Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-07
7 p. G. Eastment.

had been no hand clasp at parting, |
and she had not even seen Ben.
Her fastidious taste revolted at the
idea of spending the night in mar
row berth with strange girl as
bedfellow, but there was no hope for |
it, and she entered the car.
The special car was excessively hot |
and without sufficient ventilation. The |
aisles were packed with girls in va |
rious stages of undress and noisy with |
their chatter. The ear was entirely
occupied by women, and the berth cur
tains were regarded as superfiuOus.
The stateroom door was partly open,
showing three of the principals playing
cards. The musty OdOr of Egyptian
cigarettes came through the door and
gradually mastered the other scents In
the car.
Two girls sat swinging their feet
over the edge of upper 6, but the
half of the lower berth was occupied
by girl who lay with her face to
the window, her frail shoulders, shaken :,
by sobs.
You draw lower 81 grinned one
of the occupants of the upper berth.
| 'Bet you don't sleep. Stillings is home
sick already If she keeps up the
yowling after the train starts we're
going to have pillow fight"
You'd better sit up in the smoking
ROOM. urged another. You don't
want to get drowned, and Stillings is
flooding the car with her tears
Il think it's shame 70 talk that
way" declared BEATRICE as she saw
that the gibes were adding to their
victims discomfort. you should be
ashamed OF yourselves
zone of them Salvation Army girls
again this season." chanted the tor
mentor from above. and the cry was
caught up along the car until Beatrice
was glad to slip off her things and
creep in between the curtains.
The train soon started. and the noise
died down. but the sObs continued. and
| Beatrice sought to comfort the girl.
You have been away from home
before" she reminded. You will get
used to it soon" Miss Stillings turned,
"nl Beatrice put her arm comfortingly
about the others shoulders.
It's this way" explained Miss Still
lingS. i've been on the stage ever
since l was kid. Ii amt that, but
this is the first time I've been away
from Jim since we married.
You are married. said Beatrice in
surprise. . ...
Almost three years. was the an
swer Il married Jim ,Purroy. He's {
| {.
show together Thi; year we couldn
make it. l couldn't afford to trave
along with him 1t would take all hi!
salary for fares and expenses. an(
were building little home down OF
Long Island We've both got to worl
until we get that built"
But you have that to look FORWARD
to- suggested Beatrice.
Three years from. now" assentet
the other. Maybe we-can get a SHOW
together again next season. but thinl
what it will be in the meantime. Your
new. amt you?'
This is my first season. admitte,
Beatrice. Il studied for the profession
> so / could get in a good company.
want to work my way up"
. Mrs. Purroy nee Stillings) laughe
! bitterly
/. Il had that idea once" she sai(
e There's about one in five bundre
a that works up to small parts. There
e one Edna May in about a million che
n rus girls. l wish I'd had sense enoug
a to learn typewriting. l guess you don
:. know how we live on the road
You can live we'll anywhere fo
: what we get" contended Beatrice
Mrs. Purroy laughed again.
You can live good on what yo
think you're going TO get. But whe
they take out fines and shoes an
stockings and gloves and things Xix
that it's different story. Say, Ki(
If you've got a fellow that isn't on tn
stage forget how nice it's going t
feel to he a second Bernhardt and &c
busy with wedding ring"
Mrs. Purroy quoted down soon, br
Beatrice lay awake thinking of he
, words
This was all very different frol
what she had anticipated. Her pa
ents were not rich, but she was use
to living well, and the whole realit
was very different from her anticip;
ton. 1t seemed that she had. onl
fallen asleep. when pillow bange
against her head and voice announ
ed that unless she wanted to mis-
breakfast she had better get up an
dress
The dressing rooms at either end
the car We're filed by the early bird
and there was a long wait befol
Beatrice could get to the washstan
and then her toilet was accomplisht
under difficulties because of Il
laughing, pushing mob Of girls TIL
filed the place to overfowing.
She was sick and tired when IL
train pulled into Washington, and IL
girls were hustled across the street f
hurried breakfast. The breakfa
was distinctly bad, and as Beatri
went back to the train shed, whe
the car had been attached to a W.
train, she was bitterly homesick.
Her heart stood still as she sa