Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-12-08

movable piece of furniture. Jimmy
had an impetuous disposition which
had not yet adapted itself to the limita-
tions of the stage, and the girl felt that
therein existed bond of sympathy be-
tween them. She had received her
name of the girl who was going to be
an actress from the leading man. 1t
was somewhat surprising. coming from
him, for the title was flattering and
sounded clever, and the leading man,
being a decided genius, was emphat-
ically the reverse of clever.
The girl finally concluded that the
wafer faucet was the only thing in the
room to which she could safely attach
the dogs chain, and she picked Jimmy
up in her arms to explain the matter to
him. She was invariably courteous i'll
her dealings with animals and the
prompter, though at times offhand with
others.
I'm afraid you won't like it, Jimmy,
dear" she said. You never do like
being tied. for some reason or other,
and the worst of it is that if you jump
and pull, as you generally do, you Will
turn on the water, and that will worry
you. because you won't understand it.
In many ways, Jimmy, you are very
human dog, you see" She put him
down gently and fastened the chain to
his collar, while he licked her hand.
But | shan't be gone long, Jimmy,
dear. This is short act, and you can
enjoy yourself thinking of how glad
you'll be when | come back"
The girl fastened the other end of the
chain to the faucet, and as she did SO
came the call of Orchestral Glanc-
ing at herself in the glass, she laughed.
Il worship you, Jimmy. but 1 can't con-
scientiously say that you're help when
ones making up
Jimmy stared up at her in wrapt ado
ration as she gave her chin Il saucy
touch with the powder puff. This ac
compliShed. she stopped and kissed him
on the nose. Then she hurried out of
the dressing room, forgetting with
proper artistic negligence to pull the
door to.
The leading man was surveying the
house through an eyehole in the cur
tain. BY and by he came over to her.
The leading man was Jimmy's owner,
and when he remembered il the respOn-
sibility weighed OH him.
Jimmy all right" he said in his
most imposing Mark Antony style.
She looked up a him. She was ready
for the rising of the curtain and was
sitting in the approved ingenue fashion
on Il footstoOl in front of an electric
light fire -rf
tn 70 I,n s.Sin ha
is tied to the water faucet. But he is
probably in state of active rebellion
by this time. having been alone fully
five minutes.
The leading man nodded like Hamlet
at the skull, "Jimmy's Il social being
Then the orchestra began the curtain
raiser, and he slipped into the wings.
His entrance was not until later. The
girl began TO think of her first lines
for she opened the act. She also opened
the next and was always afraid she
would begin the play at the second.
AS the girl was standing on the plain
deal side of Il purling fountain during
the second scene. listening for her cue
the villain came up to her. She knew
the cue would be given in Il moment
and therefore did not wish to engage in
conversation, so she smiled ut him
vaguely and not encOuragingly. But it
was no use, because he was not Il pol
ished villain, but n villain of the deep
est dye. III tell You Il joke" he whis-
pered. "Jimmy's Iooser' The girl lis
tened for her cue no more.
"What?"
The villain nodded. BE funny,
won't it, if he follows Penfield on at
his next entrance? It's that tragic
one of his
The villain laughed a wicked laugh,
twirled his black mustachios and
stalked away, his own entrance being
from the other side.
The girl looked around. There was
no one near to search for Jimmy or
get word to the leading man. The lat
ter was on the stage. happily uncOn-
scious of the impending canine anti
climax. Suddenly she realized that
her cue was being given. She pulled
herself together mentally and went on.
During the scene her mind worked
double. The only person she had to
act with was the villain, and she knew
it was useless to appeal to him. Her one
hope lay in finding Jimmy during
five minutes exit she had later, when
she would reappear in hat and coat.
Her scene with the villain never
seemed so long. and she made her exit
with more exuberant sense of relief
than even on the opening night, when
every scene finished was bliss unspeak-
able.
She came off on the left and rushed
ever to the leading mans dressing
room, which was on the stage. but on
the right side. The door was ajar.
and the girl whistled. Then she called.
Jimmy. Jimmy. darling, she muir
INJURED beguilingly. but there followed
no impetuous rush of little paws. so
she knew he was not there. She ran
back across the stage. searching anX-
iousIv for the dog. and then upstairs