The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-11-22

tonight is to smile into his villainous
face and say I love him. 1 wouldn't
do your line of work for a hundred
plunks night. Perhaps though and
her voice softened, "if could do it like
you do, might feel different. Where
are you going for a rest?''
The leading woman lifted her head
She had removed her makeup. Her
big dark eyes shone and her face was
white. There was touch of the old
fire in her melodious voice. where
shall I go for rest, Babe? No place
until I go to the churchyard. Where
could I go? I have no people, no mon
ey, no home. 1 shall go to work to-
morrow, and perhaps I can die in an
other month";
What's the matter with you?" ask
ed the soubrette in a vaudeville voice
that showed no evidence of the feeling
behind it. Never heard you talk like
that before. You are young andsbeau-
tiful and talented. All the critics say
you have great future. You're sick.
and you make me SICK And the SOU
brette gulped down a sob.
Babe, I didn't mean to-" said the
leading woman, stretching out a deli
cate hand to the girl. But l am so
tired, and 1 can't see any rest.'
Third act,' announced the callboy.
The soubrette put another dab of red
on her face .'Never you mind, Fam
she said significantly as she went out.
This all happened in a western town.
1t could not have happened elsewhere
or on any other night than the one
after payday. The third act went
with especial vigor, and the enthusiast
tic audience did not know that it had
not received all that was coming to it.
When the curtain had rung down at
| the close of the act, the soubrette Slip
ped around into one of the ''tormen-
| tors pulled back the heavy curtain
and stepped out before the audience
| She wore the heavy blue silk gown
| that belonged with the third act. Her
| sloping shoulders were very white, and
her girlish face with the mass of red
| dish curls, very earnest as she faced
! the crowd. She had made friends that
evening by her beauty and her sinceri-
| ty, and burst of applause greeted
her appearance. She raised her hand
and the house was quiet.
What's Babe up to now" said the
| manager to the comedian.
Boys" said the soubrette nervous
ly, 1.-The leading lady's awful sick. I'm
only the soubrette.''
That's all right, we like you," vol
unteered a voice. There was much
laughter and applause. 'Sure thing"
"Jimmy's all right" and other cries
corroborated the opinion of the speak
err.
Then you'll help me, fellows" con-
t1nued the Soubrette. 1.-THE leading
lady's got to have a rest Your doc
tor down there somewhere says she'll
die if she don't, and she hasn't got any
money. She'll get her salary tonight,
but that's only thirty dollars; and you
know yourself that its a mighty Door
time you'd have for a whole month on
only thirty. I'm not asking for my
self, boys, but for her. She's a mighty
white woman. I can't pay you in any
way, for I'm strapped, too--but-yes,
I'll do it. I'll give a Kiss right here
on the stage to the chap who will put
up the most cash to save her life. She's
been awful good to me, boys The
soubrette's voice broke, and her face
was flushed, through the paint, for
Babe was known in the profession as
"a good girl
Such a clamor as arose in the house.
Send up Jack Henshaw," said some