Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-08-05

turned. It was the sirl with . tear }
her gown.
The reporter gave her 4 pin. '-Tl
, stage manager u no: gracious tonight.
he said.
Same ~ usual" she answered. "E
doesn't change much. That's his daugl
ter over there"-and she swept her arr
vaguely toward q crowd of girls VII
were sitting On flight Of red steps.
'The one with . pink ribbon In he
hair?" asked Morgan.
mo, that's the comedians wife-Mrs.
Winters. The girl with the yello,
tights is Minnie Cripps. She and tn
comedians wife are thick as thieves.
They don't love me and I don't love
them. Some day I'll get even with
them-Mrs. Winters first, though"
you're Spanishf' asked Morgan
looking At her lustrous hair and her
dark Spanish eyes.
| Yes, my name il Anita Cortek"
| Il remember you now. You Dc
Spanish dance around q dagger stuck
in the stage"
| Eyes, and II 1t wasn't for that dane,
Mrs. Winters and Lob, well. I'll tell
you after the show. Going anywhere
after the show7 Not Well, the cur
| tain drops at 1914 o'clock and 1t takes
me about twenty minutes - get cut.
IN meet you in the ladies' saloon at the
| cafe around the corner at 11:e0 O'Clock.
have to 60 up stairs and dress for the
| second act now. When I come down
I'll show yeu my dagger. It's beauty.
full Of Jewels, and can throw 1t fifty
feet and hit a bulls eye. There goes
the curtain down on the Arst act. I'm
late" And she darted up the stairs.
Then there was pushing and shOv
| ing and hauling and hosting As the
| coatless scene shifters began setting
the scenes for the second act. The or
chestra leader came through . little
door that led up from under the stage.
Cripps caught sight Of him.
Don't give an encore for the opening
chorus tonight. Betterton. Were four
minutes late now on the Arst act. It's
twenty-one Of ten"
"An right" answered the orchestra
leader. There's a fns house out
front" Then. after q pause: Say,
Cripps., don't want to interfere. but
that Cortes woman II flirting with ev-
cry man In the house again. She's got
my first violin daft He made two dis
cords just because he can't keep his
eyes OF her."
Il warned that Cortez mink tive
weeks are up to-night-and she goes
1 guess she knows il, too, fer she's been
looking ugly-confOund herr He pull
ed out his watch. We're ready for
you, Betterton," and as the orchestra
leader disappeared through the little
door Cripps called upstairs: "Au down
for the second act!'
4 few minutes later the curtain wen,
up on the second act. Cripps was swear
ing, as usual, and a sensitive chorus
girl was crying because he had merely
called her a 'waddling hog" and had
threatened to fine her II she didn't
walk with her head up in the air and
not down on her chest, 'as II she was
roofing for walnuts." The act was half
over when Morgan saw Anita Cortez
coming down the wooden steps. At
the foot of the steps stood the come
dams wife, Hay Winters. Her back
was toward Anita. In a second the
dancer had drawn dagger from her
belt-another second and she took a
quick look around. No one but Nor
gan observed her; she saw that he was
looking at her, and SO she threw a kiss
at him. Then, like a flash, the dagger |
few through the air and buried itself |
to the hilt in May Winters back Stimuli |
taneous with her shrek came q cry
from the dancer. as she deliberately
tumbIed down the steps, landing on
top of the wounded woman. With the
quickness of lightning she pulled the
dagger from the quivering flesh and
sprang to her feet.
My God" she cried. MY God,
Cripps. come here. My foot slipped on
the stairs and the dagger few out of
my hands. wounding May Winters. and
oh. my foot's sprained and there's my
cue" And with limp she bounded on
the stage and throwing the dagger
dripping with blood, point downward,
she danced around it like a wild thing;
while the audience, moved by her fren
zy, rose and cheered again and again
at her tempestuous and whirlwind like
entrance.
Behind the scenes a different part
was being played. The wounded wom-
room and the stage carpenter had sped
up the street for doctor. Winters. the
comedian, was stanching the how Of
blood with his cap. The woman was
unconscious.
she did 1t on purpose" said Cripps.
That fall of hers was q regular stage
fall-you can't fool me-"
Il don't think 1t was done purpose
ly," said Winters. unsteadily. He bent
his head and the tears slowly rolled
down his cheeks and fell on the pink
tights Of the hurt woman. CHpps walk
ed softly to the door and went out: he
whistled softly to himself.
The doctor arrived just as CFipps
came to the door again: ''Hurry u0.
Wtnters-your cue"
by heavens, Oripps, can't sing a
tenjcal song now"
IT'S your bread and butter out front
there Your wife's in that room. You
can't help her by staying. Better look
after your bread and butter.'
Winters dug his nails into the palms
OF his hands. Cripps half led, half push
ed him toward the stage. Your hands
full Of blood; wipe 1t on the wings as
yon 20 past" he said. quietly.
And 30 Winters went capering on the |
stage and sang and laughed end made |
the audience almost wild with delight, |
and the doctor in the dressing room
looked brave and tried to stop the dow
Of blood.
After he had sung three verses he
darted from the stage and was In the
A roc ali, roam Anita Carter xvas hal,&