Evening star., 1908-01-26

ana we make q anu tIcy IuI1l tHe SPOIHSuI
on US, and give us drawing room in a sleep.
ing car, and a maid, and hack to the hotel.
But there are the helpful books that you
admit can be read in smoking cars. and there
is always the prospect of New York and the
friends waiting for you there.
The girl stared at me and shook her head
But the friends don't always wait. They
forget us in time, because they find new
friends; and then we wish we were back on
the road again with our own.-our own, do
you understand: not the chance acquaintance.
but the women and men we work and hive
and play with.
Your own?" repeated.
ayes, my own There are no outsiders IN
this business You must be in it. and OF it,
or you can't exist in it. Its ALI lite al OF ITSELF
Notwithstanding" l said, Il never met
anyone on the stage just like you. You're
well, you're different"
The girl laughed. Everyone is different
Did you ever know any woman IN any walk
of life who was like any other woman! | may
dress differently from some OF those girls you
saw last night, and may live differently. and
may read books instead of the evening papers !;
but we all belong just as much
lust as muchs" | interrupted, as don't
belong
!" ust as much" she repeated as you don't
and can't belong" Miss Abercrombe smiled
and rose slowly from the table. Here are
some of your friends of last night Come
and see me later in the drawing room
She stepped aside to let Baker the second
comedian, 90 by, and as she did so he Patted
her familiarly on the shoulder and gave her
arm gentle squeeze. :,
Good morning little girl" he said genialiy
She followed him with her eyes DOWN @ h .ne
aisle and then turned to me. crinked her brow.
and smiled You see." she said. we are
one people Come back and see me soon. Mr.
Outsider. Don't forget you are here as my
professional admirer, not as Miss Ryan S. or
some of those wonderful show girlS:; ~,
Later l went back to visit Miss Aber-
crombie: and there it was that l spent most
of that day and the next, for our trip was
long one.
In a way, think that perhaps those days
were the best of any trip can remember no"
home or work; just the talk OF girl who
had read, and read very well. girl to Whom
hard experience had given big sane view OF
life, girl who had become a philosopher IN
her own right. She had been talking 70 ms me
once of the early French dramatists and the
effects on the playwrghts of to-day, and her
views, like all her views, were at least lndl-
viduai When she had finished, looked down
at the tip of her shoe. :,
"Is that the toe of the boot OF the well
known dancing soubrette, Alice Abercrombie9
l asked.
"Wait till you see me Wednesday night, and
I'll show you dancel" she said Much
more interesting than Racine, promise YOU
For the gfeaIer pdIt VI ehoSc s"O ooyo -
were by ourselves; but occasionally we re-
ceived visits from Adler. who forever talked
of the stars he had managed and their eccen-
tricities Marie Belden, the soubrette. and
Atha Ryan and Carroll and Baker too came
into the drawing room several times: but
these visits for the most part were short and
productive only of sighs of regret for Broad
way and the lights of the actors pet city.
When awoke the last morning of our jour
ney | found that the train was side tracked
at Prescott; and from my window | could see
that the real work Of the tour of The Princess
Popiniay" had begun. Long drays were
backed up to the cars for the scenery. and
heavy express wagons were cartlng away the
costume trunks and crates of properties
Youths whom l had seen lolllng about the
train or pla wing poker with the chorus girls had
suddenly become galvanized into men OF
authority. and were quietly but surely bring
ing order out of what seemed to me the most
HOPELESS chaos Above it all Ben Adler ruled
supreme One moment he was giving direc-
tions as to how to load particularly heavy
piece of scenery, and the next with Chester
fieldian grace was conducting show girl to 4
hotel omnibus In the midst of it all he seemed
to remember me: for he came dashing into the
car and knocked on the door of my compart-
ment
Don't forget. you are to be the iron mag
nate to-day" he said. You'll find room
engaged for you at the Hotter House in the
name of Harry Speed. Miss Abercrombie will
be ready as soon as you are. You're to take