Thy Name is Woman

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1543, 29 January 1906, Page 4

Thy Name is Woman

By a New Author

CHAPTER VIII. Theatrical entertainments were quite rarest Saint Cyprian. The old city-hall, whioh wis the abiding-place ( of such travelling companies as happened that way, was sometimes dosed for months toeether. But soon after the sub-prefeo-'s ball U was announced that one of tho best combinations in the country would ihor-W Rive a series of representations here, The manager oMb. troupe-. Cou.ybyn,me-wasa n at.veofthetown He was on his way from tho south ol Franctswhero ha had not been very successful, and the idea occurred to play an engag<mentm his old home, His ooiiip-tty w.»s a eood one, though small, It cons sted of himself, his tffodanplit.rClara and Naoni'C blonde and sltM.de Q'oohens, two old f-iemW thnmviag' r, three yohng men and two vory proit» girl; besides Undo Julian, "bo * find; old imn. Oouty filled »t the same ,timo the responsible positions of manager of hiseo m . pany and leading man, Ho exoect-d to get Mime ania.eur'ftt Saint Cyprian to help him fill the parts without compensation. There was a society of mnatour* in the town whu not only aoiod on the dramatic stage, but occasionally also made a dash at a romio, or eveu a gnmd opt r* Goorge Loudois, who was a v ry good elocutionist, was the. leader of this soooty, He bad already on ooveral occasions demonsira ed that ho posseßStd a more than avewo histrionic talent. The atnatews had been for some time anxious for a chance to show tbomselves upon the professional stage, and now they received Cou'y's proposition with acclamations. After they had played several com' dies, in whioh the young Saint Cyprianitos acquitted themselves with more or leas distiuotion, the tragedy of Hernani was put on, Conty was to play Buy Gomez, his daughter Clara, Donna Sol, and George Loudois, Hornani' The other rolos were distributed equally beiwoen the professionals and the amateurs. It was a rainy night, but the little theatro, whioh was brilliantly lighted, wasorowded to the doors, Madamo de Oarreuse, the Marquis of Jamaye, Monsieur and Madame Lugeol, tho preftot and his wife, Viotor Moulineau, Colonel Benjaman, and many others among the sooial digaiiaries of the li'tla town ocoupiod the boxes, The ladies Loudois, aocompunied 7 byßoeeand Prosper, entered their logo justas the iheour'ain _ , llo<e paid litilo ft'iennon to the opening scene. Bm when Fernani appearnd h>r interest Was a; onoechained. George ws grse'cd by applause, He w<» dressed as an Arragonese nmuutamfi-r, With a leathern jerkin, a sword, dngfjci, aud horn at the bel'; over these wan thrown a heavy mauile, wbioh the young man wore with the grace of a bom prince He was very >le, and his langourous and amourous glances were often oast in the direition of the box in which his wife sat, Marie, delighted at George's appi-ar-once, oonfided her previous fears to her companion " I was so afraid he might havo stagdfright,'* she said, Tears of pride oaine into fathtr Loudois' eyes, whilo on the other side Pouter Moulineau applauded frantioally. '" Bravo I very good I" exclaimed the enthusiastio band-master. " He was mado for the business, He is the only man in it, Bravo I bravo 1" Rose never took her ejei off Hernani,

She ha I road the 'irama a hundred times.

Bui she had nover before experienced so peculiar nn emotion over it, Sho followed ihe play eagerly, step by siep, nnti 1 the poiut whtru Donna Sol di-covored her lover in the garden beside the King when she throws her arinß about him while Hernani gazes proudly and unflinchingly at Don Carlton. 11 Good I Good, Goovgel" exclaimed Madame Loudoia the elder at this point, " Damn that fellow George I" mattered Parent, " One would think he had graduated from the Conservatory. What fire he puts into it I Did you st o, Rose, how he kept glancing inhere? The real Doutia Sol is yon, Madame Marie," " Hush I" said Rose, peevishly, " They are beginning sgain," At the end of this act Rose felt a<< if transported to another, more beautiful world., George's vole sang in her heart, She felt with Donna Sol that a lifo of etorm and danger waa pteferablo to this monotonous existenoo which. was killing her, Ob, bow wrong b!.o had been to send ber Gebrgo away, It was to hor, to her alone, that he played his part. Donna Sol's words of lovo were inscribed in ber own great eyes; bo might read them there if ho oboae. She imagined herself in some far-off land enacting with him the love 6cene in which Hernani begs Donna Sol to run away with him. Tears of exquisite delight rose to her eyes. It seemed to her, as she looked upon tbo two standing there gazing with oostasy into each other's very souls, blind to all tho world beside, that sho herself was the woman whom that beautiful cavalier held in his arms, Ah, theto never had beon a man so splendid, so noblo, ho wholly lovable as George. An inward shiver passod through ber being, Outwardly sho remained as calm and composed by Prospers side as if that worthy fellow bad been Duke Gomez himself, Prosper leaned toward her presently and said, "Isit not fine?" '!Yes." "Are you suffering, dear? You look

palo," "It is tho heat, Let ns go out for a .moment, It is stifling in here." Sho fell upon the divan in the littlo room back of the box. The Londois ladies hastened to hor, while the theatre rang with tbe appkiso that greeted tbe end of the act aud 'bo fn'l of itio curtail). " I feel bolter now,". Bhe said. She prayed tho la<lios to wuma their places. They begged her to come back into Ihe box, but she exoused heisell, saying that the he-it of the theatre siokoned her, Prosper would not leave her side.

" Will yon go homo now, Boso ?" •' Not yot," Still sho could not remain until the end, Bho know tbat George would ootue into tho box in costumo oftcv the lust net ho would bo ootnpollad to bo a littln affoctinnate to bis wife. This sho could not bo nto see, Sho mude a sign to Prosper, who watched her anxiously. " L"t us go," she whispered, Prosper placod her op°ra-clonk upon her shoulders, and together :hey drsconded to their carriage. Arrived at home they found Margaret asleep in front of the firo placo. Prosper kiss d his wife good night to the kiss, imprpgim ed with the fervid Rttliospheio 01' ho theaiv, Ml upon her mouth, it feh lob' i a.el «ensu wt and slobbery " I can in" o !)>• ta ii ill," sho w ■ mi h"r»fclf. Pa it rt'iMi ■■■.vay and K»3' licrw- (1 'i gr v s .di i- 1 i '.m finding h'"' •iflll iilonO ill her iimmi, To be continual