The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-05
THE EVENING STOR r


Beth looked curiously about the hall.
Behind the scenes had always Deen d
domain Of Fairyls nd to her.The thougnt
that she was TO witness renearsai'
and dress rehearsal at that, over
powered her.
It was not at al las she had pictured
1t. The long, low-ceilinged hail was
very unlike the stage, and the mass OF
properties and scenery thrown about IN
apparent Chaos bewi.dered her huge
boulder lay against an Italian FOUNTAIN,
and flower beds, stacked one above the
other, looked very unlike the flower
beds she knew
over in one corner a group of men
were pulling and hauling at a slri
the hall half a dozen men were strug-
Cling through some unfamiliar music,
and not far away a heavily built man
was deliberately Sitting a new leather
coat into shreds and rubbing 1t on the
dirty floor to take off its aspect of new
ness.
Other girls were going through dane
ing steps al the behest of a stocky lit
tie man, who beat time with a thick
pole he carried when he was not using
the stick to threaten some unruly girl.
And over all presided thin, nervous
looking man, who seemed to have the
faculty of being in three places at
once.
Tom seaton detached himself from
the group about a cage in one corner
and came toward her 1T doesn't seem
much when you see it close to, does 1t ?''
he laughed.
1T is little disappointing, she ad.
mitted, but I find it very interesting"
They are going to dress SOON" he
SAID carelessly, land then run through
the pantomime- It's pity that they
cannot get the hall upstairs, where
they can get the scenery up. There's
there"
1T was awfully good of you to bring
me-" she said fmpulsively.
It's good for you to come he
laughed. "A glimpse of a dress re-
hearsal is the best cure for the stage
Iever that L know of. 1t was lucky that
Hermes was in a good humor last night
when I asked him If 1 might bring you
over
rs that Hermes?" she asked. point
ing to tall, handsome fellow who
That's the man who made the cos
Tunes he laughed "Hermes is that
little fellow who is all over the place.
He and St. Elmo. the ballet master
that little fellow with the stick-are
doing about half the work"
Beth glanced with new interest at the
flying figure. She had seen him on the
all Of the advantage of scenic environ
ment. He looked vastly different as
he flew about the place in an old pair
of trousers and tattered flannel shirt
Even when the players who had
slipped out of the room began to come
back in gaudy costumes. the Illusion
was not restored, for the nervous little
ballet master kept jumping into the
space outlined by chairs to represent
the stage and, roughly throwing some
one aside. took her place to show what
he wanted done
Not until they came to the trick to
which the pantomime worked up did
Beth regain her interest. The beautf-
full white girl was supposed to De
thrown into a Hons den, but an Indian
maiden, by virtue of talisman, TOOK
the place of the Infatuated beast
The others crowded about the cage
to see the trick worked, and Tom
dragged Beth over, with a whispered:
You mustn't tell the trick to any one
She NODDED assent with a deng ntIui
feeling of mystery, and watched with
interest the elaborate working OF a
trick that seemed simple enough from
the audience.
Half a dozen times the trick was
tried before Hermes Strengthened up
with an ssAll right! Dress for the next
act" and the crowd of Enthusiastically
dressed players rushed off to the ante
Tom led Beth back to the tiny plat
form that formed her seat of vantage
"Disillusioned?" he said, with
Entirely So" she shuddered. "Ot
course I knew 1t was all play. but |
never dreamed it was such hard
You should have been to one Of the
early rehearsals,' he laughed There
was one afternoon when St Elmo got
SO excited at the way one OF the stupid
girls behaved that I had to jump IN
and catch his arm to keep him from
striking her He's a genius, but his
temper is something awful. It's no
worse though, than with some OF the
big companies
It," she shuddered. ut has cured me
completely of my desire to go on the
ssDo YOU think you could settle down
to being lust Mrs Tom Seaton?" he
pleaded. 81 want you SO. dear"
Don't please she begged You
know how I feel"
He turned away. He knew all TOO
ticfsIn that urged her to the stage
acted against him. He was just Tom
Seaton. big, good natured and faith
full friend, but entirely too unromantic
to appeal to her heart he had de-
stroyed the glamor of the stage for her
nv bringing her to rehearsal. Only
miracle could work the other change
he had slipped his coat off when he
had come in. following the example or
the rest, and now he turned to cigar
for solace He was carefully selecting
one from his case when cry from
Beth caused him to turn.
There just below the platform STOOD
King. the lion used in the trick. In the
excitement some one had neglected to
fasten the door of the cage and while
they had been talking he had slipped
out and started on a tour of investiga-
ton.
All of the players had gone to change
their costumes and the property man
had taken advantage of Hermes' alb
gence to slip out to the corner for
glass of beer. They were alone Just
below him. on the edge of the plat
form were couple of revolvers
loaded with blank cartridges. With a
bound he caught one of these up and
discharged It into Kings face With an
anrTrv snarl the brute turned and
cbsrSed toward the other end of the