New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-18
A DAUGHTER OF THESP1S.
BY JOHN y. BARRY.
Copyright: 49,: Ep The Tribune A':oc'ct'On>
CHAPTER VII.

CHAPTER VII.
Evelyn was glad to find herself i'm the sunshine
again and to breathe the fresh air The pro-
fcssional atmosphere Of Mrs Moriarity's had
tired her and Helen Gordon's gossip had given
her kind of moral nausea There were too
many Miss Gordons in the profession; that is,
too many with her genius for retailing scandal;
there were few enough who had half her talent
for acting Miss. Gordon knew that she was
unpopular among her fellow workers. but OF
course she put this down to jealousy; If she had
been told the real cause she would have risen in
her wrath and denounced he. informant as
"spiteful" She loved to denounce. Evelyn tried
,haritably 10 think that this fOndness was the
icsire for expression of her intensely dramatic
nature: she dramatic to her feather-tips;
these, indeed seemed fairly to br1stle as she
shook her head in the agitation of her speech
1t was a delight to see her talk. or it would have
been if what she said were worthy OF her abili-
ties and free from bitterness; her eyes flashed
her face was & kaleidoscope of emotions; her
speech. little above the slang OF actors was as
clear cut as her delivery on the stage.
Evelyn thought of these things as she hurried
down Broadway past groups of ounging actors
She had intended to call on Ford 4 Beaman.
Mrs Moriarity's rivals; but it was so late now
after Il O'Clock, that she decided TO write to
them instead. She had some shopping that she
felt she must do before leaving the ciy-she
might just as we'll have put it off and done 1t
In Boston: II was far more important that she
should go TO that other agency-but In this in
stance she allowed preference to prevail over
Judgment At the shops she visited she
able to indulge in the luxury of indecision and
quickly chose the material she desired for some
summer dresses she would make them herself
down at Cohassett. Then she hurried back to
Mrs. Leary's
The boarding house luncheon was at o'clock.
and when she arrived it was only 1920. But Mrs
Leary. who was lying in wait for her. announced
that she had prepared a special meal in her
room so that Evelyn should be sure not TO miss
the train: they would take it together Evelyn
felt grateful for this Kindness it would spare
her the embarrassment of appearing before the
boarders They. of course, knew her story and
would stare at her and exchange glances across
the table She had escaped them the night be-
fore by taking an early dinner in order to reach
Yonkers in time for the performance
Mrs. Leary had made a special effort to pro-
vide dainty meal. and Evelyn. after her exer
else Of the morning. was Ole to relish the cold
chicken and the lemon jelly; the other boarders
would probably have liver and bacon.
AS she ate the landlady watched her with
satisfaction. You're feelin' bethur. darlin, amt
yer?" she asked
1 always get played out at the end of the
SON."
But yer have noice vacation before yer,
/ choild.'
n Eyes; only hope it won't be too long
Its a Quare business. actun'.'
Eyes. very queer"
But il is a grand thing to see thin the
uoige"
ITS a sad thing TO them off,
Mrs. Leary shook her head mournfully oyer
remember Mis- Fitz?' she asked suddenly chang
ing the subject for no apparent reason.
'"Miss Fitz?'
"Yis. you know. toud yer about her. Miss
Fitz that had the husband that away. You
know. the woman that didn't have no money to
pay her board an KEEP out o charity
"Oh. yes. 1 remember now. Her husband
the with the watery eyes and the timid
manner He here when / came last year.
Have they heard from him."
That's phwat was goin ter tell yer Off he
went one foine day, without payin' clint o
rint-he'd been here foive weeks-an lawn his
wolfe and choild behoind him. Oh, it waz a
shahme. a shahme. An she that sick she
couldn't roise out av her bed. Well. that was
eleven months ago. and she amt hoird wan
word from i'm Well, the other day came
TO the door an he seq. Does Mis- Fitz live here?
An Jimmy says-'twas Jimmy whit to the door
-'Ys,' says he, she do We'll. you jest tell Mis-
FitZ' says he. that see her husband down in
South Norwaik. in Connecticut. the other day
an he's all roight.' Then off he walked and the
div'lethe soght Of him we've since"
THAT is strange But it be a consola-
ton 10 Mrs. Fitz 10 know that he's all right"
"Cons'rtion, is 1t? HIM! OF guess not. She
tould me she hoped he dead. At first she
kinder wild in the head; thin she got
betther an she said If he wanted to stay away
he cu'd an she'd jist git divorce"
How can she? Aren't they Catholics?"
HE is: she amt It's been bone o con-
tention with 'em ever since they got married.
Oh my Lord, how they used to foght that
choild when he only three months old-she
sayin' he'd be brought up Methdis-her folks
is Meth dis'-an' he sayin' the choild ud be a
Cathhc. Oh IT used to be terrible sometimes.
Wan noight had to go in an separate 'em."
II suppose she's afraid he'll come back now
said Evelyn as Mrs. Moriarity helped her bountl-
fully to the jelly.
Here. TAX more o that crane choild. Don't
be so sparln'. Yer amt in any thin theat-
cal hotels That's jist phwat she is afeard
Of She says she'll never live with him again
il she lives 10 be a hundred She's got the choild
ar that's all she wants"
What does she do for a living?'
"She paints fiower-pots an SIGH things. It's
kind O refoned business. but don't think it !
pays. She's still OWN me- She says her
fayther's rich: but he's so name he squeezes
dollar almost to death when he gifts it in his |
fist"
Mrs. Leary went on RECALLING Evelyn with other !
choice bits Of gossip about her boarders She /
had passionate interest in their most trivial
affairs, and took deep, still pleasure in dwell
ing upon the most melancholy aspects Of these !
She would much rather keep Mrs. Fitz in her !
house without receiving any rent In return than !
lose boarder with such interesting history: |
moreover one whose history Just being
made with prospects Of rich developments in the /
future.
Evelyn had to hurry unceremoniously from the
lunch table just Mrs. Leary was in the midst
OF long narrative She had womans terror