Phyllis of Philistia

the building; though, like the atmosphere of many sacred places, that of the Parthenon was, just at that time, a trifle unsavory. The first performance of the drama of "Caglios

than that which, in Bloomsbury and Camden Town, accrues to those who have occupied places-not necessarily seats-in the other parts of the house. It

stinguished men and women followed the guidance of a strong Irish brogue as a flock follows a bell-wether, through a door that led to the stage. Here the great actor and the ever-charming lad

r party to the theater, and they had gone on the stage with the other notabilities, at the conclusion of the performance. George Holland, having become as great a celebrity as the best of them during that previous f

iders-nudged one another when Mrs. Linton laid down her new feather fan on the ledge of the box. It was possibly the loveliest thing that existed in the world at that moment. No artist had ever dreamed of so wonderful a schem

cillate it in front of her fair face, the nudging ceased. People look

as she left the box, and noticed how at least two men were lying in wait for her party. There was, however, a frankness in Herbert Courtland's strategy which George

ties of the jungle along the banks of the Fly River were triflin

hat you would be

he said, in so low a tone

on. "I want to present you to my

an!" s

lis, who was walking beside Lord Earlscourt. "Come here, Phyllis," she said; "you are the

atter's face when he perceived, as he did in spite of the engrossing nature of his conversation with his friend in the end stall, how his designs had been defeated by her tactics. She would not have minded having Herbert Co

as dissatisfied with the result of her tactics as George Holland. If he had looked pleased at b

that any reason for neglecting the former. He wondered if she had any choice in sandwiches-of

y leaned up against the profile of the Church scene in "Cagliostro,"

friend, at any ra

ogether. She is four or f

seemed to me to be almost venerable.

have formed a right idea of

tter idea,

But if you have formed a right e

mean to say? But why did yo

up to his face wit

ach a sermon on the text of woman's friendship. I pulled m

was only wondering how you would go on-whether you

ion did you come

e bravest man alive. You would, I think, ha

lau

thing quite different from sentiment, mind you-have taken to writing melodrama and penny novelettes

believed to be a false note in art; and a Parthenon audience is supposed to b

ormed part of that concentration to-night-yes, I like to think the best of it. I suppose we know-we

ve to define my feeling

ng, and then work up gra

insta

re's something that peop

d realism," Phyllis laughed. "'Realism i

to hear what yo

ughed symp

think that realism is t

is not wanting in breadth-no, nor in accuracy.

at sentiment is a strong man's concealment of what he feels, while

t woman whose face is nature illuminated, have long ago recognized the shallowness of sentimentality-the depths of sentiment. We could not imagine either of them striking a false note. They have been the teachers of this generation-the gener

chool. The preceptresses regarded

t the opposit

ay that, Mr

f a man; but that lion-man, whose stage we are now standing on, shows us not the passion in the hands of a man, but the man in the hands of the passion. The man who tears the passion to tatters is the robustious periwig-pated fellow; the actor, who shows us the man torn in t

the better, do you t

heads, not to the hydrants laid down by the water companies at the end of about ten miles of foul piping. I don't like the product of the hydrants.

n, that it is yet obs

d Shakspere, and Rofudingding, a New Guinea poet, who ate men for his dinner when he had a chance, and, when he had finished, sang lyrics that stir the hearts of all his fellow-islanders to this day,-he lived a hundred years ago,-dealt with me

we know that i

t of the truth, if you have none with you. Everyone capable of pronouncing a judgmen

ble is the W

that sympathy with men, who cannot fathom the mysteries of life, and the struggle for life of all thi

nk of God as merely

whole Bible is the allegory? Nature and nature's laws constitute the Devil. God is the opposing Force. It is a law of natu

rely a

we have gone quite far enough in our exchange of confidence for a first meeting? You are what the Italians call simpatica-that is, more than merely sympathetic. You look at one, and lead one on to c

f curiosity, not to say anxiet

her. I wonder if that is just

r. For the maintenance of a firm friendship between any two persons, only one should confide; the other should be str

Phyllis gravely. "What is the durati

the woman makes her appeara

la was my dearest friend before

fore she put in an

now that,"

receives the confidences, and respects them, I'm sure. I hope that you will do the same, Miss Ayrton. Don

thing from her if we are to remain dearest friends. Perhaps

oes-sh

a Linton came up w

adise?" she asked of Phyllis, while she waved the tail feathe

the bird," la

se?" Ella joined in the l

old one of that name

one of that nam

heater is not free from the taint. It must be the case of Mr

ne away. I'm not Mr. Holland's keeper, thank Heave

holds you accountable for

t Lord! is it your idea of British justice to persecute the wrong

charity at the call of

d by Lord Earlscourt

been with us on the platform when the Chinese teetotalers came here to protest against the public houses in England; she says that his backsliding will put back the cause a quarter of a century

that the case calls for persecution, and why not pers

why

s before long," said Courtland. "There's no possibility

d better go ho

r host," said Courtland. "We didn't all

eparatory to the delivery of a valedictory word of congratulation

play the part; but-well, Cagl

pause befo

e with him. He had a daughte

," said she. "What do you

dearest friend of my de

o become the dearest fri

be impossibl

actor and actress, and Mrs. Linton's carriage received Phyl

uired Ella of her dearest friend, as they la

g pause before

k about him. He is, I suppose, t

esult of your half h

irl to feel that she has been talking to a brave man.

the opposite-that is--O

I d

ell me what he

erythin

elieve. He never talked on that topic to me. I ho

eally don't think that when I was listening to him I considered

arthing about the theology of a man with a face like Herbert Courtland's and arms like Herbert Courtland's? You talked with him for half an hour, and then come to me and say that you suppose he is the bravest man alive in the world. That was right-quite right. That is just what ever

a! one would fancy

ght w

aces during the week. Why should you question me more closely about him than about the dozen other men?

llis. But there was the

ge Holland. It would be impossible for me to marry any man who ha

en chrysalis before it breaks into a butterfly; for the transition comes at once. Theology! Oh, my Phyllis, haven't you read in history, true history-novels written by men who know us and how we were created, and why-haven't you read what women do when they t

eve that is

hocked her companion, and feeling that this was the ca

e last. Then, you will remember, you were in great pain because of the heterodoxy of George Holland. Didn't I tell you at that time t

Phyllis, with a sound that wa

he carriage lamp. "No, don't make the attempt to explain anything to me. Don't try to reconcile your frankness now with your pretense then, because you'll certainly make a muddle of it, and because no su

consi

ock because one hour it points to the north and the next to the east. 'Tis its nature to. 'Tis our nature to change with every breeze of man that bears down on us. That's why they love us and detest the prigs. Here we are at your house. I hope you don't keep your maid up for you. I would scorn to keep a girl out of her bed for the sake of b

you?" cri

meteor fan on the pillow beside my own to-night. I'

rton's hall door and the footman jumped down fro

enjoyed my evening greatly, a

mong the delicate floss of the feat