent
IL and a rooster crowed Then all TIT