The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-09-22
By Winona Godfrey


by it's aid.
ooh, Lord." Grace turned to her quickly in
anxious fright. Its time for you to go and if
you do you're goner sure. Brace up There's
good grill
Theo set her teeth in the bracng process She
would not. must not give way Ii they got a no.
ton that she was sckly or going to be bother,
they'd never take her. and ii they didn't take
her, what, oh, what would become of her?
1t was late, this was probably the last COM
pany making up and not to go out with it meant
dire things she dared not even imagine And she
wasn't sickly really it only the heat and not
having any lunch. She must stick it QUIT
wouldn't be long now-they were nearing her last
entrance She tried desperately to forget her
faintness, to fix her waverng attention upon the
villains counterfeited passion.
1t seemed as if the cavernous stage. dim though
it in simulated GOODNESS, fairly quvered with
sultriness; the sweltering actors cursed heat and
rehearsal in tones carefully calculated not to
carry to the ears of Hardin, the stage director
who indeed seemed marvelously oblivous to this
beastly August temperature which had melted
over into September. Earlier in the day Theo
had wondered Enthusiastically if it not the
GOODNESS OF his eyes which kept the perspiration
dried from his lean, dark face.
Her would in few moments The
leading mans voice far and faint, like dying
echo reached her dimly through oozng senses,
the stage was fading into blur, great rush
ing flight was in her ears, yet through it all she
struggled to grasp those three important words
land tell her"-Heavens! they We're waiting-she
half rose, terror creeping into her tired eyes, and
slipped unconscious to the floor.
Her part was only the merest bit" dozen
words at most yet just here everything waited
her movement A murmur OF evaporation at her
delay was the first comment-not that they
wholly unsympathetic but all anxious to be
done with tho thing and this hindrance TIE
last straw upon the perspiring back of patience.
Ieeymar, the star, raised her eyebrows Hal-
bin she waited is this likely to be a regular
occurrence" she inquired GROSSLY, as if it were
Harbin's fault
He shifted his unlighted cigar to the other side
OF his mouth.
We'll get somebody else" he snapped which
conciliatory for him. From your entrance
if you please, Miss Reymar."
ATE.\NWIIlLE, big Mac brought water and Grace
~ welded fan with amazing energy, consider
ing it only moment before Theo sat up dazed
and frightened
q missed my cue didn't II" she murmured,
desparingly.
Grace nodded. But never mind" she tried to
encourage, maybe we can fix it,. In spite of her
self there was not much hope in her voice.
Theo choked back the weak tears that ached in
her throat Oh the futility OF it, all the struggling
the striving the waiting and hoping. the humilia
ton of scheming and starving, and she would
never do anything worth while after ALL Where
had the charm gone? The glamour and magic
now she saw it with dsenchanted eyes for the
sweat and tears and tinsel that it was.
Harbns voice. like dash of cold water
brought her to present things
Thank you ladies and gentlemen Tomorrow
at ten. Dress rehearsal Friday Miss Faxton!'
'Theo started violently, though in surprise
and walked down to him trembling. Grace loyalty
at her elbow.
The crisply uttered name seemed to strike Lucia
Reymar's ear with something of sting, too as
she traed across to the stage door with an obse-
quious maid at her heels She paused, turned
and scrutinZed the girl for the first time with her
large, heavy-dGed eyes.
Hardin looked at her sharply. too her thin
hands, her pretty, tired little face. with the blue
veins showing at the temples her dress which
had been rather smart last season
I'm afraid We'll have to let you go. Miss Fax
ton, he said, not unkindy. ut will be hard
tour, and you're evidently not very strong You
would find unpleasant, I'm afraid" A delicate
way of putting it.
Pm sorry | missed my entrance Theo said in
the even tones OF despair. ut was only the heat.
i think | should be all right on the road Mr.
Harbin"