Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-02-01
MAKE BELIEVE PEOPLE
Nv GRANVILLE OSBORNE

marked n turning point In his life
Lindsay was an actor--a good one. In
nous for his sympathetic acting oil
character parts. Carter sat at his feet
and listened-and talked. ut FIRST shy
ly, and then In a food OF excited
words.
There ought TO be- good stun In
that old town of yours" he said. cas-
lily. one day TO Carter. for n first-rate
PLAYA kind of Down East'--'Old
Homestead thing. you know. Why
don't you write Il. Cartery You've
nothing else TO do. and you really
know a lot about stage Affairs" laugh
Ing careiessly.
Carter caught his breath suddenly.
"oh. don't know. Maybe ] Will
some day. Would you play III"
lie thought his voice was quite In
different in tone.
-Might--if Il proved TO be what l
wanted. caa had a good part for me In
H. Go ahead. Lindsay added. kindly.
All through the summer Carriers
mother had seen him go nightly to
Lindsay's. Her thin hps frightened.
az on the day she crushed the Make
Eeiieve People," her eyes grew stern
ard unyielding.
The next spring Carter went TO New
York with a roll OF manuscript In his
bag. In a weeks time he was back.
ais thin face n 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 It 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. I have been writing a
play. and Lindsay has bought II. He's
going TO put It on this next season
Ills 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? II Is
In you-the players blood. My sis.
ter, whom loved deeply. went on the
s,age-and her soul was lost--she died
-somewhere-mise We never
knew. Your father had it-and his
life was a failure. Perhaps Il viii be
better for you to go away. II viii
only hurt me and hurt you-your
staying now. No. don't answer me
yet"
She rose and left him alone.
Carter went away.
Lindsay put his play on. and made
I big hit with H. The papers were
Kind TO Il. The public accepted II.
aud laughed, and cried. and applaud.
cd over its homely pathos and hui
NOR IL ran all that winter In New
York
Carter's mother missed him sore
~. At FIRST she did not admit IT,
even to herself: later the conviction
was forced upon her. The fiber OF
her disappointment and shame over
her only son released gradually; she
never knew how II came about. but
one day. quite by accident. she read
In a paper a flattering account OF
James Carter's play. His mother
frowned and laid the paper hastily
aside. In the evening she cut out
the notice and put if between the
leaves OF the Life OF Bishop Simp'
SON." She cut out another that same
week.
The inconsistency OF her position at
nrst troubled her ceaselessly. AT last
she made a deep and stern decision;
Il came after a night OF prayer and
struggle. That afternoon she took the
train for New York.
Carter CHANGED to be In the thea
ter that evening In Lindsay's dressing
room.
Il say. Carter. there's little BIT OF
a thin woman down near the front
that's worth watching. I've been play
ing to her all the evening. She's
laughing and crying all at once. like
n little girl. BY Jovel she's really re-
freshing.
SHOW her TO me--cant see her
from tho wingsg" Carter said. when
the last act was called.
ITS the little old lady In the second
row left-see herr"
Carter started. "why-why-" he
began. boyishly. but he broke on into
a laugh that was near something
deeper.
Il know her." he said softly. Lind
say. this Is the biggest night OF my
life-that's my motherl"
Jimmie" said his mother after the
play was over. why didn't you let
that nice girl with the yellow hair
marry the dark mani"
Copyright, 1907, by Daily story Pub. Col