The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-15
CHAPTER ".
A COMPLICATION OF FEVER.

A COMPLICATION OF FEVER
Rehearsal. A bitter March day. The
atre full of draughts. One gas jet. Day
light dribbling through ventilators in the
roof. Sweepers shouting to each other
from where they were covering the
chairs with white cloths. Everybody
cross, and with reason. Called at 10, we
had waited good half hour for Mr..
Butcher and his leading lady. The day
before / had come two minutes late to
find the entire company assembled. Mr..
! Butcher, watch in hand, pacing the
| stage, and Miss Loowella shivering os-
/ tentatiously in her furs. Mr. Butcher
/ had informed me that such a thing as
/ being two minutes late was unheard of,
and that probably had caused Miss
! Loowella to take cold.
Said now to Mr.. Ned, who sat beside
me on the roll of carpet, "When they
come shall tell him they have probably
caused me to take cold"
Just then he strobe in with Miss Loow-
ella at his heels. He was in an i'll humor.
Come, come, come, Gomez said he in
crescendo. Lets get to work No
standing around. A chair for Miss Loow-
ella. Ned, where are your manners? A
chairr'
Ned, who off the stage would have
knocked q man down for such tone,
obeyed sullenly. Butcher got crosser
and cro6ser, and 1t all fell on me. 1t Is
hard to do a comedy scene all bundled
up in a cloak. and scared to death be-
side. Damn it, heroared, ''take it off. "
l wondered 1 had not thought of that
before, and hustled out of the garment;
but was still stupid, and presently be-
gan to cry.
"What are you sniveling for?" Butcher
demanded, hoarsely. Zone would think
me brute. You should be in Siberia,
with man with a whip after you"
l laughed that it was as cold as ST.
IBERIA, and that | shouldn't mind the
whip if only with it he could make me
understand what he wanted.
care you fool?" he inquired.
''No," retorted," not quite; and what
intelligence / have is concentrated on
trying to make out your meaning. If
you would direct your giant mind to
expressing yourself clearly, we should
get along. Therew and | stamped my
foot and waited for Butcher to plunge
over and murder me, wondering if Mr.
Ned or TOuchy would dare save me.
Butcher didn't plunge, though. He
muttered something about insolence,
and turned so abruptly that he collided
with Touchy.
Don't run into me, sir!' he roared.
Touchy was in a temper over the bully
ing of me and he roared back, Il didn't!'
You did"
"Sir?"
You're a liar" they both retorted
simultaneously, springing at each other.
Some one caught each of them, and
presently Touchy was getting his fur
coat and hat on. Then he crossed to
me and said, under his breath: eff you
want to leave this fellow, I'll take you
safe to New York"
No, no, cried, and begged him to
stay. But he meant his 'good- by" for
when we got to the hotel he had depart
ed bag and baggage. 1t was two years
before l saw him again. Then we met
in a railway station. He rushed to me,
jerked my head back, and cried, BLESS
my heart, it's Katie" With that he
tucked me under his arm and pranced
with me into the ladies' waiting room.
Katie, here's my wife, " he said, beam
ing all over at a wee. blue eyed thing.
I'm happy as king" Touchy went on;
though Birdy here doesn't let me call
my soul my own"
/ shook hands cordially with Birdv,
feeling glad that Touchy had not drowned
himself prematurely for me.
Now, let us regain those two elapsed
years. Maybe the rehearsal gave me a
cold Maybe it was grief for Touchv.
But the next week developed a cough
that went down button bv button of nv
bodice till it reached my belt. There it
hurt awfully. l grew feverish and could
not see very clearly nor move without
being tired. | thought myself lazy. and
laughed a great deal and was noisy to
cover 1t up. Only Mr.. Ned noticed it.
He quietly emptied my bag into his, that
mine might he light. He helped me up
and down stairs and into cars, and took
my part when l was blamed for frivohty.
To make things worse, Hiss Loowella
slipped away to New York 10 buy dresses
for our Philadelphia week, and l was
left with her part TO do through two
weeks of one night stands Towards the
end of the time became so wobbly that
l could not stand except on the stage.
One day Mr.. Ned carried me upstairs
and found me in dead faint when ne
got to my room. When l came to he
said angrilr, i shall permit this no
longer. You must have doctor"
Cant afford 1t" l returned cheerilv. /
Besides, what's the use OF seeing a doc
tor for lazinesss"
Il viii pay"
You'd be compromised. objected
And | shall order YOU fire
Can't afford it, - / SAID again fretfullv. |
He looked at me in q queer. earnest
way and then turned sharply from the
room.
Presently our business manager, q |
prosperous looking fellow, with a suave |
manner and big diamond pin. came in. |
Il UNDERSTAND YOU are not well. Hiss