Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-10-30

/ worldwiSe Allen had uShefed In this
/ same theater for many months and
! knew frost" when he saw it, even
| I'm rehearsal. But he did not contradict
| her when she ratified on about the Won
derful things she intended to do for
| her half invalid mother on that IS a
| week. for THE Love of Princess"
was to have two matinees a week.
| The night of the dress rehearsal Al
len sat watching her with hungry eyes.
| Almost he wished that he had tried for
| just to promenade the stage with that
vision in soft old lavender brocade on
his arm. Then his eyes snapped, and
when Betty came off he whispered:
| Take off that lace thingumbob and
| carry it home with you"
| Betty looked surprised, but she had
learned to defer to his suggestions, and
so, when she came out in her long.
rough coat and fur toque she carried
the lace bertha under her arm.
THAT is what makes the dress look
so pretty" she urged. Its real lace"
LES. saw thot, duSN SlNu <AIttl,
''but some five cent a yard stuff will
do for stage wear, and if some of
them got wise to the fact you had real
lace they'd cop it and pawn it. Say.
you don't know anything yet about life
behind the scenes
At first Betty had felt inclined to re-
sent Aliens espionage, but he was a
good looking chap. and she soon found.
especially after the first night, when
she was the only one of the extra la
dies" to receive fiowers-violets that
must have cost several dollars-that his
regular attendance upon her made her
the envy of many fellow players.
The papers gave the new production
bad notices, but the audiences contin-
ued large, especially in the orchestra,
and Betty remained hopeful
Paper" said Allen in disgust as he
watched the audience gather on Thurs
day night And he was right. The
house was being filed on passes. 1.-THE
Love Of Princess was a failure.
But Betty, watching the big audi,
ences, could not be persuaded-not
until Saturday night came, when the
company was called together and dis
missed without salaries.
Betty was very quiet and white
when she came out her grandmother's
frock under her arm.
Its all over" she said sadly. "You
were right. And-and we didn't even
get one weeks salary. There's all my
car fare, and my new slippers, and a
bill at the druggists. Mothers cough
has been so much worse
Aliens firm clasp closed over her
trembling hand.
There, there, don't you worry. I
saw 1t coming before the first night
even, and my brother, who's got a
good thing in the Daniels Realty COM
pany, is going to put you in there to
mind the switchboard. Tomorrow's
Sunday, and he'll take time to show
you how to run it, so when you start
In Monday you won't seem green. It's
eight a week to start and something
better ahead, cause you've got pull,
seer"
"Oh, you are so kind to me! l don't
see why
Betty was half sobbing.
Allen looked down upon her droop-
ing head in speechless amazement
Girls certainly were queer things, he
argued. Hadn't he shown her plainly
enough? He cleared his throat, but
hic yoica ramoipa1 bucI,v
Don't you know-ain't you seen
that / loved you--loved you from the
first day you came into my car? But
wasn't going to tell you just yet-not
until / got better job. The first of
the year Pm going into the advertising
line with that firm on the tenth floor,
and then Say, have you seen those
model flats up on West Eigbty-seventh
street? l think that sunlight from the
south court would be grand for your
mother, and If you get an advance
and the advertising business pans out
we might
Goodness. was she never going to
| stop crying? Was this the way girls
always behaved when men proposed
| TO them?
Suddenly the brocaded dress fell at
his very feet, and before he could pick
1t up Betty's two hands clasped on his
arm, and her eyes, raised to his, shone
| like two violets bathed with dew.
"Oh, Allen, you are perfectly grand!
If the princess had had a love like
yours. the show never would have
| closed
And then But never mind Some
policemen are very tactful and the one
who was strolling their way turned
his back and picked up the brocade
dress that was rolling straight for the
| gutter.
"Fox Hunting" In 100.
Two or three hundred years ago any
one who said he had been "foX hunt