Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-25

ed to the canoe Presently Hollister tossed over
board the empty cracker box. weighted with
stone, because, he said it would be crime to vio-
late the tidness of this picture-book water way;
and looked an Interrogation at the girl.
She smiled sback at him. You saw the box go
DOWN. she said. Well my last doubt went with
it. I've decided. You needn't worry about me
any more, kind gentleman"
80 the ideal is saved?" he cried Good"
ut is curious" she mused, how much palmer
some things are only fifty miles from town. 1
can't put it into words; but didn't really make
the choice myself at ALL 1t made for while
floating up here in this still little boat,
with you sitting in the stern, 500 different, like
the boys we saw there in the college grounds. It's
as it, a different order of life from mine had just
come and grabbed hold of me, kind but streng and
made me do its way"
NO" said the man, that's not 1t. You had the
different order deep in you somewhere, and this life
to-day has just called to it-that's ALL"
"Yes, | suppose have" she said, half TO her.
self. II wonder if really that isn't the part of me
through which the big things will come-oh am
sure 1t Isl" =
What do you mean?" he asked
The girl grew red. Then suddenly she put her
bushes aside, and said calmly: you have been my
very good friend. I'll tell you everything. I was
born in little city the one-night circuit, and
store. l was always ambitious and always crazy
about the stage. But my folks weren't only poor.
they didn't know enough about things to send me
to be trained If they could have Afforded it.
Life in the store worse than drudgery-it was
hell. | acted at socias and dramatic clubs when
ever l could, and one day when was eighteen
went to the manager of a musical comedy that
came to town and asked him for job He said he
needed broilers and he took me. Most of the fresh
girls mean literally-in musical shows are pick
ed up like | round through the country. 1
told my parents, and they said couldn't go. So
ran away. For the rest of the season we did one
nights and learned what theatrical life is All
my dreams of ease and luxury vanished and the
things l saw going on in the company sickened me.
But girl who's worked In department store. even
a small one, knows how to take care OF herseif IL
she wants to, and wasn't molested much.
But didn't want the musical line; / wanted to
act When we got in the following June | began
the horrid humiliating trot around from one office
to another, waiting begging suffering all kinds of
insults. Finally who wanted somebody for
a tiny soubrette role in cheap stock company took
me, and shipped up to New England city.
There | lived on next to nothing week, played
every afternoon and evening, and rehearsed every
morning But | got a chance to act, and, as
made good. they gave me pretty good parts finally.
learned lot, too, from leading woman, who
was kind and helpful She'd be on the three-sheets
along Broadway II 1t wasn't for the booze, poor
~thing.
Then came back to the Alley, and did the
round OF the offices again, and again insulted-
tnsuIted you know, in the worst way woman can
be- / began to wonder If that the price all of
them paid for their parts And then / began to
wonder another thing. l suppose other girls have
wondered 1T before me, God help them! began to
wonder, not so much If 1t was wrong, but If, right
wrong 1t wasn't the way to learn a thousand
shades of the emotions actresses are called to
express, and which l. for one, felt myself so gnor-
ant OF expressing. l ambitious, terribly am
bitious-you believe that, don't your"
"Of course" said Hollister gravely.
We'll, it wasn't the promise of better parts for
the mere sake of the name, or greater comfort; it
just this ambition to learn. to get ahead. this