The Jennings daily record., 1902-09-10
A Green Room Romance.
BY HAROLD DEAN.


Copyright. 1902 by Daily Story Pub. Coz
When Herbert HollSter wrote the
exceedingly clever interview with the
reigning queen of the stage, Grace de
Montfort, the latter did not dream
what a lot of trouble it was destined 70
cost her. 1t was good interview and
pregnant with that subtle quality
known in the newspaper and magazine
world as "atmosph ere" and it not only
had pleased the manager-one David
Schlossenberg-but had accorded So
strongly with the great actresses no.
that she had thanked Herbert warmly
-effusively, indeed-and had admitted
him into the circle of her close per-
sonal friends.
All of which was very bad for
Bert" as his friends knew him. He
was not keen, experienced and wary
old dramatic critic, but an enthusiastic
and ridiculous young reporter loaded
with much information regarding the
drama" and redolent with much en-
thusiasm and ideality regarding the
stage. 1t was a sort of mistake that
he caught the assignment, but Gregory.
the dramatic critic, was sick and his
understudy, Chester Howard was away
on his vacation, and the managing edi-
tor, admitting in a grumbling fashion
that something must be done for the
dramatic column, ''drat it, had felt
around among the staff until he had
found Eollister with some sort of a
vague reputation for knowledge and
taste in that direction. And it was
necessary to put some one on the de-
partment. for the appearance of Grace
de Montfort was supposed to be some
thing of an event in the dramatic
world. And so it happened that
Bert got his chance and how well he
did it was attested by the furore his
interview created. The managing edi-
tor quite plumed himself upon it and
admitted that he had discovered a
new one" Hollister quite overtopped
Howard and for a few weeks filed
even Gregory with anxiety and cha
grin.
He was high card with the man
agement at the Academy and all doors
opened before him at will. And he
persistently haunted the dressing
room of Grace de Montfort. At first
she invited it, not only because his
story had pleased her so much, but
also because she liked the handsome
care-free audacious young journalist,
who paid her such sincere compli-
meuts in SO naive way and failed al
together to pay her the conventions
tributes which she had learned
to expect.
mo, Madam" he remarked gravely
q cannot, in honor, say that you are
the most beautiful woman in the world
in fact l do Not know if you are
beautiful at all But you are more
than beautiful--you are talented and
interesting and attractive. A sculptor
can create face and figure endowed
with beauty and symmetry, but no
body but the Almighty can endow mat
ter with the charm and grace and in
terest you have" and he bowed low
and kissed her hand with all the de.
ference of a knight of the Chivalrtc
age. And Grace did not quite know
whether to be veXed at him for his
exceeding frankness regarding her
personal attraction or to thank him
for his compliment, which. truth to
tell. she did not quite understand.
And so he continued to haunt that
mystic region behind the scenes and
particularly Grace de Montfort's dress
ing rooms night after night and 10
pass to her upon all occasions the