The Somerset reporter., 1906-07-05

dear, for a few weeks ii would be all
right with the governor, and you'd get
your roses back" nm gave his little
wife gentle pinch on her pale cheeks.
Five years ago. when he had married
her, she had possessed something Of
the eyaneseent charm of four petaled
dog rose, exquisite, ethereal, but the
kind to fall in a moment. Jim belong
ed to the profession" and Madge al
ways accompanied him upon tours, I'M
dergolng cheerfully the hardships that
a player OF "one night stands" must
endure in the interest of art Matters
did not go well financially, so present
ly she became walking lady" final
ly a soubrette This was only to last,
! however, until Jim made what the
dramatic critics describe as "favora-
BILE impression"
And now. although FIVE years had
! gone by, they were still waiting for
! that distinct success That 1t had not
come-they were merely human-they
aScribed of course to q 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
theirs forgiveness, because she did
| want her ''roses" back for the first
time since she had left 1t she set out
! for her chlldhood's home
After she had got out at the little
country station unheralded she wound
| ho kAo al
ing seemed to have changed She
| heard the cows lowing far of; she In
hailed the loamy incense of her an
cestral land. 1t was so sweet that 1t
panied her. The dear, familiar farm
house came in sight and her eyes grew
misty. She opened the gate which led
to the yard path, bordered by lilacs
and holyhocks. 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.
He only glared at her through his spec
tacles. Then;
where Is he-that scoundrel, that
vagabond, that
my husband" corrected Madge,
drawing back with a touch OF dainty
pride.
Then" Numbered the old farmer,
flnging down his trowel in rage.
Ego back to him-go back to your hus-
band" The veins In his neck were
swollen like cords That he did not
fall with stroke OF apoplexy was a
miracle indeed.
So Madge passed out OF the gate of
her fathers home once more. When
she reached New York, Jim had just
been taken to the hospital. At first
she was conscious only Of one thing.
Jim was Ill, terribly Ill, and calling for
her Later the doctors sentences re-
turned to her. There had been an &C
cident-injury to the spine-never walk
again-a cripple for life. Why, ah,
why, had she ever left her beloved?
When, at the beginning of the next
season, it was time to go ION the road"
again Madge had to start with a vari'
ETY. company alone. But while she was
doing an eccentric dance in a crimson
ballet skirt her whole heart and soul
were with a man suffering In a stuffy,
/ top room in Eighth street.
Something like six weeks after Its
departure from New York the variety
company collapsed" In Ohio. Madge
was obliged to return east and seek an
other engagement Each evening when
she had come back from her weary
tour of the theatrical agencies the ques-
ton would come anxiously almost be-
fore she had closed the door.
Anything today, Madge darllngT"
And always the answer would come
with brave smile as she shook her
head in the negative:
"You see, this is the bad part of the
season. And the profession is really
overcrowded."
Meanwhile medicine was requiring
cash and the landlady was insisting on
having her weekly increasing lodging
bill paid.
AS Madge entered the room one even
Ing bracing her heart to meet the
customary question, she heard new.
CHEEKY words instead:
Come over here, little woman. I've
something to show you"
Jim, who lay propped up by pillows,
had bright flush on each cheek and
his eyes were like stars. He held to-
ward her a bundle OF manuscript 1t
was play he'd been writing unknown
to his wife or doctor 1t was CON
structed from incidents of his own life.
Madge and he were the leading charac-
ters In the last act they both made
tremendous hits" and were discover
ed" Wealth poured In upon the long
disappointed artists, and they were
able to leave poverty behind them.
when we sell the play, what shall
we do with all our money. dear?" she
asked, smiling through her tears as
at last she finished reading the priced
manuscript He turned YEARLY.
"Ah, Wen move into the country,
fresh and green. Well buy a little
home with trailing vines so we can
hear the birds sing"
She made the rounds with the play,
as many plays have made the rounds
beforehand no one wanted It, But
Just as she had kept Jim's hopes alive
regarding her own possible theatrical
engagement, so now she treated the
disposition OF his manuscript.
One manager round, French able
Of man, with sleek, soft fat hands,
who had promised TO give her beloved
play readlng-lald one OF these same