Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1901-09-14
A CASE FOR COMMON SENSE

/
seriously, that's ALL
But I'm perfectly serious"
"You think you are. Some day-to-
morrow. or the day after-you'll know
better"
why won't you believe me?'
you're only a boy
I'm as old as yam are
That's very different matter. Twen-
ty-two's absurdly young for man and
| quite elderly for a girl
You're always laughing at me-"
ITS all for your own good"
| u mayn't see you again for ages"
Il believe you're glad
Now you're talking nonsense. I'm
very fond of YOU
Why won't you promise to marry me,
then?'
Because you're too young to get en-
gagged. Besides, | don't believe in long
engagements. They're demOraliZng for
both parties
You're very heartless You can't re-
ally care or you wouldn't talk like that"
well, perhaps you're right, and per-
haps you're wrong"
Il hate your hard common sense"
You'll probably live to bless it,
Il suppose we can write to one anoth-
er. You don't object to that?''
Yes, i do. You've no idea what a
bore you'll find letter-writing when
you re on a tour"
Il shall never find writing to you a
bore"
doesn't always make the heart grow
fonder, you know. Presently you'll for
get all about me-
You talk as if you were a hundred"
Il think I'm right
ITS to be goodby now?"
Yes, dear old boy. Goodby and God
bless you"
That was three years ago.
Evelyn Marsh remembered every word
as though it had been spoken yesterday.
As she sat in the dingy anteroom at
Whitetield's Dramatic agency, she
thought, with a sigh, of the change that
had come into her life since that day.
Then she had been the petted child Of
she was sitting at Whitefed's waiting
for that long promised engagement which
never seemed to come.
1t was the old story, with speculation,
panic and ruin for chapter headings.
Evelyn did not understand those things.
| This much only she knew-the firm of
| Marsh Rogers & Co. had gone under in
| the general panic, among a dozen 9th
ers William Marsh had died of
broken heart and his daughter was left
| alone &c fight the world with an income
OF > ShilllhgS d week.
In IL days when Marsh, Rogers &
| Co were pronounced to be as safe as
! the bank" society had smiled upon Eve
| lyn, and the girl had returned its smiles
win interest Evelyn was pretty, and
| bright and clever. Moreover, she was
| leading lady to half dozen distinguished
amateur dramatic clubs, and could re-
cite and sing coon songs and accompany
herself on the banjo in most delightful
manner Hence Evelyn had been uni
versally popular. and voted an acquisi-
ton to any social function
But when William Marsh's fortunes
became known to the world. society pro-
ceeded 70 ignore the daughters exist
ence.
In the old days Tom Hereford was not
the only yonug fellow who lost his heart
and his head in face of Evelyn's attrac-
tions, But Tom had special facilities for
losing these things For Tom also was
smitten with the footlight fever, and the
two had become fast friends over the
common hobby.
When Tom suddenly declared that he
, had played long enough at being an actor
and intended trying the real thing. the
announcement came Is surprise to ey-
eryone but Evelyn.
| I've thought it all over he had told
I her long ago. The pater can't afford to
, keep me in idleneSS any longer. I've got
! TIC earn living somehow. and | may as
we'll have shot at the stage as at any
thing else"
t Well, Tom had gone away. and as he
$ had propheSied, they had not seen each
other for ages. That wasn't Toms fault.
of course. He couldn't help it that she
was in Germany when he came home
from his first tour, and that she had re-
c Trained from writing to him when the
: smash came, and she had left the old
y square and gone into rooms at Brixton
, STU. he had forgotten all about her hy
this time. Of course. After all she was
; right. He was only boy then. and hal
. no business TO speak to her of love He
5 had probably had half dozen different
: fancleS since then. There are so many
charming women on the Stage-even in
the provinces.
5 Well she had acted for the best For
5 MS own sake she had refused to listen 10
|, him. And yet-and yet-Evclyn sighed
+ again as she remembered how he had
looked at her that day, as honest. dark
eyes full of tender. pa Sionate pleading.
his frank, boyiSh face alght with love
4 that dehed the hard common sense She
/ had summoned to her all.
Something suSpiciously like tear glit-
tered for moment on the girls evelaSb
She looked round hastily, and faint. pink
hush crept into her pale cheeks. Rut no
one apparently. was taking the smallest
notlCe OF her.
II was a motley. ever-changing crowd
that thronged in and ont of White6eld's
from IL a. m. 10 p. m. every day of the
| week
The women, as always. were in the ma.
, jOrity today. 4 couple or so of ladies
with sJraw-coicred hair. black eyebrows
suSpiciously pink cheeks and SprirhtJy
manners The rest natural enough. God
knows-whte-faced, enxious-eyed women
and girls, grown hard and old before
their time in that hardest of schools.
the provincial theater.
There was little life in the place. For
the most part, The frequerters Of White
fields were strangers 10 one another
Here and there little groups Of twoS and
threeS-touring acquaintance who had
met there by chance-would carry on
subdGed conversations among themselves.
while AT one end of the room tired
looking girl was working a typewriter.
and from time 10 time. in reply to in
quricS from newcomers. utterinc the
formula. Mr.. Whitcfeld is busy lust
now in a weary Monotone that was