The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-23
THE ADVERTISERS DAILY SHORT STORY

&&&&,SseESfsks ( sfe5eedk7ksexXxSf1s~"'~s The girl stirred uneasiiy on her pillow then rubbed her eyes with her stitched glove and sat up to look out of the win dow. Still the flat, dull face of the prai ries over which the train hurried. Tn giri petted a brown curl into place baci or her ear and looked about her.
 TWO seats ahead the manager, q fat overdressed man, loIled on the hard sea thrown over the ample shoulder of hi wiie, ditto as to fat and over-dressing and the other thick-nngered hand wa on his watch. Ahead of them, two II Across the aisle one of the comedian, sprawled in his seat, bright blue socl showing above his tan shoes that haf been newly soled. Back of her was an seat in front of her Frank Rawlin sa, wide-eyed.
 After she had looked at the tired face. streaked with makeup which there had not been time enough last night to re. Rawlin,s fresh face He was such a boy 10 be in a burlesque show. It seemed that his freshness and youth made all the more glartng the paint and wrinkles carefully kept clothes made their shab-
 Sleep well. sis?' he asked.
 Not very. she answered; the train rocked too dreadfully during the
 "You'Il get used to it." he said, with comfort in his voice.
 He pointed to the worn-out young wo-
 "But it's hard. isn't itT' she asked. umidiy.
 For some." he said, and resumed his occupation of looking out of the window.
 What makes you stick to it?'' she aAke0- determined ff lot f1tu rI1 ya, "A of talking to him go by.
 The only thing I can do Is sing: There are are too many singers in New York and l am in the olio of the Happy Hazard Burlesque Company at the princely sal- ary of 70 a week and my board"
 Twenty? I'm only getting ten."
 That's because managers can find chorus girls anywhere. It isn't so easy to pick up good singers, who can so on In the opening burlesque as tramp and Tn the afterpiece as noble lord just you into the buslnessr'
 Hard luck" she ssid brteny.
 "Too hard to talk about7"
 "Yes."
 You haven't learned how to put the makeup on" he said looking at her face critically. You've got too much rouge on your cheeks and not enough black under your eyes. Black there makes them then sparkle ,,n sas and shine and the 'rubes
 "Give me time Frank" she answered. I've been in the business only three weeks: Where are you going to stop at
 "rll leave 1t to Sol. Every manager knows good hotel in every town Poor comedians often make mistakes. I was thinking of the Grand. That's the one h;.s. he was talking about after the show last
 'The Windsor is better. I ought to know. for used to live in Newham." The The train was pulling into the station: The company awoke. Some grabbed boxes. Others pulled their banjo cases from under the seats and got into wrin- kled overcoats and raglans. The man. ager checked off the names on his fin-
 All here" he said. we stop at the
 "I'll carry your stun up," said Raw lin to the girl. "You look tired" They walked up the silent, cheerless morning
 "Youll let me call you Frank won't you?" she asked. as they trudged up the hill past the gaudy billboards that .ad- vertised them as part of a "glittering:
 Sure. All the girls. call me Frank.
 Well. Frank"
 "You don't have to gay it unless you
 q like to. Do you know that the last time came along this street I rode in a carriage behind a team?'
 Lots of girls get into burlesque chor- uses in carriages behind teams"
 She was not touching him and she knew that she must. She knew that in tn IL little town there was not a friendly face for her. She wanted none in the com pany except him. She tried again.
 T could have been riding in that car- riage yet"
 Foolish to give 1t up. Trouping's. no fun"
 "Troupings honest
 Eve seen a lot of 1t that wasn't" wouldn't be in 1t But I couldn't. If New York Is no place for a singer. Frank,
 Fridays story, LOVE AND ELECTRIC