The Story-Teller.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 959, 7 November 1891, Page 4

A COMEDY ON THE RIVER. (Continued.) The cur<ai i was slowly rising, disclosing a scei c t'nt was a perfect triumph of the upholsterer's art. The characters cgine on jkrt'd off, talked, smirked, raged or.wppt^bufcthey n light have been so many, senseless }>upj ets so far as .Harold Austen was concerned. For ths. Hun dredtii time hi*i glance w^ wandering; restltssely round the boxes, .when a, loud hurst of applaiisr, 'followed by>tlie f«mi- 1 Har tones of a mellow, ' voice! f aitracte«li his attention to' the sMg^ ', , Cou'd he believe liis owWeyes, or was lie raving, staling mad ?" 'Could that clegantwoman whose decollette ehoul «leM were loaded with gems be his m nocen't Nancy ? Was that arch coquette who gazed with such assured fell pos tpssion ku'rid the house, m all truth his unsophisticated country maiden ? He t timed Viastily- to the programmei- In large type he saw Miss Atiabel Bellair. Ana^el-r-Nanpy ! The idfol oMiis dreams a divorced wife and the/.brMe; jßl«ct of 1 a third husband, an ei'!eriy';jew. He drew a breath of relief' when t^ .curtain fell at the end of the firat act, and rose . hasti y. ■ t ;._••••• ♦ I am going to cot this,' I c said to Oe<ff. • Better see it oat. 1 * J'yO'peen enough. She has male a rj^n-il fool of me,' he muttered, as he pushed his way past the crowileJ seats The following Sunday Harold Austen puled his outrigger alongside the. miniature lawn that sloped from Nancy's rotlage down to the -river. He sprang out and joined her where she wag sitting under a silvery willow tre ■, lookinir, m her soft white gown and brood hat, the very personification of sweet simplicity. ■ * Oh what a long face,' sue said gaily, ss she gave him her band. ' Any bad news V v.'The worst/ lie returned gloomily. 4 1 was at the Cosmopo'itan last night, Nancy, why did you deceive mo V •In what way? 1 she asked, risin?, with a touch of hauteur. 'By making i»e think that you were leading a quiet country life, instead of which .' And Harold turned aside his head and groaned, • Excuse me, I never deceived you. You deceived yourself. Uosie Meadows and I came dowivhpre for peifocfc quiefc that we might study our parts m the new piece. The acquaintance wa? none of our seeking.' ♦ I thought 1 had disc vereil a fair white lily, unspotted by contact with the rude world.' • Yon said that yur id« al was a simple, pure existence, tar from the whirl and excitement of society ' > ' So it may be ; bat alas, bow few of ps can ever, hopja to Tealß *^)ur ideul ?^ ; ]■ ' WhaOs io be j^b^ef he asked dc- ; perately. „,-„. " ' > ..«Done?^ '.: "V, S ',.";: '"''.]■."'.:"^ \ * Will you release me frtm my promise?! My 'father— '■' ' : She interrupted him with a peal of; silyery laughter. : 'Oh ! is that what is troubJing you ? ,• My poor I oy you have no need to frighten; jne with visions of an irate parent. I have no intention of folding you to your word j JE* Assure yo4: : I knew fdn : would soon repent your- rash impetuosity, and, for my own part, it WaV'Such a new sensation for me to. be made love to by 8on;e one who did not know 'tliat T was the celebrated Miss Anabel Bel}air,.that! I could not resist playing out .the little: comedy to the end. Good bye. But next time you are on matrimonial thoughts intent, look before you leap, or yon may not escape so easily.' As Harold tdbk his, dep.ar.tH|e he felt painfully aware that he Had never m all his life looked less like a: hero. THE BSD-;