Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-08-24

and trembling, and with huge beads q
perspiration on his brow.
He'll never be on" said the per-
formers In chorus. But he was at thel
side. dressed and made up. fully hvs
minutes before his first entrance. The
other performers were looking at him
enriously.' for his face was twitchinx
and he spoke TO no one. Nervousness
or drunkenness" they all agreed.
There was a ripple OF laughter as he
made his first entrance. II acted like
an electric shock upon him. lie knew
what was expected OF him. and he
worked desperately. He'll do" said
the anxious manager. sagely. as he
watched his sEotesque exit and listened
to the applause that followed II.
As soon as Halliday was OF tho
stage after the fourth scene he caught
the assistant manager by the arm.
I'm not on until the palace seene.-
he said eagerly. How long Is my
waitT'
"oh. about an hour tonight" was
the reply,
Halliday rushed down the passage to
his dress!ns-room. removing h!s kingly
robes as he ran.
| Ah' suu
cried one of the men. as he watched
him struggle into his oyercoat. Are
you drunk tonight. or what7'
Don't stop met painted Halliday.
Hands OF. ! say! It's my long walt.
III be back In time. Ny child Is lost
missing since morning. I'm crazy With
anxiety: she's my only one"
Through the streets he ran. thread
lnS In and out the trafiic. hcedicss OF
the drivers. The fog had cleared away.
and the night was starry.
''Bahdic. BabsIe'" he painted. as he
tore along. "BabsIc! BabsIe!" a. no
yaul,ed up the dark staircase to his
home. All was silent In the deAolata
room. lie stood there one moment
: and threw up his hands In voleclcss
prayer. and then he hastcned back 10
tho theatsr.
Just before his entrance In tho pal
ace scene the doorkceper made his way
through the crowd and RaId something
In a low tone to the stage manager.
He saw them siane. toward him and
! In n momcn; he was beaIdc them.
! "In heavens name tell me. Grahame!
fS II news for met Don't lie: know Il
is."
when you come OF. Hall!day-aficr
your song. There's your music play
i Ing now. Go on. old man.
"Toll me fiFK,." Halliday replied
hoarseiy. "and I give you my word III
I 60 ont"
. "A lille .iTi-rnn ovcr-takcn to
! Faith hospital. Don, know who fhe
belongs TO. Died unconscious" Ora.
q hame replied hastily.
4 Thank you" was all the wrctchcd
!. man said rs he staggered past them
onto the stage.
A child In the gallery laughed slce-
fully at his sro;csauc entrance. IL
sounded jus, like BabsIca laugh. bab-
s!o now. perhaps. lying n little man
sicd corpGc In the Faith hospital.
Why was he thcrc7 he asked himself
II his darling lay dead. What did he
care for money now?
But BabS.e had been so fond OF his
drinking song" She had looked for
ward TO hearing him sing Il. He
would sing II for her sake.
Then his voice began to faltcr-hc
swayed aiIghty. Hes breaking down"
was the terrified whisper. Wont
some one step In to MI the gap?"
And some one did. Righ. from the
very back OF the gallery 1t camc-a
chiid's voice tina, caught UP the refrain
lust as the wrctchcd singer was about
to rush from the stage. and the aston
ishcd artistcs. looking up to the
gods" beheld the singer. n little girl
perched upon the shoulders OF stall
vart costcr, II was Babsle-Babsic
!, alive and well.
BY the time the little girl had got
n through the chorus and the gallery
q had shown their appreciation by ap-
plause and whistllng. Halliday had re-
A gained his self possession. and he sang
the remainder of his ditty with such
, Joyous v!gor that he carried his au-
!, dience along. and the infection of gay
- ETY. from all the smiling faces on the
= stage made itself felt all over the
II house.
n THAT kid In the gallery Is an old
: music-hall dodge" said one petite to
i another.
"Yes. but this was jolly well worked.
~ I thought the chap had really broken
+, down." replied his friend.
Behind the scenes the kid in the
gallery" was being claspcd in her faith
:, er's arms aml1 n group of sympathetic
!, people in motley attire.
n Babsie's story was soon told. She had
been offered a quarter by a neighbor
to mind her babies while she went out.
: The temptation to see her dad per-
form had been too strong, and the lit
:, tie girl, with her precious coin In her
= hand. had patiently waited outside the
gallery door for many hours. As she
q had not expected her father home all
: day she had not been in the least un-
. easy.
:. Then Manager Vaughan and Stage
A Manager Grahame claimed her atten-
: ton, and the performer slipped brand