Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-03-29

new play. Miss Allen will play the
leading part and you will be the lover"
! gasped again. Hitherto l had been
allowed to make love only to soubrettes.
-ls-it-do you mean for me to
play the lead? l stammered out.
We'll, in a way it is the lead" he
made answer, but l am bringing over
an Englishman to do the heavy bust
ness. He'll be the other lover, but you
are one Evelyn will prefer" and a
smile lurked In the corner of his
mouth.
When the parts were given out real
ICED with a blush why Mr.. Frazer had
picked me for the part of VIII Garlic
ton. He was just the sort of fellow
my mirror reported me to be. 1t seemed
that my histrionic abilities had not
been the sole test of my future, after
all.
Never mind, though. l told myself
that | would prove to them that l could
do more than look the role
When we began to rehearse l found it
hard to stick to my resolution. VIII
Carleton was an awful cad In the
fourth act Evelyn goes down on her
knees to him; he turns from her, picks
up his hat and walks out of the house
and out Of the play The situation gave
Miss Allen a magnificent opportunity
for strong acting in making her plea of
innocence. and, of course. l could see
that | was a mere "feeler.'
She made a rousing hit in that scene
the first night, and the play was sue
cess. But the thing went terribly
against the grain with me. Miss Allen
seemed to understand my feelings per-
fectly and used to say consoling things
to me when she came off after her
triple calls at the end.
One memorable Sunday | was in
vited to her apartments to tea. l real
ICED that this was no common honor
The next night found it harder than
ever to go through with my role. AS
she stood there before me, making her
plea Evelyn of the play seemed wholly
merged in Helen Allen of the pretty lit
tie home | had visited the afternoon
before.
AS God Is my witness, VIII" she
was saying. Il am as worthy of your
love to-day as the night You placed this
ring on my finger"
This was my cue to take her hand.
hold it firmly in mine for an instant.
Then, with sudden movement. / was
TO wrench the ring off and fling it to
the floor.
But this night did nothing of the
sort. Gazing into those clear blue eyes
l lost sight of everything but the purity
that was mirrored there. With a sud
den movement dropped her hand,
opened my arms and folded her into
them.
Then, like dash of ice cold water, it
came over me what l had done. l had
of course diverted the whole trend Of
the play. Miss Allen would be deprived
of her great pantomime scene. What
was l to do next? How was / to get
off the stage, and what was Miss Allen
TO DO when l did get off? My veins
seemed filled with ice when l thought
of her opinion Of the awful deed / had
done
All these things darted through my
brain in the fraction Of second, while
] stood there with my arms about her,
If only the curtain would fall
But what was this that came to my
ears? \ perfect salyo o. applause
Usually at this point there was death
" silence in the audience, and l knew
the people out front used to say to
themselves, What hound that Carl
ton is"
Its all right; leave it to me, Har-
ry,' Miss Allen whispered.
And all at once the ice in my veins
turned to hot blood again. She had
never called me by my first name be-
fore. And she was not angry.
The applause finally died away. She
withdrew herself from my embrace,