The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-22
The EVENING STORY
Investing in Fame.
IRy Tavlor White.l

Miriam, her arms full of flowers,
stepped through the little door leading
from the stage to the auditorium. Her
eyes still Sparkled with the excitement
OF the evening and the clear skin glow
ed brightly pink as the little groups,
still lingering in the hall, hurried for
ward to compliment the leading lady.
To John Temple, lingering in the
background, it seemed as If Miriam had
never looked so lovely, and he pressed
forward to take his place in h little
crowd.
Take the flowers, please. Jack she
said as he caught her eye. Everyone
has been SO kind to me. I feel that /
90 not deserve it all. You should have
wants to speak to Mr.. Belasco about
me. He is sure that he a place me
with his company after a little techni-
cal instruction.
Temple dutifully took the flowers and
stepped into the background. He hated
these private theatricalS at which his
wife shone SO brilliantly. Still more he
hated Stanley, the professional coach,
the love was all a pretense, a sham of
the stage, but just the same he did not
like to see his wife in another's arms.
For half an hour Mrs. Temple held
her little court while the janitor waited
impatiently to close the hall. Then
Stanley Joined the group and Mrs. Tenn
pie moved toward the entrance.
"I-have asked Mr.. Stanley to have a
Dlt0 OI supper with U.S., Sne explained
over her shoulder to her husband, and
it was Stanley who helped her into the
carriage and took his seat beside her,
leaving the front seat to Temple and
his load of flowers.
1t was over the table that Stanley
Sprang his mine. For an hour ne ar
gued in favor of Miraim's determination
to go upon the professional stage, and
in the end he prevailed. Temple, worn
and exhausted with the struggle, push
ed his chair back and rose from the
table.
1T nay be as you say he said
YEARLY. eff Mrs. Temple is destined
to become an to the Ameri-
withholding my consent"
MY dear fellow" cried Stanley
with offensive familiarity. II tell
you Mrs. Temple can't help being one
of the stars of next season. It's in
her, and it's bound to come out"
Temple made no reply as he moved
away from the table and crossed to
the library for a cigar. This was what
he had feared from the time Miriam
had scored her first success. Perhaps
it was as we'll to have it over with.
A week later Mrs. Temple was es-
tablished in New York with her moth
er, and daily she worked at her les
sons in the dingy cavern of an IN
lighted stage; taking delight in the
fact that she was ~treading the boards
that nightly served as the pedestal OF
one of the foremost actors OF his day.
Stanley was a coach of no mean skill
and he worked with a will to earn the
large fees that were paid him. BY
spring he was able to place Miriam in
a small part in a Broadway roduc
ton. The cost Of the costumes was
ouble that of the salary to be paid
for the entire engagement, and the
was glad to get some anna
ter who would dress the part artistl-
cally while at the same time ne was
shrewd enough to realize the adVer-
Using possibilities of the wife of a mil
lionaire almost nationally famous.
by her success, Miriam
gave up her summer to study at the
suggestion of Stanley. who was gao 70
move to the Temples country home
and drive the Temples horses when
lessons were not in progress.
He had obtained an offer of the
same part for the coming season, out
Miriam was not content to continue
in a minor role, and Stanley, seeing
that the end was near, suggested an
invitation performance.
Mrs. Temple a play mall parts TO
the end of her days" he pronounced
ponderously. What we want to do is
10 force the issue; to show people what
she is really capable of. Well hire a
heater. get q good cast and put on
saw Romeo and Juliet That Will make
sit up and take notice.
every we'll" said Temple quietly.
Iel Liz bCol
The thing right"
Miriam. to whom Stanley had already
preached the proposition, stared at her
Temple was a
aire. but the ten or twelve thousano
dollars that Stanley had declared the
experiment would cost was a large sum
to venture on a single matinee. Impul-
sively she sprang from her seat and ran
to kiss him.
Temple smiled gently. 1t was the first
I-t-- AHfrfora ho6 OiUan him
since her greeting at the station. She
did not realize, in her absorption IN her
work, how little attention she paid him.
once assured of the success of his
ing Miriam with her husband for a
week. He wanted to be free to make
ARRANGEMENTS for the theater, and Mir
lam, in her intervals of study, found 1t
very pleasant to sit in the cool evenings
with her husband and watch the boats
glide by on the river far below. Not I'm
til Stanley had left a she noticed how
pleasant it was to be freed from his ex-
uberant presence. She was sorry when
her tutor wired her to return to town.
For six weeks h was drilled In her
new part. Every line was gone owe
carefully and the exact accent studied.
She began to loathe the lines. From II
playing in town and from
those players not under engagement,
stanley had made up an excellent cast.
He had intended engaging cheaper peo-
pie that his own share of the money
be greater, but for he first time
John Temple took an interest in his
wife's career, and gave personal super
to the formation Of the support
company.
Some few papers made half-contempt-
uous advance mention of the perform
ance. the critics gleefulIy sharpened
their pencils, but Miriam, unconscious
of everything but the play, did not even
see the half testing illusions to the new
star. /
Then came the matinee. Stanley la
seen to it that q claQue was present,
- e. III oR AhA TrnrnorfNvJG 0nnlorrEa 1