Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1914-04-23
plucked the Apple. She had an eI-

as foolish Greeks scattered floral Of
ferings at the feet Of their marble
gods-without provoking the sense OF
reciprocity or generosity or mercy.
She had worked; ah. no one would
ever know how hard. She had been
crushed, beaten, cursed, starved. That
she had risen to the heights in spite OF
these bruising verbs in no manner en-
larged her pity, but dulled and vitiated
the little there was of it. Her mental
attitude toward humanity was child
ish: as, when the parent strikes, the
child blindly strikes back. She was
determined to play, to enjoy life, to
give back blow for blow, nor caring
where she struck She was going to
press the juice from every grape. A
thousand odd years gone, she would
have led the cry in Rome-"Bread and
RE circusi" or ITO the lions!" She
would hcve disturbed Nero's compla.
cency, and he would have played an
obbligato instead of a solo at the burn
ing. And she was malice incarnate.
They came from all climes-her low
ers- with roubles and lire and francs
and shillings and dollars; and those
who finally escaped her enchantment
did so involuntarily, for lack of further
funds. They called her villas Circe's
isles. She hated but two things in the
world; the man she could have loved
oh
Some one was at the speaking-tube.
The singer crossed the room impa-
tiently. What Is it," she asked in
French.
The voice below answered with a
query in English. "Is this the Signo-
rina Desimone?"
Yes. And now that my identity Is
established, who are you and what do
you want at this time of night?"
81 am Edward Courtlandt"
"Well, what Is it you wish?" amiably.
"You once did me an Ill turn" came
up the tube. 81 desire that you make
some reparation."
"Sainted Mother! But 1t has taken
you a long time to find out that have
injured you," she mocked.
will you give me her address,
please? Your messenger gave me
your address, inferring that you
wished to see me-"
T?" There was no impeaching her
astonishment.
Yes, madame"
"My dear Mr.. Courtlandt, you are
the last man in all the wide world |
wish to see. And do not quite like
the way you are making your request"
"Do you not think, madame, that
you owe me something?"
mo. What owe pay. Think, Mr..
Courtlandt; think we'll"
81 do not understand" impatiently.
"Ebbene, I owe you nothing. Once
I heard you say-T do not like to see
you with the Calabrian; she is-well,
you know / stood behind you at an
other time when you said that was
fool"
Madame, do not forget that, that
is pure invention. You are mistaken"
mo. You were. am no fool" A
light laugh drifted down the tube.
Madame, begin to see."
"Ah!"
you believe what you wish to be-
lieve."
81 think not"
81 never even noticed you," care
lessly.
ut is easy to forget" cried the diva,
furiously. 1T is easy for you to for
get, but not COR me-"
Madame, l do not forget that you
entered my room that night. :"
81 shall give you her address," in
terrupted the diva, hastily. The play
had gone far enough, much as she
would have liked to continue it. This
was going deeper than she cared to
go. She gave the address and added:
Tonight she sings at the Austrian am
bassador's. | give you this information
gladly because know that it will be
Of no use to you"
Then shall dispense with the for.
mality of thanking you. I add that l
wish you two-fold the misery you have
carelessly and gratuitously cost me.
Good night" Click! went the little
covering of the tube.
With the same inward bitterness
that attends the mental processes of a
performing tiger on being sent back to
its cage, Courtlandt returned to his
taNicah He wanted TO roar and lash