The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1900-08-21

were over and they were far TOO weary
for a pirouette or even the first posi-
ton
"a curious souvenir, Mr.. Brooke"
Edgar Brooke smiled, and there was
silence for minute.
The comedian had forgotten the
youthful interviewer. He seemed to
see the little shoes dancing on the wall.
His comfortable room faded out Of
sight. There was the sound of scrap
ing fiddles and the fare of gas. Twen-
ty years had slipped away in hardly as
many seconds,
1t was behind the scenes of a country
theater. The close air of little room
almost stifed Edgar Brooke. He
dressed with the Pantaloon, two aero
bats and the Demon King of the pan
tomime.
Their clothes were heaped on a
basket In one corner The Pantaloon
was making up" and the Demon King
was drinking whisky and soda and
reading scraps from The Sporting
Times to amuse the two acrobats.
Edgar Brooke, hungry eyed, lean and
haggard, sat with his aching head be-
tween his hands. His tinseled harle-
quin suit was loose for his wasted
body. Months of Illness, hard luck
and poverty had taken the heart and
soul out of him.
He gave sigh of thankfulness when
l,,c ,,o;cv oor,rodoc wara summonad
to the stage and he was alone.
Heard that Brooke has got the
sack?" said the Pantaloon.
Eyes, poor devily' answered the De-
mon King.
Then there was the quick patter of
feet on the stairs, the door was pushed
little open, and a Columbine, in
gauze and a smile, peeped into Brooke's
dressing room. Although she was only
16, they had been solemnly engaged
for two months.
eddy, darlingr she exclaimed, run
ming into the room and perching her
self on the Pantaloon's basket The
young man looked up, too wretched TO
hide the marks of tears on his face or
to try to control his unsteady lips.
cts all up, Kitty" he replied. 1--WE
got my notice, dear. Run down stairs
you shouldn't come up. One day
they'll catch you"
my own love-" said the Columbine,
jumping off the basket and kneeling
down beside him, s'you don't know
yourself-none of these fools know you.
You're worth more than the whole lot!'
"Oh, Kitty, Kitty! can't bear it!'
Broken by weakness and despair. he
drew Kitty's slender arms around his
neck and, resting his head on her
shoulder, sobbed aloud.
"You must cheer up, Eddyw she
whispered.
She persuaded him to stand up,
hunted for his small mask and stiff
wand, shook herself together and gave
a touch to her own complexion before
| the glass.
Edgar Brooke went down to the
stage with his hand on her shoulder.
The manager of the company was
standing with his back to the curtain.
curry up therew said he. Have
! you got that side braced? My boy,
your shops wabbling. Lights! 'Ang
| it ALI Lights! Knock i'm off! Ring
up! Now, my dear
| Up went the curtain and on went the
| Columbine with flying bound and q
beaming smile. Edgar Brooke leaned
against the wall for second with his
clinched hand to his throbbing brow
Then he, too ran into the glare of the
| stage.
He could see nothing but an endless
row of horizontal, blurred lights that
were dancing between him and the
audience; the house seemed to be full
| of fog. Columbine tripped toward
him, she took his hand, and they twist
ed and turned together.
The harlequinade was short anG
busting, and at the finish the Harle
Quin had to take the usual flying lear
through window.
Brooke and his sweetheart again
made their entrance hand in hand.
"Stand still, Eddyw she whispered
and then danced around him with 9
hundred little tricky steps and beckon
ing gestures.
The cue came. Harlequin struck the
ground with his wand and leaped. II
was last effort Luck and training
guided him to the right spot. He shot
through the window as clearly as an
arrow and was caught by the men
who were waiting to receive him. He
rose to his feet still clinging to their
arms, staggered a minute and then
fell fainting to the ground.
"Plucky little chapY' said one Of the
men.
mot an ounce of flesh on his bonesp'
said the other.
When Edgar Brooke came to himself
he was lying on a bench hastily drag
ged on to the stage. He saw that the
gas jets in the flies were turned off.
The curtain was raised, for the noisy
audience had poured into the streets.
His bench was near to the footlights,
but they. too, were lowered, and 1t was
an anxious, whispering group of peo-
pie on every side that gradually crept
into his consciousness.
There was the manager STOPPING over
him, with a hand on his breast and q
big finger pressed to his pulse. Be
side him was the clown. Most of the
girls were still In their costumes, with
their hair falling untidlly on their
shoulders The whole scene was shad-
owy and strange to the pale, exhaust
ed Harlequin as he sank back again on
the arm of the Demon King.
He closed his eyes, but suddenly the
ringing voice of his Columbine seemed
to leap out of the babel of tongues.
At first he could not follow what she
said. He only saw how erect was the
little figure, at once pathetic and elo-
quent of love and the fierce earnest
ness of youth. -
Slowly her words took shape, discon-
nected and broken as the sentences
were.
'In couple of months this old panto
viii be overr she said. I'VE shall all
go east and west-the Lord knows
where? But look here-we've been