People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-09-15
THE UNDERSTUDY.

a smaller and much more untidy
little girl than herself by one grimy
hand.
"Here's my understudy, Mr..
Phillips" announced the little
actress, land her names Katherine. -
And though the manager had
stormed a good deal and declared he
would not stand it, Dorothy's word
had stood, and Katherine became her
veritable shadow. Where the small
actress had found her, no one ever
discovered; but judging from the
ragged frOck which scarcely covered
her plump body, and the dust-tilled
curls, 1t must have been in some
alley, far removed from the fashion
able quarter OF the city. But be-
tween Dorothy herself and her foster
mother and dresser, they soon turned
the smaller child into clean, sweet.
blg-eyed girl. Inside of week she
knew everyone in the company, in
Guiding the pets of the women; inside
OF a month she could go through her
lines in "Fauntleroy" with the best
OF them, and with an astonishing grace
and ease. Undoubtedly the little
ragamuffin either possessed the tai
ent herself or else had inherited It
from her relatives; and, having shown
that talent, she dropped into the
company as naturally as if she had
been acting since she wore long
dresses.
When Barry Markham, that ele-
giant, blase young man who conde.
scended to grace the stage with his
distinguished presence-these were
the comedians sarcastic words con-
corning him-jOined the Fauntleroy
company, every woman in that ag-
gregation said in her inner heart she
would bring him to her feet; for
added to most enchanting manner
and bearing, there was an air of de-
llclous mystery about him which was
really quite irresistible. No ono
knew anything definite of him,
though the old woman whispered
once or twice to the leading lady
that she knew he must be a real
swell, running away from something;
and the advance man, who dropped
back once a week to have a game of
poker with the first heavy, was half
way sure he had seen him through
the window at an 'upper-ten" recep-
ton. But this was mere guessing:
the facts were only these: He never
smiled; he never gossiped with the
others; he dressed we'll, but taste
fully-something the others did not;
he played the earl as if his life de-
pended upon his success; and he took
life very, very, seriously. The one
thing which made him seem real and
tangible to the other men was that
h drank Il god Notwithstanding
ing, tOO-thOugh he never got too
much; but though he asked them to
loln him. whenever they happened
n the same p ace. it was with the
air ola baron pay .ng for the wine for
his tenants All in all, he was a
charming.y handsome and thor
odgnly delightful mystery.
Until he Jaw Katherine for the first
time. Then he became a veritsble
puzzle. tie met her one afternoon
rs he was stumbl ng along the abom-
inably dark aud noisome alley lead
ing to tho sta yo-dOOr, and, for a mo-
II mt, th9 tall. serious actor stood
staring down at tle little girl as if
he hal seen ghost. 70 be sure, she
was anything but ghostly, being quite
a plump AMI rosy as when Dorothy
had brought her into the company;
and the yellow hair which needed no
addition when she went on" tum-
bed about her face in a very attrac-
tive aud material manner; but the
actor continued TO stare, until it
occurred 70 him that he was blocking
tlc way and possibly the little lady,
who was waiting so patiently with
th3 sweetlv childish smile upon her
sunny face which made every one
her friend, might want to 60 on.
With hoarjo Il beg your pardon, y
ne took of his hat gravely and step.
pll aside. She looked up at him
euite "a gravcly and said: THAN;
you. ST., rs she passed. After which
he wandered down-street toward his
hotel, and went by three saloons
without stopping in one. Which un-
doubtedly proved the disturbed con.
dition of Mr.. Barry Markhams mind.
From that day forth he was a diff.
ferent man, He drank less, he talked
more; he took to haunting back al
legs and streets-atterh he had learned
Katherine's very limited history
and he conversed with all the inhab
itants of these unsavory portions Of
tie city who had reached the middle
mile-post of life. Every day saw him
"doing the sums as the other;
said; bal, from his drawn, sad face
whep he returned from his trips, il
was evidently not for the pleasure
he found there If what he learned
there made him sad, however, hi
made up for it when he came back
for once near the little girl who hai
interested him so, he forgot hi,
troubles. whatever they were, anC
warmed his cold heart in the sun
shine OF her happy smiles. And i
would have taken a cold heart. in
deed, to Withstand the straightfor
ward, confding little WAYS will