Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-31

great. Who put you on to it? You tum-
bled a-purpose. didn't you?"
Annie, overwhelmed in a flood of tr-
umph. flood that drowned or at least
temporarily submerged her usually sturdy
and assertive conscience. answered:
Sure. l thought 1t out meself" Nor
did she count the cost when Meyer re-
piled:
1T was all to the good. Wen make IT
a regular feature. III have a mat on the
stage tomorrow night. so IL you don't fall
on your feet YOU won't hurt yourself"
The congratulations of the company
were voiuminous. though perhaps not pro-
portionately sincere But Annie was
swimming in a sea Of delight and scarce
heard what they said. Ana that night as
she left the theater and according to her
custom. made her way home alone
through the deserted cross streets the
only words of all the concentrations thai
required to her We're those of Stevens
When ne had muttered during the thun-
dering of the applause. "You are all to
the mustard"
For a week afterward Annie lived IN
fairyland She was now one of the prin-
clpals. She was In the imelght both lit
orally and metaphorically Her stage
name-Dorothy Darrell-had appeared in
an the papers with highly commendable
notices. representative of one of the
Illustrated weekles had interviewed her
ana she had presented TO him one of her
photographs with the BEAUTIFULLY yours
Dorothy Darrell" on 1t. Her world was
cloudless. full of song and success and
giadness All her most extravagant
dreams had come true
And then at the beginning of another
week speck appeared on the horizon
and this speck became a smudge, and
then the whole sky was overcast. For
one night. after she had scored her Gus
tomary second encore in the dance and
had returned GREATNESS to the wings. she
overheard member Of the company
make chance allusion to Miss Flosse
Dupree.
Miss Dupree. In all the tumultuous JOY
of success she had never had time to
think of her for moment To be sure
Flossie Dupree. What OF her?
She began to be vaguely troubled. All
this must have an end. then. Miss Du-
pree. the real soubrette, the rightful
owner of the role. whose place she was
usurping. must ultimately recover. and
Dorothy Darrell must step out of the
limelight: she must take her old place in
the back line. and the curtain would fall
on all her dreams. on all her success on
all her glory forever. Her heart sank
within her at the thought.
The glamour of the lights. the rollicking
inspiration Of the music. seemed somehow
to fade away. and In their place there
came an anxiety. and something else be-
sides. which she could not define. but
which weighed down her spirits Ike lead.
A pathetic picture of her little room al
home kept recurring TO her mind. She
thought of all the preparations she had
made for her fame--a fame that had been
acquired only TO be rudely snatched away.
For three nights she suffered torture
of dread and anxiety. and then, deter
mined at least to end the period Of sus-
pense. she sought out the stage manager
and asked abruptly when Miss Dupree
would be we'll enough to appear.
Don't YOU worry about that. my dear.
replied Mr. Never heartily as he regarded
her with a smile of appreciation. I'm
going to give you the job. You We made
good. and you'll get her salary, beginning
next month"
A bright light of exultation flickered In
suddenly died away Here was the very
assurance that she had longed Tor VIZ
tual guarantee of future success. and Yet
In some strange. incomprehensipie way IL
failed to give her comfort. For moment
she was silent. and then with an eHort at
unconcern she asked:
"What'u you do with Miss Dupree!
oh" he returned-heartlessly this time.
as 1t seemed to Annie-"she's got no con-
with a diabolical grin. she can nave
your place in the chorus.
And now In spite of all she could DO 10
prevent ii. a heavy. deadenns pan s"t,i"h
down over her spirits. She fought against
II, tried to reason it away. 1ut all In VAIN
The bright light of her happiness mad
grown quite dim The overfow'ng cup or
JOY had lost much of its sweetness Sne
had. indeed, as the manager nao assured