The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-15

trey had never before sounded. TilNt ir- regularity completely unsettled us and made us nervously ignorant as 10 tho points of the plays progression. As rule. you can stay down under the stage and tell exactly how near to or far from your cue you may happen to ha from the mere murmur of those in front. Every audience averages pretty much the same. laughing at the same things, whistling at tn, same thing, or roaring, or nowllng or clapping, ol being deadly siient-all at the same thing; and. as I said before. they keep you posted as to your own cue.
 Tonight however, the innovated sounds made us restless and drew us upstairs The sight of Brenda on the stage rem dered us spellbound. We saw al once that she had come into complete realization ot her really terrible beauty and was using every separate charm a weapon of at tack. Whether she spoke or was silent, moved or stood, she glowed with an all luringly arrogant magnetism Every fiber of her flung this gage: T am young, am woman. am beautffulA and be- cause I am these three things the world is mine and I shall take what I want from it." She dominated. She was the play. We were in thrali to her. wholly in love. wholly fearful. What might not she choose to do? And what secret was hers?
 Sim Kelly had his theory.
 "Guml She's got us buhalo-d and knows it." he murmrucd hoarsely, watch ing her as helplessly as we.
 As for Morris, he was plainly mad with excitement. On the stage with her all the tine, he rose unerringly to every demand her art made of him. and together they transmitted their cheuply melodramatio scene to wonderful tragedy.
 When he came off he positively had to cling to a dorp to keep himself on his feet while he watched his protege finish the act Ard ''Vesta," in her moment of self-revealment, was divine. The whole exquisite scale of a girls first love sang in her beautifully plairtive voice. and it's raptured ara changing phases shone over her wonderful face. Then. when her fur tive and afraid glimpse into the mirror confirmed the story of her heart, Bren-- da's plunge into shy shame was patheti- ea.ly effective. As the glory of her amber veil shivered around her, she hid her face wJth clear little cry that made an aw- full inroad upon the heart and told every thing of loves pain.
 When the curtain fell the house rose at hei. If the American public enthuses over one combination moro than another. it is the combination of youth and pluck and beauty. Here was genius, too. So Brenda got curtain call which brought her out three times.
 While 1t all happened Studheim bowed his head upon the scene and broke into nervous. noisy tears, like an old woman. We knew just how he felt and honored him for 1t.
 AS she came finally back and the or chestra broke blithely into coon songs, Studheim literally hung himself around her neck and flung his glad arms about her
 T knew you could do it," he gasped Everything he said he repeated eight times or more ''I knew 1t. You are won derful. You are the greatest actress in the world, just as you are the most beau tiful. I shall take you to New York You shall have your own theatre-your own plays. You shall be the talk of Broadway. You shall storm England and Australia. We shall coin gold. It means work Brenda, but what Is work to the reward? This night is the happiest in my life Brenda, you dearest of angels
 With gentle simplicity she detached his embraces and hung him back against the wall. It was quite as if she were de- taching pet octopus whose tentacles were unwelcome merely because wet. While he had been telling of her future glories, particularly at his mention of work. her lovely face had clouded with a hint of fear, but her new found con- fidence suddenly restored her to equauim- :ty and she smiled aside all his prophecies. She spoke resolutely, but in mysteries.
 MT. Studheim, my man is in front
 Your man? Your men, you Inean, corrected Studheim "They are all yours. The town is yours
 No, my man. persisted Brenda, be- coming bashful. 'sIIe says the stage is q worse place for me He says Come off So I am coming off soon as maybe yet which is tonight
 What man?"
 .sThe man l married me over to. No, Brenda!'
 'Yass I've married me over to Otto-- of the delicatessen shop. He tells me. Come off,
 She looked down upon us with radiant superiority. concluding: And l don't have to act nefer no more.'
 Mol Gobbinv' hurled Studheim, and the eoithet was sob.