Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-04-24

ldCl. SDt was q
New England pilgrim, but somebody
had told her once that brandy WAS
good for the thing that | had-'white
brain. we call Ii. The juvenile man
didn't know how much brandy a per-
son ought TO take. and I-well, l didn't
know anything. So drank II all, and
then lay down on the bed, and the
leading lady covered me with every
thing she could find, and pretty soon
the bed got up and stood on the ceiling,
and didn't care at all.
when 1t came time to 60 to the the
ater brenda, It's disgraceful, but |
was $3.50 drunk that couldn't walk
straight the leading lady got me up
and told the Juvenile man to walk me
around the block. and he walked me
around about nfty times In the snow.
We were In a little Minnesota town.
and II had showed for a week. When
he took me to the theater. was per-
fectly sober, and didn't care for any
thing. I had no troubles whatever.
walked up TO the stage manager. and
said cheerfully, Well, what do we play
tonightr He told me, and couldn't
remember ever to have heard of 1t, but
/ got out my part and studied 1t while
/ was making up.
when ! went on. knew about half
of my first scene, which was the Ion
gest one had in the play. But didn't
care. I'd always been troubled with
stage fright more or less, but not this
time-not a fright. When l forgot,
waited calmly for the prompter. who
was of left. having a at. BY and by
had to 90 across right and SIT down by
q table. | knew l couldn't hear the
prompter there, so ] walked over and
got the table and dragged 1t clear across
the stage, and the audience applauded
because I did II 30 naturally.
Then l went crazy, and what hap-
pened afterward I scarcely know. But
when came off after the thrilling cli-
max of the scene l fell into the lead
ing lady's arms. and she hugged me up
tight. She said: You never played 30
well as that before. You were like
Julia Marlowe.' And she kissed me on
both cheeks. Julia Marlowe was my
Idol then, and cried with heavenly
Joy on the leading lady's neck. That's
all true, Just as 1t happened, Brenda,
and | never had stage fright after
ward"
Poor little Elsiew said Brenda. kiss
ing her. at was a hard school where
you were taught"
'Tt was" said Elsie. "Yet think
wouldn't have amounted to much any
way. How could any mortal man fail
to see the difference between you and
meT
"My child" said Brenda. mo man
can. Why, the brass knobs on the
posts of this bed know the difference be-
tween you and me-ths vital. essential
difference. They love you In their lit
tie brass hearts. Everybody loves you.
DIR. Kendall. for n cold blooded sawyer
OF bones who could amputate my head
without trace OF emotion, takes your
hand with the eternal reverence of
man for woman. and when he gives
you pain I can see his own heart
shrink. But he treats me as II ! were
a gentleman whom he had met ut the
club"
Elsie opened her eyes no wide that
they seemed to light the room az she
stared Mt Brenda, whose cheeks were
flushed by her unusual earnestness.
81 am glad to hear you speak like
that" she said.
Brenda rose and walked across to
the window. Then she returned to the
bed and took Elsle's hand.
81 am going to open my heart to
you" she said. "It was not because
Clarance Alden preferred you to me
that lost my self control that last
day. cared nothing for you. despised
you; admitted no comparison. IL
was because, though the intensity OF
his own nature for time deceived
him, he never really loved me at all.
Nobody ever loved me. | am called
good looking. even a beauty. In the
society columns OF the papers, and
am 80 rich that have attracted many
men. But not one OF them was able to
present even a credltable counterfeit
OF love Though some OF them could
counterfeit almost anything else, from
good breeding to the national cur
rency) until Mr.. Alden entered the
lists. That's hardly fair to him; he
was sincere. but mistaken"
"Yet l didn't have at all the feeling
that have now." she continued. "t
was only that last day that l became
enrnged. mostly Mt myself. 1t In since
/ have come here. elnce / have known
you, the most womanly OF Gods crea-
lures, that have had some true com.
prehension of my own lack. some hon
est sorrow for IT,"
"Only since you have been here"
said Elsie. How remnrkablel But,
Brenda, II In sweet Of you to talk this
way to me. and am 80 glad. 30 very
gladl How long have you known DIR.
KendallT
"Wbat a queer question: said Brcn-
da. about two years, but we haven't
met n dozen times. BY the way, he 10
going TO be married"
"He In going to be married" exclaim-
ed Elsie. ITO whomT
81 don't know" Brenda replied.
"From something he said the other
day. I Judge there's difficulty. don't
know the lady's name"
"Well," said Elsie, letting her hsad
sink back on the pillow m ono relieved.
you will when II hnppens."
"If you mean that he cares anything
for mo. you are quite mistaken" said
Brenda. His manner when he In In
this room should show that l am
nothing-a piece OF furniture. Do you
know, II has inspired mo with some
thing like jealousy Jealousy merely OF
the difference between you and me.
which ia tho theme we started with"
"Pll show you what DIR. Kendall
thinks OF that difference" said Elsie
"Walt Till he comes In here again I'll
suggest that you're going away. and
then you watch him. He'll know that
I'm going to stay Till I'm carted away.
But watch him."
"You must not do H." said Brenda.
But Elsie Insisted that she should. and
they were still having cheerful little
quarrel about II when they were inter
rupted by Kendnll'n familiar rap.
The doctor entered. looking very Heri.
ous, but his brow cleared ut the sight
OF Elsie.
upon my word" be said. approach
Ing the bed, you are the miracle OF our
species"