Smyrna times., 1906-07-04
Yellow Sweet
Glover
BY Virginia Leila Wentz
Copyright, 1905, by R. A. Whitehead


right with the governor and you'd get
your roses back" Jim gave his little
wife a gentle pinch on her pale cheeks.
Five years ago, when he had married
her, she had possessed something of
the evanescent charm of four petaled
dog rose. exquisite, ethereal, but the
kind to fall in Il moment. Jim belong
ed to ''the profession" and Madge al
ways accompanied him upon tours. nm
dergOing cheerfully the hardships that
a player of zone night stands must
endure in the interest of art. Matters
did not go we'll financially, so present
ly she became walking lady" final
ly SOubrette. This was OILY to last.
however until Jim made what the
dramatic critics describe as "favora-
bic impression"
And now. although five years had
gone by, they were still waiting for
that distinct success. That it had not
come-they were merely human-they
ascribed of course to a lack of oppor-
tunity. Meanwhile Madge's health was
beginning to fail She was fretting for
the country. So when Jim insisted
(because she was yearning for her IA
TIERS forgiveness, because she did
want her ''rOses" back for the first
time since she had left it she set out
for her childhood's home.
After she had got out at the little
country station unheralded she wound
her way up the old farm road Moth
ing seemed to have changed. She
| heard the cows lowing far off: she in
nailed the loamy incense of her an
ceStral land. 1t was so sweet that it
| panied her. The dear, familiar farm
house came in sight, and her eyes grew
misty She opened the gate which led
70 the yard path, bOrdered by lilacs
and hollyhockS. There. pulling up
some weeds from underneath the lilacs.
she came face to face with her father.
At first he could find no words to say.
lie only glared at her through his spec
tacles. Then:
"Where is he-that scOundrel, that
vagabOnd. that
"My husband" corrected Madge
I drawing back with Il touch of dainty
pride.
Then" Numbered the old farmer
fiinging down his trowel in rage
go back to him-gO back to your hus
banG!' The veins in his neck were
swollen like cords. That he did moi
fall with a stroke of apOpleXy was {
miracle indeed.
So Madge passed out of the gate o
her fathers home once more Whe1
she reached New York, Jim had jus
been taken to the hospital At frs
she was conscious only of one thing
Jim was i'll, terribly i'll, and calling 70
her. Later the doctors sentences re
turned to her. There had been an nc
cident-injury to the spine-never wall
again-a cripple for life Why. al
why. had she ever left her beloved?
When, at the beginning of the mex
season, it was time to go ION the road
again Madge had to start with a var
ETY. company alone. But while she wa
doing an eccentric dance I'm a crimso
ballet skirt her whole heart and sol
were with man suffering in stuff!
| top room in Eighth street.
+ Something like six weeks after il
= departure from New York the variet
q company collapsed" in Ohio. Madg
/. was obliged to return east and seek III
other engagement. Each evening whe
she had come back from her weaI
tour of the theatrical agencies the que
i tion would come anXiOusly almost b
l. fore sbn had closed the door
% Anything today, Madge darling
And always the answer would con
with q brave smile as she shook h
l. head i'm the Negative:
o. "YOu see, this is the bad part of Il
season. And the profession is. real
Is overcrOwded."
. Meanwhile medicine was requiril
s cash and the landlady was insisting
3, having her weekly increasing lodgi1
4. bill paid
,s .e AS Madge entered the room one eve
ing. bracing her heart to meet t
customary question, she heard ne
CHEEKY words instead:
"Come over here, little woman. L
something to show you"
- jim who lay prOpped up by pillow
had bright flush on each cheek, a
his eyes were like stars. He held
ward her bundle Of manuscript.
was play he'd been writing unkno'
So to his wife or doctor. 1t was c.
= structed from Incidents of his own Ii
IN Madge and he were the leading char
~ ters. In the last act they both ms
tremendous "hits" and were "discov
Sh ed" Wealth poured in upon the lC
w. disappointed artists. and they W
ch able to leave poverty behind them.
tb "When we sell the play, what 81
II we do with all our money, dearT'
nv asked. smiling through. her tears
at last she finished reading the pri
IoI manuscript He turned wearily.
md "Ah. we'll move into the coun
fresh and green. Wen buy Ii
home with trailing vines so we
hear the birds sing
She made the rounds with the p
sbl, as many plays have made the rou
,,,e beforehand no one wanted 1t.
lust az she had kept Jin's hopes q