Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-11-14

expecting the inevitable nod and the
curt: Nothing doing today. Sorryt"
that had rewarded her pilgrimages.
Her heart beat faster as the agent
swung briskly around In his chair
II thought you would be in, so l did
not write" he greeted. Il have a
chance for you. Ii is not very much,
but 1t will lead to better things if you
make good. The Bow Lake Boat club
wants some one to give a few recita-
tions ut an entertainment" He caught
up a pad OF paper and passed it to her
after he had made a few marks. She
glanced Ut the white surface and saw
"$15." Carmontelle never spoke fig.
ures. He always wrote them.
''I shall be glad of anything" said
Elda gratefully. "It is very good of
you. When is it to beT'
Thursday night You go out on the
2:10 train. Bryum, enter Miss Testrs
for the Bow Lake. Come in Thursday
morning for the ticket" he added as
the clerk made the entry. "You pay
your own fare. 1t will be S6.4O."
He turned back to his desk with a
nod of dismissal, and Elda went down
the steps as though the worn boards
wait was over, and her chance had
come just as the little fund which rep
resented all that was left of her ia
theirs estate was dwindling to moths
ingness. With her fare and the agents
commission deducted there was not
very much left. but still il was be-
ginning and the beginning was what
she needed.
She spent the three day interval In
selecting her repertory. Before her
fathers death following his bankrupt
cy she had been considered clever as
an elocutionist and imitator Now that
she sought to earn her living by her
single talent she planned with the ut
most care.
1t was long. hot ride to Bow Lake.
She could not afford seat in the chair
car, and the little package of sand
wiches was but poor substitute for a
warm dinner in the dining car.
Her reception at Bow Lake was still
more discouraging. A carriage had
been sent for her, but at the clubhouse
she sat alone for an hour before tho
steward showed her where TO dreSS,
and there was another dismal wait be-
fore she was summoned to the stage.
The tiny space back of the curtain
was crowded with men and women in
evening dress Some of them she "a
memb bered having met few years he
fore when she had come north on a
visit, but they only stared at her blank
ly. They were not looking for ac-
quaintances in paid entertainers, and
no one spoke to her until the stage
manager came rushing up.
Its your turn next" he said. I'VE
only want a couple of little bits, you
know. We have so much of our own
talent"
He was off again, and Elda took her
place in the entrance to await the com
pletion of the song. Then the stage
manager gave her a slight shove, and
she walked out upon the tiny stage.
She had appeared in public scores Of
times and had never felt the slight
est degree of nervousness, but now her
whole frame shook, and 1t seemed for
a moment as though she would fail.
Then the sea of faces became a blur,
and she was no longer afraid of them.
After her second selection the thun-
der of applause told of the success she
had scored, and. faint and trembling.
but very happy, she sank down into a
seat in a dark corner
No one seemed to notice her, and she
missed the little attentions that had
always been paid to her. She knew
that she had no right to expect them
how; she was a professional enter
tainer, but none the less 1t hurt.
They were passing refreshments to
the others, and the sight of the food
made her faint. The room seemed sud
denly to blur and then grow dark.