The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1898-01-04

hibitions from which she had turned |
in loathing--to his annoyance, since |
his taste grew yearly less refined. Even
then, 'The pity of it," she had sighed
And how much even then was implied !
that she should say, turning to him;
"That could do, am certain"
"May you never need" he had an
swered, fervently. For he loved her and
was proud of her, though his paths in
life were devious, though he would not
follow her. 1t all came back to her vivid
ly-the gay scene, the eager faces, the
murmur of delight, the applause that
rose again and again, and could not he
stayed. Her heart beat fast; yes, she
would dance. 1t might cost her the few
friends she still possessed, but as long
as she helped herself she could maintain
her pride.
Next day began a tiresome round of
interviews with impatient, incredulous
or impertinent managers, with heart
growing daily heavier and brain
sharpened almost to viciousness At
last an impressario, touched by her
grace and the expression of brave des-
pair in her hungry eyes, granted her a
trial, fixing an hour at the theater on
the following day in the early forenoon.
Amid concourse of.women, some sym
pathetic, some brazenly inquisitive, all
so different from herself that she scarce
felt they were her sisters, she made her
first essay. How unreal it seemed
dream, she kept telling herself, adream
1 - 4
ment.
She kept her glance straight before
her, trying to shut out the crudity of
her surroundings. The "sets" all
awry. the glimpses of busy carpenters
and scene-shifters, the f1ashily-dressed
men and women waiting for rehearsal
and familiarizing in way that gave her
a mental nausea A row of raw girls
! in soiled dancing shoes and fieshings,
their upper halves clothed in ordinary
bodices, went awkwardly through their
} matutinal drill. The odor of dust and
oil and paint began to overpower her
and she was on the verge of losing her
self-possession when the kind voice of
the manager, close beside her, said;
"Your turn, madame-will you tell
me what music you desire?" The or
chestra, composed of one violin on the
stage, began the swinging accompani-
nient OF La Paloma, and at the end, and
while the blood beat and surged in
deafening throbs in her heavy head,
again she heard the voice of the man
ager, seemingly great distance off:
accept my compliments, madame,
shall be glad to offer you salary of
ten pounds a week. / am sure you will
have success" "Un success fou," he
said, turning to the orchestra, who
gracefully waved his fiddle, bowed low
and replied: "Sans doute." Poor wom-
an, she looked into their eyes to see if
they were hooking her; then, con-
all her strength, and with the strange
surging still in her ears, smiled, said
81 thank you" turned quickly and left
the theater. How she got home was
always a mystery TO her. Martha
heard faint pull at the bell, fastened
To the door and found her mistress
pale as death, but with her eyes wide
open and set smile on her lips. She
put her TO bed, held her quivering body
till by degrees the tortured soul began
to still itself and the overweight brain
found relief in such healing tears as
had not come before in all those
strained days of trial. And now there
was practicing and preparation of cos
tunes, then the first appearance and
the many succeeding, all justifying the
acumen of her friend the impressario
Gradually all pressing need, the in.
debtedness, the grinding care disap,
peared, and she could have been com.
paratively happy
All day, save for the morning hour OF
rehearsal, she kept Maizie beside her
1t was Maize who made a daily holo-
caust of unopened billets-doux and
adorned her nursery with the flowers
that invariably accompanied them. il
was Maize who first enjoyed, almost in,
spired, the dances she invented, and
who tirss praised her Sweet Mumsie'
in her artistic costumes.