"A Theatrical Surprise."

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13520, 15 February 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

"A Theatrical Surprise."

r. If the heir of tlw.- hor.ie had engaged himtielf to an actnus it. would have been sufficiently shocking: hat to a music-hall singer It naturally made a vast commotion in the familv. ' When Lady Smyth first heard from Tier sou of the unactthons.d channel -which his affections had taken, she ir:is overcome with hy.-t riis. When th*> paroxysm wa.> uvr. oh*' ad-drtss-ed the offender in th.-se words : ~ I dare not tell your father, Keggie: I positively dare not," and with a woman's inconsistency, she took upon herself the responsibility of imparting the information to the baronet in the next half-hour. "My dear Sir Thomas/' she aaid to her husband, " something awful has liap-pen-ed.'' "Confound it!" replied the white-haired aristocratic gentleman addressed. "Do they want another reduction in rent already?"

"No, no; something worse- than thatmuch worse. It"i> about Reggie.''_ The baronet turned n.unrl in his chair and treated his wife to an impretsive frown. "My dear Marv. I absolutely refuse to do it." Three months ago. -when I paid that yonng gentleman's debts. I said it should be the last time, and I meant- it." He brought his hand down on the dtsk •with a bang, just as though be wouldn't, with half an hour's coaxing, have tu-ed it to write a cheque, if occasion had required. Lady Smyth put her handkerchief to her eve?.

"It isn't that, either," she whimpered. "It will pain you, I know; but it mnst be totd. Om- son lias engaged himself to a—a singer." Sir Thomas's thought flew to concerts. " Preposterous! Absurd '. Out of the question 1" be exclaimed. Lady Smyth seemed to understand, from the comparatively mild nature of his epithets, that he had fallen to completely grasp the situation. "It isn't an—an ordinary singer." she sobbed; "it's a mcsic-ball singer." It's a dreadful thing to chronicle: Sir Thomas forgot himself, he swore. "Let me see the young puppy," ho said at last. "I must knock this nonsense out of his head at once —at once."

He repeated the last words with emphasis. ' . _ "You won't be too hard on him.' pleaded has wife. " I have no doubr she is an extremely forward young person, and has drawn him into this."

"My dear, I shall xase my discretion. You may depend on that." 3lr Reginald Smyth could nnt be said to look particularly comfortable when he entered the room. He was a tall, wellmade young man, with white hair and clean-shaven face; but he fidgeted a good deal, and seemed to be undecided as to the best mode- of disposing cf his hands. "2Cow, sir," said his father, when" he had searched him with a withering look from head to foot. " how much will it cost to get von out of this?" "I may as well tell yen at once.' sir." replied the young man, with considerable candour, "that if yon think this an intanglement from which I need to be pecuniarily extracted, you are mistaken." "Tut, tut! what are you talking about? I should have thought" that yon are old enough to understand that, in affairs cf this sort, it is always a question of money." " I repeat, sir, that if I were dishonourable enough to wish to withdraw from my engagement, I could do so without rcscrting to your cheque-book." "I'm"glad to hear it. I must ask you to make that- withdrawal at once." "And I must rcspactfully, but firmly, refuse to do so." "You defy me?'* Reginald waa silent. " Confound the boy ! Have you nothing to say? Do you intend to persist in this 6tupiditY?" . "As I have already said, I intend to keep my word." "Yon are probably unaware that your mother and I have "already settled upon a marriage for you?" "You are very kind," with the faintest touch of sarcasm. "Yon may spare yourself that sneer. I have not had the pleasure of meeting the Young lady myself; but Lady Smyth tells me she is most charming." "May I inquire who she is?" "The daughter of my old friend General Walrond. You have heard me speak of him, I dare say." "Would it," the baronet said to himself, since the young man seems to obdurate, " be altogether a bad thing to see the young lady, and explain to her the utter impossibility of her pretensions?" He was inclined to think it would not—he was 6ure it would not. "Where does she sing?" he said aloud. "At the Alhambra."

