Little Falls herald., 1899-08-04
! / f HlER FIN 3. D. !. nee.

q ~ i 1S lleaalNS L1s
The manager ct the sleate- shook biz head
Aoubtfully. IS;
= don't know how orn people viii take
4 % such asback number As that, my dear
woman, " said he, .ffor for they are deviish par
+ ticular now, but vou may try it and zee. lf
you get an honest encore the first night
viii engage you for two weeks on my own
hook, bat the Bijou isn't charitable instii- 6
tuition, you know, and won't promise any
Il thing. %sz "a }: : a: ii II .s ,s.s.. PIX.
The dancer lips trmebled, and after
/. moment the handsome eyes were dimmed
with tears. But she fought back these signs
Of emotion as she had fought them back
every day for the last two years, and an
+ which all hope had long since departed:
sThank you, Mr.. Rankin; that il all can
Then she walked slowly from the halt
!. lighted stage and to the dressing room, with
pain which nothing could relieve tugging
fercely att@her heart. The manager looked
thoughtfuly after her, as he cut the end of
q cigar and turned up his coat collar again.
~sPoor girl said he, half aloud, "she's
has-been-no mistake, And to think that
three yeacs age she was the cream of the lot.
But that's the way; some of 'em has genius
and some talent. The ones with the genius
learn new tricks, when the public has got
enough of the old, the ones with only talent
can't do it, and SO they 60 down.: And that's
all she's got-talent. Pm sorry for her, but
I amt the Creator, to give her what wasn't
born in her, With which sage reflection
the manager lit his cigar and walked back
to his cf::-c.
The gili with talent only smiled a wan
smile as she got into her plain street dress
In the stufy little lressing-room under the
stage, and the cracked, dusty mirror gave
| back to her uninterested gaze the reflection
OF that smile. In her heart of hearts for q
long time there had been the conviction that
perhaps her gift was not as strong az she
had first imagined. With a pride born Of
necessity she had fought the thought down
day after day; but it would not die, and now,
In almost so many words, the manaeer had
told her that her "day was past" Yet she
was Young. :
Only three years ago Mile. Reville, the
petit dancer, had been hailed by critic and
audience alike as the daintiest and most
brilliant Of terpschoreans seen for many
years; and to-day she was unknown-bea-
eing for work! Fortunes back had been
early turned upon the unhappy little wom-
m, and the troubles which had assailed her
had made their impress upon her usually
pretty face. The eyes were tired-lookins
now, and the cheeks pale and almost thin.
The stage she had just left brought back
s1vidly her past in this city. for had she not
achieved her greatest triumph in this the
ater? Here the whole house had risen a
one great being and showered bouquets.
fans, and even jewels about her golden head.
All, yes, that was night long to be remem-
bered-especially by hungry little dancer
Who had 90 soon dropped to the level Of
commonplace in her profession. !;
As she picked her way toward the stage
door, along the dark passages and in and
around ghostliks pieces of scenery set or
ready to be, she remembered, too, the hon.
est, kind hearted stage hand who had wor-
SHIPPED the boards she danced upon, and at
whose affection she had smiled, desipte ito
apparent earnestness: Poor Joe, the shiftsra
OF scenes-big, quiet, even handsome at
times. She wondered dimly what had be-
eome Of him; she hoped honestly enough
that life had treated him better than it had
her. And even as she said these words to
herself he stood before her. ID
"Mamie!" he cried, involuntarily. and
then, remembering himself, he added, In
confusion: II beg your pardon, Miss Cor
doA, II didn't mean tor With his we'll
worn cap in hand he bowed his curly head
and stepped aside to let her pass. But on
the impulse of the moment she did not do
So In fact, strange hot little wave Of
something lndefna.le swept over her heart
and was reflected in her face She put out
her thin hand and he closed his big brawnv
| 0nc over it.
S"Joe!" she said. ''Dear old Joe! / did not
know you were here. l am going to dance
to-night-on trial; and after have done my
turn we will talk over old times. do not
think they will want me, do you?''
He saw the truth in her eyes AZ she spoke,
and a sudden rage at the world that dared
not want her, and always want her-as he
did-seized upon him, Il: s. ;s.> ;. .s1E..
IF they do turn you down." said he b.
! will" :. >''--"'l: :
Miss Gordon smiled 4 little sadly and
shook herShead. eff they do, Joe, you win
20 nothing about it. Good-by until tonight.
am lonely nowadays, and Iwant yeu to SEQ
! me dance tonight and applaud me. even Il
the others do rot. Will you?' =. .%.,.E
"WM I :" he exclaimed, coming closer and
looking down into her eyes with tender.
pess that. his fellow-workers would have
been dpmbstruck to see o, my darl-""i5.
But she was gone before he had time 20
anlsh the sentence. And when he pondered
upon what he had been about to say, IN hie
fsshness :, and surprise, he was rather glad
that she had left before he compelled her Co
refuse m him again as she had once years ago.
The orchestra, In q gale Of melody, had
ended the dance with melodious crash. md
/ Nile. Revile stood, with her head bent.
Waiting for the decision Of the audience II
breathelss moment passed, and then-tHo az 4
three peffunctOrya clang from diffnranA