Smyrna times., 1903-05-06

vaudeville bills for over a year and
had grown almost resigned to his mo-
notonous life when one afternoon on
MS way to the theater he glanced M
the so called social record of notori-
ously unreliable daily. But he forgot
IT'S reputation for inaccuracies when ha
sa" the announcement of Mabers en-
gagement to a young army officer of
high social standing.
So this was the end. Fiercelv some
thlng seemed to seethe and boil within
hln' 1t was she who had clouded his
life and stolen his cunning. And she
mad taught him to love her. She had
"ooed him at every sitting for that
marvellous portrait which instead of
bringing him fame had taken with 1t
his chance for success and happiness.
In this condition he gazed stupidity
at the note handed him by the door
keeper at the stage entrance. He was
not to go on so early as usual this
AFTERNOON. He would, in fact, precede
the strong man recently imported from
abroad and who was creating a ire
mendous sensation and attracting fash
1onable falk to the continuous houses
Ashley thoroughly understood the rea-
son OF the change in his hour and
thought bitterly as he slipped on his
shabby Tuxedo coat that it was simply
because the manager wanted him to
work out front while the stage hands
were setting the heavy scene for the
strong man.
With equal dullness and lack of in
terest he stepped on the stage when
his call came. AS he bowed mechanic
ally he glanced across the footlights
with idle curiosity. Then he leaned
forward, sudden light famed in his
eyes, and his pulse throbbed violently.
In the right hand box sat Mabel Stan
ton with party of smart people, evil
IDENTIFY bent upon seeing the latest Eu-
rOpean sensation.
He turned to the blackboard over
which had been stretched some sheets
Of white paper and reached for the
charcoal with which to draw his first
sketch. Then for a moment he hest
tated, wondering if this peculiar throb-
bing in his head would never cease
Some one in the audience coughed:
there was a restless rustling of pro-
grammes. They were waiting for him.
And still he stood, swaying slightly, the
sheets of paper cleaning before his
aching eyes.
Then suddenly something in his brain
seemed to snap. He clutched the char
coal feverishly, and a moment later he
was laying in the outline of a woman's
face with firm, authoritative strokes.
They were not the rude, uncouth
strokes of the charcoal stage artist
now. There was fire; there was the
old time power in his hand. He for
got his audience. The twelve minutes
allotted to him on the programme
passed, but he paid no heed. The
stage manager signaled him violently
from the wings. Hes been drink
ing" exclaimed that astute gentleman,
but he dared not risk a scene by hav-
ing him removed bodily.
For twenty minutes he worked on
feverishly, then stood aside. A ripple
of surprise seemed to run over the ex-
pectant house, then cheers. for even
to the boys in the gallery that picture
was instinct with life and truth and
genius. A girl leaned forward in the
right hand box; the audience glanced
from her to the picture and back to the
girl. Then came another thunder of
applause. Ashley was backing uncer-
tainly off the stage. In the entrance he
fell fainting at the stage managers
feet.
He came to in his dingy dressing
room, now glorifed by the presence Of
the woman he loved. Her voice came
to him uncertainty, tearfully, from far,
far away.
Herbert, dear. I've found you after
all these weary months. 1 am my own
mistress now, and nothing shall sepa-
rate us"
He clung to her hand like a tired
child
"And 1 can work again. 1t was your
face that brought it all back" He
turned whimsically to the manager, who
had come round from the front of the
house to learn what it was all about
'Mr. Kean, 1 guess you'd better get
some one else to work In 'One.' I've
| just made a date that is going to
last"
| ProDorffona Of n Perfect Ffrure.