When, a few days after the interview of Reggie with his father. Miss Edith Graham appeared upon the boards of the Alhambra Theatre, she was quite unconscious that she numbered among her audience such a great person as Sir Thomas Smvth. Sir Thomas Smyth, on the other hand, was perfectly aware that he was •watching Miss Edith Graham. He was also unwillingly conscious of the fact that she was making a "mnch better" impression upon him that he had intended she should do. - You see,. Sir Thomas had rcme- prejudiced against her. and he did not like to have his prejudices interfered -with. He had to admit, however, in the face of his bigotry, thet she showed much refinement and good taste. She came on in a simple white dress, with skirts that, if they did not cover. at all events reached her ankles. Her songs were bright and pretty, and of a sort that the most straight-minded petson could scarcely have cavilled at. What made the greatest havoc with Sir Thomas's prejudices, however, were her unassuming manner., her sweet face, and her graceful figure. She was not cver-en-tbusiastically received; but the baronetwas among the few who applauded her at thf> end of her songs. It may as well be admitted that, in the old days., before there was a Lady Smyth. Sir Thomas had not be;n the stranger to mcsic-halls which of late years he had become, and as ha trotted round the stage-door with his card in his hand, after Miss Graham had gene off. he could not help being reminded of old timc-s. He handed the card to the man at the door. The man grinned ; Sir Thomas frowned; th? man fled. Presentlv Mies Graham came down the stairs, unassumingly sweet, and enveloped in a walking cloak. Sir Thomas raise,! his hat. "Do I address Miss Graham?" "Certainly." she replied, a little coldly. "To what "may I attribnte the honour of this vi=it?" The baronet was nonplussed at the nutset bv the refinement of her voice. •'l"thought, perhaps, the name "he began. Miss Graham glanced at the card in

her hand. " Oh!" and her rheeks flushed as sliespoke; "yon are Reggies father?" Sir Thomas was amazed. '• I trust, madam, when addressing me. von will rebr to my son comewhat less familiarly."

-Yes." of course; T—l forgot." The baronet also forgot. " He forgot wbafr he had intended to say. Somehow, the remarks had provided himself with, and which had seemed well-calcu-lated' to f-ffect hi* purpose ret'tv-d to come to his lips nr.vr that he war, in the presence of Mks Graham.

"I thought it my duty to come anil toll you, Miss Graham." he said, at, last, "that the —;-r—that the understanding which has hiii com-? to between you and iiiv sou is not v.-ith the sanction of Lady Smvth and myself."

•"Does lie wtih me to release him?" "He lias not h-'iid <'■ : but Lady Smyth and—er—-and myself have other views with regard *■> his future." •'lf lie wishes, to witihdraw from lii> engagement I will release him." sdie- .said sii.wlv. Then .-die turned her face pleading v d' the baronet, and he could see a til'iii' <»v< i- li.•!• eyi'B. "I know that my pn>fe--*ioii i.i against me; I know what.hi must, think i>f me; but. I—l love "him. Sir Tlr mas." One of tlie films turned into a little drop and ran tlowly down her cheek. Sir Thomas thought the cheque-book would have burnt a hole through his. pocket. He could not disguise from himself that the suggestion of it, in connection with the girl beside him. woi, a horrible slander. He did a thing which, an hour before-, he would have scouted the idea of—he offered her his arm. She tt.ok it with natural ease, and they walked on a few paces in silence. "You have relations. I may take it." " 1 live with my mother." "May I r..-k for the address?" She gave it to him, and the baronet went on : " You will agree; with me, I feel sure, that this is a matter which can b:*ttcr»be discussed between ladies. My wife shall call on your mother." The girl's face brightened several shades. Sh? took this as an indication of future capitulation. ' The Baronet saw it, and took steps to dispel the impression. '• Lady Smyth. I may tell you. has made up her mind to another match for my son, and she is difficult to shake—he shook his head ruefully—" difficult to shake.' It seemed to Sir Thomas that he had now said all that was necessary, and he wondsred how hi was to conclude the interviaw. "Can I show you to your carriage?" he asked. , He knew that an unknown light in a. poor music-hall would be more likely to travel by 'bus; but it. seemed to him imperative to make gome remark of this kind. A voice behind them saved him from further trouble in the matter. "I will see Miss Graham home." it said. They turned ronnd and saw Reggie. '• The brazen-faced young dog!'' growled the baronet. Then his goodnatured face broadened into a smile. "But I wish I were, in his place!" 111. ■ When .Lady Smyth told her footman that she.wished to ba driven to 3, Xew-bury-crescent, he said, '" Yes, my lady " ; bat" there was a pjcnliar smirk about tha corner of h»> eye when he told the coachman; and the coachman's face, on receiving the direction, was expressive of surprise. Lady Smyth's ring at Xo. 5 was answered by a maid-of-ali-work. When she saw the importance of her visitor she smoothed down her apron and adjusted her cap. . Tin's trcr, more out of respect to the elegant brougham and liveried servants that to tbe unassumingly-dressed little woman on the doorstep. Then, slowly, tba dormant energy in her sluggish intellect started to work, a light gradually spread over her features, and her round face brcadened into a grin. "Oh, I know!" This remark she seemed to intend for her own edification; but it was spoken aloud. Then, to Lady Smyth : " I big your pardon, ma'am. She is "in. Will you walk upstairs?" Lady Smyth "preferred to preface matters by sending her card. She was waiting to follow it. when, in place of the little servant-girl, a middle-aged lady in widow's weeds Hew down the narrowstairway and threw herself into her arms. "My"dear Lady Smyth, this is so good of you!" Lady Smyth was taken at a disadvantage. " Mrs. Walrond!" she. exclaimed. "My dear Mrs. Walrond, I—l cannot understand it!" Mrs. Walrond, who was now making profuse use of her handkerchief, took her visitor upstairs and proceeded to explain. '" I feared," she sobbed, " I did you the injustice to fear that the—the sorry plight- to which we have come would have alienated you from us. The poor General's affaires"—she was here overcome with a fresh baist of grief; whether it proceeded from the memory of the general or the recollection of his affairs was not quite plain—" were found, upon bis death, to be in a mest involved condition." This was a subtle way of putting that the "poor, dear General" had been living beyond his income for the last half-dozen years of jhi.'l life. "After everything had been arranged it was found that" only a small pittance was left for us to live upon. Wo had to leave our house, of couree, and come to these rooms. My dear Lady Smyth, I cannot thank you" enough for having taken th? trouble" to come to us and—and befriend us in our distress."

