The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-06-14


Gale and the price paid, but nevertheless
everyone was there, for 1t was very i'm
portant first night indeed.
Behind the bellboy was tearing his
hair.
There was no need. for each individual
member OF the company was quite as
sensible of the gravity of the situation
as he, quite as conscious of his or her
particular importance upon this particu-
lar horizon but it was the proper thing
to do, and he did it.
Men and women, clammy- handed with
nervousness stood about at the entrance
waiting for their cues
Meanwhile, in her little dressing room
close to 1.-The side, the leading lady
was standing before long glass. She
rubbed a powder puff over her face while
the dresser arranged the lace on her bod
ice.
She was an exquisite picture-a modern
to her finger tips-a tall, slim woman,
with haunting eyes. The puff seemed to
caress her soft white throat as If it loved
it.
There was a light knock on the door,
The dresser looked up into her mistress
face and the mistress looked into the
dresser's face, while the red blood mount
ed, showing pink under the makeup.
The dresser opened the door softly and
went out.
Have you come to wish me luck?''
asked the beautiful woman, turning from
her reflection to look into a mans gray
eyes
Yes. and my luck is your luck, Lau-
And mine yours" she answered, smil-
ing.
Both her hands were in his, and they
trembled
You are nervous.
Terribly. If 1 should fail and spoil
your playi"
ut is that very nervousness, love. that
tells me you will not" answered the man,
bending to kiss her hair.
He would have taken her in his arms,
but she gave little cry.
Are you mad, George? Look at me!'
And he did look, and his eyes were full
Of love-
you ought to be in front, you know.
Why. you're missing it all-the first night
OF your own play. Do you realize the
gravity Of it?"
1T doesn't begin until you come on
ne answered. You're the play, and the
play is you
''Then good luck to us BOTH" she said.
earnestly.
A knock at the door,
The call boy stood with staring eyes
and hair on end.
Not waltz" gasped Clara
No. miss. not quite replied the boy
Lie OIOSSeF was on MS no0lS. she
lifted her MISTRESS train from the ground
and followed her out into the wings
The house was quiet.
1t is going WELL" she thought Her
lips moved softly in little prayer. She
was unknown. No one had heard whether
she was clever or not Theirs had been
no previous paragraphs to raise the faint
est expectation. There was no vulgar big
lettering Of her name The house was
there to see the play, for George Tenn
pleton was looked. upon as the coming
dranatist. There was vague interest
among few of the jaded critics as to
who Laura Hebden might be.
: New blood, of course" said one
Always acceptable murmured an
other
I'VE shall see,' said a third
Seems to me some one told me Tenn
pleton's engaged to her, exclaimed a
fourth soto voice.
Lord help us!'' whispered another
What risk!' She'll probably damn
the thing
No one knew that but for her the play
would never have been written; that the
man hidden behind a curtain in the stage
box with eyes riveted upon the door
where she would enter owed inspiration
everything that was best. in him. to the
touch of her soft fingers and the light of
her dark eyes.
plause, no sound of greeting.
She glided slowly and noislessly on to
the stage and the house looked in wonder
at her beauty, but expressed itself in ST
lence.
Laura had caught the glow in her
lovers eyes; she needed no more than
that
The act was nearly over when she ap-
peared.
At the lowering of the curtain some
applause and a hubbub of voices. Peo-
pie leaned over one another's stall. Critics
knotted themselves in groups to ascer-
tain one another's feelings. The impress
sion left by the first act was decidedly
questionable.
well, what d'you think of her?'
asked one
Early days. answered the other
Fine eyes!''
What voice!'
GRACEFUL
"H-m!'
Waltz" suggested a cynic
People hustled to their places and once
more the house was still.
About halfway through the act some
one coughed. Several angry faces were
turned toward the offender, suggestive of
determination. The crime was not re-
peated.
At the end of the act the curtain had to
be raised a dozen times. The excitement
in the house was tremendous
George Templeton walked on air to the
door of Lauras dressing room. On being
admitted he found her with face flushed
and shining eyes.
You are magnificent he cried.
'Oh, no. she said softly, sit is you who
are magnificent. only echo you"
And what an echo!''
She had been perfectly sincere, but it
hurt her, even then, that he did not con-
tradict her.
''You must &c" she said quickly. "You
know have a tremendous change here
and there's not much time. You may kiss
me. !"
The third act was the great act of the
play, and Laura's almost entirely She
wore a long. sweeping dress, having in
it the dull, changing lights of absinthe
1t was quiet, terrible scene There
was no tearing a passion to tatters It
was played almost all through in whis-
per-at twilight.
The hush in the house was awesome
At the end of the act it rose as 1t
had never risen-so said the oldest play
goers there-since the days of Rachel
There had been a silence first when the
curtain was lowered silence more elo-
quent than any applause could be- Then
the wild, pent-up excitement burst forth
simultaneously and lasted so long that
when it died people lay back exhausted
in their seats. The critics looked at one
another in establishment