The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-12
1907, by Thomas FL. Mckee.

-HE assistant stagemanager was already on
his rounds giving the fifteen minutes call
at the dressing-rooms
ooh, ILL.," called feminine voice across to
the next ROOM '1end me your spoon?"
"what do you want it for?" demanded Lii. Il
thought you had become an aristocrat and bought
yourself real, git-edged, thirty-fve cent stewpan
to boil your greasepaint I'M"
$50 did yesterday" admitted Vic meekly. But
the little woman borrowed it to heat the babys milk
in last night and I've not had time to get 1t back
what little woman" grumbled Lii, tying on her
wigband as though she were strangng an enemy
"That little mother-woman thing" answered Vic
"Her name is Norris" called out another of the
girls. "Wife Of Jack Norris. who manages the
lights. You know-the with the baby"
Lii gave up the tin spoon, grudgingly She was
having a hard time with her lips; they would smudge
Hurry up with it, that's all" she warned. "This
beastly cold weather makes it such job to get any
makeup on at ALL There goes Gussies sixth eyeash
oh. dear, ow that Lemuel will be grouchy
blazes tonight! You'd better look out for him,
Regina. You've hardly made up at ALL
"vou know how much care what he thinks of
my makeup, don't you?" remarked Regina, ominousy.
Her eyes were particularly leonine. She was one of
those rare women who show emotion about six times
IN their lives but set the river fire and stir up
everybody when they do it.
"steer clear of the Empress of China" said Lii.
"Shes got crouch"
Regina adjusted a hair-pin with superb indifference
to al, derison. She not only did no. object to being
called the Empress of China, but did not notice it.
She was a TALL pale blonde, with smoldering eyes
and a tragic gift of reticence She was married to
Sandy Cairns a good-loosing scotchman who had
rather a large part in the present piece. Regina,
however, was merely of the extras, except for
short song she sang behind the scenes in the first
act She and Sandy understood to be on
speaking terms only.
Overture pleased" called the assistant stage-man-
ager, just outside. "Is everyone here?'
Everyone" called Vic.
mo-" added Lii, impertinently. Regina Cairns the
Empress of China, is several miles away, and Miss
Lillian Leeds has not been heard from at ALL We
are afraid she has been kidnapped"
"A little less noise, Miss Leeds" said the assistant
stage-manager tolerantly, and passed Lii
a favorte of his. Twice he had told the stage-man-
ager that she was in theater when she really
out of town at house party.
awful rot of that little mother-woman thing to
keep the baby the theater resumed Lii, when the
tho
landing BAD atmosphere for kid to be brought
up in!" I
"shes not old enough to be hurt by the atmos-
phere," remarked Vic, considering that she's only
six months of age! And she hasn't money enough for
a nurse to take care of the kid at home"
"Who isn't old enough be hurt by the atmosphere
the little motlsr- woman demanded Lii.
you think you're smart don't you?' said our
tough girl, Bird Latin. Anyway the kids sweet
kid bless her heart"
81 hate children!' said Regina, with venom.
They were all silent for a moment There are
certain locked and removed hoes in the souls even
of extra ladies' Not another the five girls in the
would have said such thing. A sort OF chill
manifested Itself in their attitude toward Regina, by
far the best bred and best educated of them ALL
Hurry up girls" exclaimed Vic. THE overtures
Get down the floor in hurry!" And she
slid Of the ROOM down the little hallway
toward the stairs, softly humming to herself the
air the orchestra was playing
I'm DONE" announced ILL., with open pride MAN
aged it in seven minutes this time. Whoopee!'
She plunged out of the room and gone. Be
fore the door had had time to swing to a small,
treathless figure dashed in.
How you Mrs Norris -" said Bird Latin. "Hol-
loa: You've brought the kid! Hows your health
youngster?'