The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-02-04
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+ Make BELIEVE PEOPLE !
BY GRANVILLE OSBORNE s



nous for his sympathetic acting Of
character parts. Carter sat at his feet
and listened-a talked, at first shy
ly, and then in a food Of excited
words.
There ought to be good stuff in
that old town Of yours he said, cas-
lily. one day to Carter, for a tirst-rate
playa kind Of Down East'-'Old
Homestead thing. you know Why
don't you write it, Carter? You've
nothing else to do. and you really
know lot about stage affairs" laugh.
ing carelessly.
Carter caught his breath suddenly
"Oh, | don't know. Maybe ! will
some day. Would you play II"
He thought his voice was quite In
different in tone.
"Might--if it proved to be what l
wanted, and had good part for me In
It. Go ahead Lindsay added, kindly
All through the summer Carters
mother had seen him 80 nightly to
Lindsay's. Her thin lips tightened.
al on the day she crushed the Make
Believe People," her eyes grew stern
and unyielding.
The next spring Carter went to New
York with a roll Of manuscript In his
bag. In weeks time he was back,
his thin face a little keener, and lines
OF disappointment about his eyes. In
the autumn he went away again.
At home his mother waited and
! prayed. and occasionally wept-
Hes got Il in him." she sighed.
fearfully.
One night Carter came back. His
mother read his face and braced her
self for the blow. At the tea-table he
looked up appealingly and said;
Mother, | have been writing a
play, and Lindsay has bought r. He's
| going to put It on this next season"
His mother pulled her shawl about
her shoulders and shivered slightly.
Her voice was even and colorless
when she answered:
Il guessed that this was going on
So you have chosen your life? It IL
IN you--the players blood. Ny sis
ter, whom loved deeply, went on the
stage-and her soul was lost--she died
---somewhere-m -miserably; we never
knew. Your father had it--and his
life was failure. Perhaps It will be
better for you to 90 away. 1t viii
only hurt me and hurt you-youl
staying now, No. don't answer me
yet"
She rose and left him alone.
Carter went away.
Lindsay put his play on, and made
big hit with it. The papers wer'
kind to it. The public accepted 1t
and laughed, aud cried. and applaud
ed over its homely pathos and hu
NOR. It ran ali that winter in New
York.
Carter's mother missed him sore
ly Al first she did not admit II
even to herself; later the conviction
was forced upon her. The fiber o
her disappointment and shame owe
her only son released gradually; sh'
never knew how 1t came about. bu
one day. quite by accident, she rea,
in a paper q tiattering account 0
James Carters play. His mothe
frowned and laid the paper hastil,
aside In the evening she cut ou
the notice and put II between IN
leaves Of the Life or Bishop SimT
son" She cut out another that sam
week.
The inconsistency OF her position q
first troubled her ceaselessly. At las
she made deep and stern decision
it came after a night Of prayer an
struggle. That afternoon she took III
train for New York.
Carter chanced to be in the the'
: ter that evening In Llndsay's dressing
room.
Il say. Carter, there's little bit {
a thin woman down near the fror
that's worth watching. I've been pla,
ing to her all the evening She
5 laughing and crying all at once, lik
I little girl. BY Jovel she's really r
freshing.
r Show her to me-can't see he
D from the wings?" Carter said, whe
8 the last act was called,
a Its the little old lady IN the secon
b row left-see herr"
Carter started. "Why-why-" /
t began. boyishly. but he broke on ini
! laugh that was near somethin
deeper
/. Il know her" he said softly Lin
say. this is the biggest night OF n
e life--lhat's ms motherl"
Jimmie" said his mother after Il
play was over. why. didn't you L
that nice girl with the yellow ha
/. marry the dark mani"
! Copyright, 1907, BY Daily story Pub. e
n Judgment Day Settlement.
s An old negro in small Georg