The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-08-26

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appeared into n of the dressing
rooms It wa Nigel Halliday, white
and trembling. and with huge .beads.of
perspirati6n on his brow.
Hell never be on!" said the per-
formers in chorus. But he was at the
side, dressed and made up. fully ive
minutes before his first entrance. The
other performers we're looking at him
%curiously, for his face was twitching
and he spoke to no one. Nervousness
or Drunkenness" they all agreed.
There was a ripple Of laughter as he
made his first entrance. It acted like
an electric shock upon him. He knew
what wa expected Of him, and he
worked desperately. HELL do" said
the anxious manager, sagely, as he
watched his %grotesque exit and listened
to the applause that followed 1t.
As soon Is Halliday vas of the
stage after the fourth scene he caught
the assistant manager by the arm.
"I'm not on until the palace scene,"
he said eagerly. "How long l. my
waltz"
ooh, about an hour tonight" was
the reply.
Halliday rushed down the passage to
his dressing-room, removing his kingly
robes as he ran.
what the deuce are you doing?"
cried one Of the men, as he watched
him struggle into his overcoat. care
you drunk tonight, or what?"
Don't stop mel" painted Halliday.
Hands of, I say! It's my long wait.
I'll be back in time. My child is lost
missing since morning. I'm crazy with
anxiety; she's my only one"
Through the streets he ran, thread
ing in and out the traffic, needless of
the drivers. The fog had cleared away.
and the night was starry.
"Babsie! Babsie!" he painted, as he
tore along. "Babsie! Babsie!" as he
vaulted up the dark staircase to his
home. All was silent in the desolate
room. He stood there. one moment
and threw up his hands in voiceless
prayer, and then he fastened back to
the theater.
Just before his entrance in the pal
ace scene the doorkeeper made his way
through the crowd and said something
in a low tone to the stage manager.
He saw them glance toward him and
in a moment he, was beside them.
"In heavens name tell me, Grahame!
Is 1t news for me? Don't lie; I know it
Isl"
when you come of, Halliday-after
your song. There's your music play
ing now. Go on. old man..
"Tell me first" Halliday replied
hoarsely, "and I give you my word I'll
go on!"
"a little girl-run over-taken to
Faith hospital. Don't know who she
belongs to. Died unconscious" Ora
hame replied hastily.
"Thank you," was all the wretched
man said as he staggered past them
onto the stage.
A child in the gallery laughed glee-
fully at his grotesque entrance. It
sounded just like Babsie's laugh. Bah
sic now, perhaps. lying a. little man
gled corpse in the Faith hospital.
Why was he there? he asked himself,
IL his darling lay dead. What did he
care for money now?
But Babs1e had been so fond of his
drinking song" She had looked for
ward to hearing him sing 1t. He
v0uld sing II for her sake.
Then his voice began to falter-he
swayed slightly. "He's breaking down."
was the terrified whisper. Wont
some one step in to fill the gap?"
And some one did. Right from the
very back Of the gallery It came-a
child's voice that caught up the refrain
Just as the wretched singer was about
to rush from the stage, and the aston
ished artistes, looking up to the
goods" beheld the singer, a little girl
perched upon the shoulders Of a stall
wart coster. It wa Babsie-Babsie
alive and well.
By the time the little girl had got
through the chorus and the gallery
had shown their appreciation by APP
plause and whistling, Halliday had re-
gained his self-possession. and he sang
the remainder Of his ditty with such
Joyous vigor 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 ' the
house.
"Thate kid in the gallery is IN old
music-hall dodge" said petite to:
another.
"Yes, but this was jolly we'll worked.
I thought the chap had really broken
down." replied his friend.
Behind the scenes the kid In the
gallery was being clasped in her faith
er's arms amid q group Of sympathetic
people in motley attire. ~
Babsie's story was soon told. She had
been offered . quarter by q 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
had not expected her father home all
day she had not been in the least un-
easy.
Then Manager Vaughan and Stage
Manager Grakame claimed her atten-
ton, and the performer slipped q brand
new dollar bill into her hand.
ssIt's what J. owe Won for that unre-