"Your story shocks me," replied Lady Smyth, who "felt a temptation to cry out cf "sympathy. "I was quite in the dark as to the true state of affairs, or I should have ccme to see you earlier. But, my dear Margaret, I must own that this meeting is more of a surprise to me than it- can possibly be to you. I cams here to see a certain Mrs. Graham." The concluding words were the sign for a fresh parorvsm of grief on the part of Mrs. Walrond'. ~ "Then you knew it "die wailed. "Oh, oh " I knew it would come out. I told Ida so; but she would not believe me." "What do I know?" asked Lady Smvth. Mrs. Walrond stopped for a moment in her sobbing, and stared at her visitor in perplexity. "Your kindness is making you pretend that vou do not know our our dreadful secret —that Ida—my poor, misguided Ida —has gone on to the stage." Her feelings again got the better of Iter, and she ended again in a torrent of tears. 'On to the music-hall stage?" suggested Ladv Smvth.

"V.-g. yes." cried the poor lady, wnr almos-t ina frenzy of grk-f; "call it that, call it bv its: true name—the mrsic-hall stage. "She would do it. I tried my best to stop her. I used every argument that 1 knew, but Ida is eo obstinate. She said she could not bear to see rue in penury while there was anything .she could do to relieve ir. Poor, girl! She meant it for the best; but. ch. if she could only have known how much more misery she was bringing u>;n me ! She could only sing, she san'.: we had not brought her tip i.i a way to earn her own living: but Providence had given her u good voice AVe could not afford the nece-i-arv training for concert singing, and •so .-he" went to the halls-. Oh. it «-em.s almost more than I can bear ivb'-n l think that niiiht after night she- appear* as • Mi.ss Kdith Graham.' and sings in some dreadful place that men are drinktu<" hi and smoking in and—oh, the poo: General! the poor General!" Ladv Smvtli went up to the lady, wli" w;v> rocking herself in her chair, moaning pitiablv. and laid her arm caivssmgly vound "her *hould:>rs-. " Margaret,, lam wrr glad." Mrs. Walrond stopped her movements and looked up in astoiiNhni-nt. "Whyr " lii--i:.\u<-■ voi>~ daughter and my .son hav.- fulfilled" the u Mi of my heait. They ,iie encayyd'."" - KnV.Tr.-d ! Ida h:a-i talked a gi. at. deal abDUt a nvin called Peggie : but. I—i) Ladv Sinvth'."* 'IV "poor widow's ey.o weiv shining uow with tear.i of joy.

Lady Smyth prepared to take her leave. "It has all come about very funnily ; but I haven't time to tell you now." (She referred to her engagement-book. "\ou must- bring Ida to dinner en Wednesday night, and you and I will have a long talk. Good-bye.'' Sirs. Walrond suiUd hei:;e!f to her surroundings, and went down to the hall-door with her visitor, who, as tho brougham bore her away, put lnv head •cut of the-carriage-window, and call-ad back : "Remember, we dine at eighl."