The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-05-27
The Dreams OF Yesterday

road company-had received good
notices." and had come to New
York full of hope and high ambi-
ton.
She had spent weeks in tramping
Broadway, seeking an engagement. (
In and out of offices she had wan
dered, and had met from managers
and agents everywhere the same
answer, Nothing open" Some (
times, indeed, the reply varied, and
she was told to "come next week"
When, with hope renewed, she
went in next week." there was
still nothing open-call again"
Weary and sick at heart, one day
she turned her steps toward Lex
Iington-ave. and her top floor back. K
Reaching her room, she threw her
self on the bed and sobbed. II
was the first time she had given
way, but as she thought of little
cottage in the country, and the
mother and father to whom she tried
to write bright, hopeful letters, the
tears would come.
Another picture rose before her,
too. Ted's picture, and with il
came the memory of that 81 ring
day, SO long ago, it seemed, when
they had gathered violets together
and he had said, 81 love you, Kitty, ,"
and had asked her to bs his wife.
She could see now the bright face So
near her own, could see the merry
brown eyes looking so eagerly into
hers, as be begged her to say yes to
bis pleading. And she, thinking
only OF the fame she meant to win,
had laughed at him. Now, she
thought, it would seem good to see
Ted again, for she really loved him
down in her wilful little heart.
Someone raped on the door, and
in response to her "Comc" the land
lady entered. "Here's letter for
you, Miss Burns, and the boy says
its most important. The letter
bore the signature of a well-knownI
manager, upon whom she had re-
Gently called and read thus:
"Miss Katherine Burns-Dear
madame: Kindly come to my Of
fee at once. Important.
When, garbed in her rrettiest
gown and with all traces OF tears re-
moved, Kitty entered the office, the
manager looked at her approvingly, !
noting every point of her fresh, girl
Iish beauty and dainty attire, and
Iinwardly said, You'll do"
Aloud be said "Miss Burns, my
leading woman in Kings houses,
is seriously i'll, and l have decided
to let you try the part. Though
I've never seen you act, yet | have
faith in you, because you have faith
in yourself. You certainly look the
part Of Constance. Now please read
her lines for me-"
TREMENDOUSLY, almost doubling the
reality OF il all, Kitty took the man
uscript As she read she forgot her
surroundings, forgot the managers
presence, and became indeed the
living, breathing Constance. The
beautiful lines, tender, pleading,
passionate, gathered new beauty
from her rendering. The manager
sat, at first interested, then breath
lessly until she reached her climax
Then, "By Jove, Miss Burns, you'll
do. Here's your contract" was all
he said, but it meant volumes.
What need is there to tell OF Kit
ty's New York debut? What need
TO tell how she went on and on,
from triumph to triumph, until she
reached the pinnacle offame? Men
and women OF place and power, in
this country and abroad, even those
of royal blood, bowed before hei
beauty and talent and were proud
to call her friend.
Ii was the opening night OF the
Kings new theatre in London. All
London, including the king himself,
was present to do honor to the great
American actress, who was to create
the title role Of "Deronda," the
much talked OF new play.
In her dressing room sat Katherine
holding in her hand letter. She
had read it many times, and now
it must be answered tonight, but
how2
The man who had written il had
offered her everything this world
can give, even ducal coronet. and
a name 500 years old. Why did
she hesitate7 Because she had seen
that day in the Royal academy !
picture by rising young American !
artist, Theodore Coles, a country Il
lane, boy and a girl gathering vic !
lets, the boys grave, brown eyes
gazing pleading into the girls laugh.
ing blue ones; and as she looked q
Kitty again heard Ted voice, "Dear
little Blue Eyes, III wait for you