Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1908-09-08
TheReaI Man
BY MARTHA
COBB SANFORD.
Copyright. 1908 by Associated Lit
Copyright. 1908. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

Polly was to take part in an amateur
play.
ITS such fun" she announced on the
evening of the first rehearsal. Ito act
with real men AT school, you know
well. at school we didn't have any real
men"
The real men" laughed. There were
three of them. Two were old friends
and admirers of Polly. The third. Brad
ley Rogers, she approved the moment
he was introduced to her.
"well," asked Polly gayly, looking
over the printed cast in her hand
(which of you is my lover?"
Solemnly. with hands on their hearts.
all three bowed.
"You are all very silly" said Polly,
blushing NOW, please be serious
Which Of you is to be Captain Wheel.
er, Claire's lover. absent on the feld?'"
she continued, reading from the play.
81 am cast for that unfortunate
part" Bert Crawford answered.
"UnfortunateT Queried Polly. and
she raised her pretty eyebrows haugh'
tily.
unfortunate" Bert hastened to ex-
plain, because absent on the field for
two whole acts, you notice. gives these
other fellows too much chance to cut
me out"
"Oh," smiled Polly graclously, then
Mr.. Marshall and Mr.. Rogers are rivals
for my hand, too-Claire's hand, !
mean"
"No; haven't the pleasure" sighed
Jim Marshall. "I'm only your brother"
"Never mind, Jim," said Polly COM
fortingly. ''I'll be real sweet sister to
you. And what are you, Mr.. Rogers?"
"Your father" answered Rogers la
conically.
Polly found the admission exceeding
ly amusing.
"But what possible chance do my
father and brother have of cutting you
out?" she asked Bert suddenly.
"Oh" explained Bert carelessly, 81
meant they'll cut me out with the au-
dience. No chance to win any bouquets
and that sort of thing"
"But you'll win me. mean-what's
her name ?-Claire."
"Oh, I'll come out strong In the fin
ish," Bert returned confidently, at
which Jim shot him a look that es-
cared Polly's notice. 1t did not escape
Rogers observation, however, and he
smiled at the thought Of the fun to
come behind the scenes.
"Who's to be my girl chum. Nata-
lieY" asked Polly, again consulting
the printed cast.
"Mrs. Rogers" Bert answered. "And
she'll be dandy in that part too, Where
is she tonight, BradY
Couldn't come The baby had the
Group or something or other"
Polly wheeled around suddenly on
the piano stool and faced Rogers.
do you mean to say" she asked &C.
cusingly, "that you don't know what's
the matter with the babyT
Rogers, taken by surprise. looked
very much embarrassed.
He began to stammer an expIana-
tion, but got no further than 'Well,
you see, Miss Noyes." when the
"prompter" arrived and the reading
over of parts and the studying out Of
stage business began in earnest.
AS the rehearsals of the play pro-
gressed Polly found them absorbing
beyond all her expectations AS II
happened, Mrs. Rogers, owing to the
baby's illness, had not been able to
take the part of Natalie after all. and
Elsie Williams, Polly's intimate girl
friend, was prevailed upon to try it.
This change in the cast, simple as it
seemed, was the cause of other changes
far less simple.
For one thing, Bert Crawford, whom
Polly had grown through force of habit
to regard as one of her most effective
satellites, suddenly wavered from his
accustomed course and began to re.
volve at a very dangerous speed around
Polly's friend Elsie.
Now, Polly ought not to have re.
sented this, for she knew very well in
her heart that she never intended Bert
to develop. so far as she was con.
cerned, INTO anything beyond an obse
quious and ornamental attendant
However, since he was her lover In
the play, 1t piqued her not little to
have him constantly missing his cue
while making love to Elsie behind the
scenes instead.
On one of these embarrassing occa.
sions Jim Marshal came to the rescue
with what seemed to him nothing sort
Of an inspiration.
See here. Polly" he exclaimed jo-
vially as Polly, alone in the center Of
the stage, impatiently waited the dra.
matte entry of Captain Wheeler aft.
er his absence in the field" "Pve got
simply corking idea. Bert and will
change parts. You see. Off the stage
he's Elsie's lover, and on the stage he's
yours. Now, why not fix it as 1t really
Isl and laf rnn no VO11r louop On kIo