Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-08-15

could decide Mr.. Brownlee met Wesley
and stopped to shake hands.
4 see your boy anne out finely" he
said.
Il don't allow any boy anywhere to
be finer than Billy" said Sinton.
Il guess you don't allow any girl to
surpass Elnora," said MI. Brownlee.
"She comes home with Ellen often, and
my wife and I love her. Ellen saws
she is great in her part tonight. Best
thing in the whole play. OF course
you are in to see it. 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 a play at the high school
tonight, and Elnora is in it. Why
hasn't she told us?'
Il don't know" said Margaret, "but
I'm going"
$50 am l." said Billy.
Me, too" said Wesley, "unless you
think for some reason she don't want
us. Looks like she would have told us
If she had. I'm going to ask her moth
err"
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.
swell 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
none, so it's the gallery for us, but 1
don't care so 1 get to take one good
peep at Elnora."
"s'pose she plays?" 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,"
ooh, we'll, that's different. She's il
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
VNnc1nv fio1 tlo too NJ To n ,,os1;r~ o,5
Billy sprang out to help Margaret.
Mrs. Comstock sat still.
"Come on, Kate" said Wesley, reach
ing his hand.
"I'm not going anywhere" said Mrs.
Comstock, settling comfortably back
| against the cushions.
All Of them begged and pleaded, but
it 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 we'll. Billy stood
at the back Of the hall and had a good
view. BY and by a great volume Of
sound welled from the orchestra, but
Elnora vas not playing.
Out in the warm summer night a
sour, grim woman nursed an aching
heart and tried to justify herself. The
effort irritated her intensely. She lean
ed back, closed her eyes and tried to
make her mind q blank, to shut out
even the music, when the leading VIC
lin began a solo. Mrs. Comstock bore
it as long as she could and then slip
ped from the carriage and fed down
the street. -,~ y: e-s e. S45s ,~e-@>~~
She did not know how far she went
or how long she stayed, but everything
was still say an occasional raised
stood looking at the building. Slowly
she entered the wide gates and follow
ed up the walk. Elnora had been com
ing here for almost four years. When
Mrs. COmstock reached the door she
went inside. The entrance to the audi
forum was packed with people and
a crowd was standing outside. When
they noticed a tall woman with white
face and hair and black dress one by
Il they stepped a little aside, so that
Mrs. Comstock could see the stage. 1t
was covered with curtains and no
n was doing anything. Just as she
turned to go Il sound so faint that
everyone leaned forward and listened
drifted down the auditorium. It was
difficult to tell just what it was; after
n instant half the audience looked
toward the windows, for it seemed
only a breath of wind rustling freshly
opened leaves, just a hint of stirring air.
Then the curtains We're swept aside
swiftly. The stage had beer trans.
formed into a lovely little corner of
creation, where trees and flowers grew
and moss carpeted the earth. A soft
wind blew, and it was the gray of
dawn. Suddenly a robin began to
sing, then a song sparrow joined him,
and then several orioles began talk
ing at nee. The light grew stronger.
the dew drops trembled, flower per-
fume began to creep out to the audi
dDnn. tho oir ,,oox,oI @1o 1royoI,Do ror{