Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-02-01


"a. send for heFl This mlnutel
This minute! And bring her in to me
herel And turn all those people outi''
The inspector tried to protest. but
Richard closed his mouth with An an
CRY order to hold his tongue. Then,
when the wretched mans lips seemed
shut Tor ever, the manager command
cd him TO open them once more.
who is this opera ghostY'" he
snarled.
But tho inspector was BY this time
incapable Of speaking word. He
managed to convey. By q despairing
gesture. that he knew nothing about
1t, or rather that he did not wish to
know.
Have you ever seen him; have you
seen the opera ghost?"
The inspector. by means Of q Wig
orous shake Of the head. denied ever
having seen the ghost in question.
Very well!" said Mr.. Richard cold
ly.
The inspectors eyes started out OF
his head, as though to ask why the
manager had uttered that ominous
very Welt"
because I'm going to settle the ac-
count Of any one who has not seen
him!" explained the manager. AS
he seems to be everywhere, can't
have people telling me that they see
him nowhere. like people to work
for me when employ theml"
Having said this, M. Richard paid
no attention to the inspector and dis
cussed various matters of business
with his acting-manager. who had en-
tered the room meanwhile. The in
spector thought he could 90 and was
gently-oh, SO gently!-si siding to-
ward the door, when M Richard
nailed the man to the door with
laundering:
Stay where you arel"
M. Remy had sent for the box-keep-
or to the Rue de Provence, close to
the opera, where she was engaged as
q porteress. She soon made her APP
pearance.
whats your manner"
Name Giry. You know me well
enough, sir; I'm the mother Of little
CRY, little Meg, what!"
This was said in so rough and sol
emn q tone that. for moment, M.
Richard was impressed. He looked at
Name CRY, in her faded shawl. her
worn shoes. her old taffeta dress and
dingy bonnet. It was quite evident
from the managers attitude, that be
either did not know or could not re-
member having met Name CRY, nor
even little CRY, nor even little Meg!"
But Name Giry's pride was so great
that the celebrated box-keeper i'm
agined that everybody knew her.
Never heard Of her!" the manager
declared. "But that's no reason,
Name CRY. why / shouldn't ask you
what happened last night to make you
and the inspector call in q municipal
guard !"
II was just wanting to see you; sir,
and talk to you about it, so that you
mightn't have the same unpleasant
ness as M. Debienne and M. Poligry.
They wouldn't listen to me either, at
first"
I'm not asking you about all that.
I'm asking what happened last night.
Name CRY turned purple with in
dignation. Never had she been apo
ken to like that. She rose as though
to go, gathering UP the folds Of her
skirt and waving the feathers OF her
dingy bonnet with dignity, but, chang
ing her mind, she sat down again and
said, in a naughty voice:
'T'll tell you what happened. The
ghost was annoyed again!"
Thereupon, as M. Richard was on
the point of bursting out, M. Mon
charmin interfered and conducted the
interrogatory. whence 1t appeared that
Name CRY thought 1t quite natural
that a voice should be heard to say
that box was taken, when there was
nobody in the box. She was unable
to explain this phenomenon, which
was not new to her, except by the in
tervention of the ghost. Nobody could
see the ghost in his box, but every.
body could hear him. She had often
heard him: and they could believe
her, for she always spoke the truth.
They could ask M. Debienne and M.
Poligny, and anybody who knew her;
and also M. Isidore Sack, who had
had leg broken by the ghost!
indeed" said Moncharmin, inter
rupting her. did the ghost break
poor Isidore Sacks leg?"
Name CRY opened her eyes with
establishment at such ignorance. How
ever, she consented to enlighten those
two poor innocents. The thing had
happened in NJ Debienne and N.
Poligny's time, also in Box Five. and
also during performance Of Faust.
Name CRY coughed. cleared her
throat--it sounded as though she were
preparing to sing the whole OF
Gounod's score-and began:
1T was like this. sir. That night,
M. Maniera and his lady. the jewelers.
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