The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-01-15
in THE r,
STORMS A. S.
v,oYOE Richardson
Copyright. isa-. ny 7. c. Mcclure

But couldn't help IL this time. dear
II just slipped out" Then. in vince
ding tones. he added. BESIDES. this Is
tlle day for declarations"
"of independence" interrupted Har-
riet ruthlessly. And your declaration
calls for independence. should be
dependent uTOn you for everything
the roof over my head. the food ON the
table. the furbclOws on my back. even
my happinesS"
And would it be so hard. little girl.
TO accept them: Why. have dreamed
OF nothing else for years but giving
you all these-and more. I am willing
TO take my chances of drawing big div
idends in happiness
Men are born gamblers" replied
Harriet. with her big brown eyes liked
OH the linz where blue water and
bluer sky met in ripplins kisses Tom
sat up very straight and dug the toe
of his tennis shoe viciously into the
stony walk.
"of course you are not taking any
chances In going ON the stage. Iou
are going To be star inside Of year
Just because the man to whom you've
been paying good money says you
are his most promising pupir'-
Il think that will do, Tommy.
really didn't know you could be so
rude"
Harriet had risen and was dusting
off her linen skirt with elaborate care.
Tom was on his feet i'm an instant.
Forgive me. dear. but you can't un-
/ derstand how I feel when | think that
/ in less than short month you will
pass out of my life. perhaps forever.
| and if you do come back that you will
not be just the same girl. but one i'm
/ bittered by hard experience. Hattie,
do you think any audience will ever
listen 10 the music OF your voice and
hang on every word as do: And the
critics. they will say things that will
/ hurt and cut You. and IL won't be
able TO punch their heads on oh, II
you only could
But | can't And | think IL is very
hOrrid OF you 10 spoil my vacation by
crying for the moon. for that Is what
you are doing when you ask me TO give
up my career"
Harriet swept across the porch and
into the house. Tom pulled his cap far
down over mis- eyes aud plunged into
the tansle OF laurel which screened the
house on the right He was perfectly
aware that he had bungled the morn
ing's conversation and lost the coveted
opportunity involved in n long three
hours OF Harriet's exclusive company
The rest OF the house party had gone
across the lake by boat To participate
in a good old fashioned up state cele-
bration of Independence day. but Har-
riet had begged on on the plea that she
needed Il day OF absolute quiet to get
up in new role. Tom knew better. II
, was because she hated firecrackers.
cannon and firearms generally. He had
smiled grimly when he heard her ex-
cuse. wondering what she would do
when her dramatic career cast melo-
drama her way.
And Tom had stayed behind because.
rs he informed Mrs. Walton. Harriet :
sister a cottage in the heart OF the Adj
rondacks was no place for a young wo-
man To be all alone. Mrs. Walton knew
better also. but she held her peace. II
only Tom would improve those golden
morning hours. Dear knows. the whole
family was opposed TO this silly notion
of Harriet's.
While Tom smoked and SHE'D pebbles
at unoffending birds and insects Har.
4 riet sat in her room looking over some
photographs which had arrived in the
last mail. She had ordered them foI
the manager whose company she was
to join I'm August for a road tour. There
were her Lady OF Lyons" costume worn
at the last school review and one us
Juliet and Il head clouded in tulle. tc
say nothing of half u dozen less strik
ing poses. With a hand that was quite
tirm and determined ste indorsed the
pictures. Yours faithfully. Harriet
Wentworth" She would play under
her own name. There was nothing {,
be ashamed OF.
She was going To be very happy. OF
course II would he hard at first. be
cause some of the fellow players Il
whom she had been introduced bcfor,
leaving town were a bit plebeian. Blu
all professions had their drawbacks
And at last her life OF dependenc,
would be over. Mrs. Walton had beer
kind and her husband even more kind
They had not said one word wheI
Harriet took the last dollar of her lit
tie inheritance to pay for term
tuition at well advertised dramati
school.
Independence" She had hungcre,
J for it ever since she could remember
And now. in few brief weeks. sh
would be mistress of the situation
quite capable Of taking care of her
self.
- An hour of hard study on the rol
n Of Amy Leighton who is always mis-
IN understood" as the playbills wOul
cead. brief respite at the lunches
Is table. where personalities were care
'e fully avoided. and she WAS back il
her room. But somehow she cOul
not study. She suddenly recalle
that Tom had only two weeks Vaca
tion. that this was the biggest hol
day of the year. ana he had give
IN up the jaunt with other members @
the house party. Why: Because sh
was afraid To ga She hated the Ion
ride on the water-she had always bee
afraid OF boating-snd she hated III