The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-08-14
OF THE CENTURY, A THRILLING DETECTIVE STORY.

ME, the men and the women But I'm
sorry now | ever started in the stage
business. at least so young"
"Why?'
'Well, 1 can't exactly complain but
then. You see. it made me old while
was still little. You might almost say
never was child at ALL just baby
for few years and then woman
Do you understand what l mean?'
Only too we'll. | fear. Go on
well. did the Eva business off and
on for four seasons. One of the actors
taught me to sing and dance, and when
he left the company he offered mum
more money for me. SO l went with
him couple of seasons. We used to
do sketch together. He played the
part of a blind Irishman. and was his
little girl, and he used to find his way
home by hearing me sing. and lot
more like that. Then | got to be II
years Old and l branched out for N.Y.
self"
'Branched out for yourself? What
do YOU mean?'
We'll. YOU see. l found out about
things, and | caught on that mum was
getting S1o a week for me when the
man | was with got $40. cause. you
see. was sort of a genius. Honor
bright l was. Don't you believe it?'
Indeed, l do" said Mr.. Mitchell
heartily
You'd better say sou she continued,
with a grave shake of her head. which
once more made her appear extremely
youthful. IF you didn't. might shock
the people in the car by cutting a
pigeon wing for you. Well. was what
they call an instantaneous success.
Went about it l.. q big way. tell YOU
just marched into one of the up town
agents. and | got into talk with him
and told him my scheme. l offered
him p per cent to look ont for me. and
he made the bargain with Inc. He got
out those beautiful Autographs of me.
You've seen then?'
Yes. Was it he who called you
The Lily of the Valley?"
NO. That was my own idea. You
see, | used to be Little Lillian when
played Eva. but now l was going to be
star wanted my full name. Lillian
Vale sounded kind of tame, and first
off | thought I'd just put an accent on
the 'e' and call it Nallee. Then it
wrote it down, Miss Lillian Vale-TEe
Lily of the Valley That way. you
see. got in the Lily and the yailee,
only in q prettier way"
'sThis was when you We're -, you
say?"
i Yes. My: Don't that seem ages
ago? But it amt. I'm only past l6
now. Well. as l said, made a hit
from the jump. and pretty soon | was
/ getting my $50 a week in the Bowery
and more when | went on the road
That wasn't bad. was it?"
Not at all. But now tell me when
you first met your husband"
"Oh. You want to know most about
that? Well, now that I'm started |
may as we'll give you the whole thing.
l met him the second season | was 4
star. l was singing in the Bowery,
one of those places where they let the
audience drink in the theater. There
was a box that opened ON the stage,
and one night a young man in that
box threw me some flowers. l picked
them up, and without thinking l threw
him kiss. That began it,
Alas. how many of life's tragedies
begin with kiss.
He came behind" she continued,
''and spoke to me. The next night he
came again. and he brought me candy,
and Il let him walk home with me.
After that we got to be great friends,
and then-then | got to love him Do
you know, l loved him so it made my
head ache to think about it, because
l always thought wasn't good enough
for him. That was when he wasn't
with me. But then he'd come again
and be nice to me and bring me flow
ers and candy. and he'd kiss me, and
then I'd be happy again"
"Poor childw muttered Mr. Mitchell.
"What did you say?" asked Lillian.
Nothing nothingw hastily replied
Mr.. Mitchell.
"Oh! l thought you spoke" Then
she went on: You see. he was very
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