Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-02-12
By Grace
OF Gladys.
BY CARL WILLIAMS.
Copyrighted. 1903. by Associate.
Literary Press.

show, which played repertory for n
week In the smaller towns. ALWAYS
dramas In which the small star could
shine to advantage.
as stage attraction the child was n
wonder. She could play little girls who.
IKE all the good, die young. and She
also played rough soubrette parts with
dash that made more important
managers wish that there were NO
children's societies in the largo citio.
TO prevent her appearance I'm the b,g
theaters.
Her father, Joe Glidden. had tried
the cities, but after half a season no
reorganized his old company and took
to the small towns, where the child
was a fayorlte and where cbIldren,s
societies were unknown.
There, among old friends. he felt sa 20
once more. He swaggered about as he
had done before he knew what It was
to regard every stranger approaching
the box office as possible police off,
Ger In plain clothes.
Gladys, as though to make ND for
lost time, became more incorrigible
than ever.
versatility. her precious dramatic
gift, she displayed only on the stage.
The members Of her fathers company
never were treated to any private dis
plays of the angel children that GLADYS
played to perfection on the stage.
In private life the child was steadily
and consistently a torment. Jack Trent
and Elvia MorGant, of her patient sun
port. We're her especial victims.
Gladys sharp eyes had discovered
the birth of love even before Elvia
was certain of her own feelings and
announced that fact to the rest of the
company Mt supper that evening. Her
shrill. piping voice, trained to fill a
theater, reached TO every corner of the
dining room. and the gleeful statement
that Miss Mordant is awfully gone on
Jack Trent" set the room in roar.
With flaming face Elvia sprang to
her feet and rushed from the room
the laughter Of the company and the
other guests ringing In her cars long
after she had reached her room.
Scalding tears stained her pillow.
out she was ut last certain that she
did love Trent, AID. had ne only known
he had cauJe TO lie grateful to the
youngster. Instead lie slvagely sug-
gested to ice Glidden that good
spanking would be the salvation of the
child.
Glidden knew better than to take the
advice Once. and once only. had
GLADYS been spanked. Ii had hap
pened on Sunday. and business was
bad all the following week. because
the child played abominabIy In spits
or all threats. Not until the promise
was made that - should not be
spanked any more did she appear n.
her best again.
Glidden only smiled indulgeutIy at
1rents suggestion. but Gladys hated
the man for IL. III thereafter she Sc
lected Jack ana Elvia MS her special
victims.
IL did not matter that on the trains
they sat at opposite ends OF the car.
Gladys would discover Trent gazing
intently into space and call attention
TO the fact that he could not keep his
eyes off Elvia.
The company laughed ut her pert re-
marks, because they were scIfishly
glad that Gladys found vent for her
love OF mischief that did not involve
themselves.
Their laughter encouraged the child
to fresh endeavors. and since the two
victims would not provide her with
material for jokes Off the stage she
formed the habit OF guying their per-
formance on the stage.
Jack and Elvia were cast for lovers
roles. and It was disconcerting TO hear
n sibilant ABR as their lips met in
stage caress. Only in the theater did
they see each other now, so Gladys |
made those stage scenes moments of |
torture.
Not for moment did the child re- |
lent. and her father only smiled indul- |
gently at Trent's protests and threats |
TO leave engagements were not easy
to be had in the middle OF the season, |
and Glidden knew that Trent would |
not take chances with mother to sup
port
He had no wish to lose Trent. whoi
was clever man and worth double |
what he was getting. but there seemed |
small danger of his resigning. and II
was not an easy matter to control
Gladys.
No one read better than the child the
true state OF affairs, and she made the
most OF 1t. More than once Trent |
made up his mind to leave in the hope
that Gladys might then leave Elvia in
peace, but Elvia would not hear Of It.
BY suggesting that he would leave her
TO bear the brunt Of the child's enmity
she dissuaded him from his purpose.
But the crisis was bound TO come.
Gladys. with a sense of false security.
passed all limit. The favorite play
with the public was one OF her angel
parts. and the big scene" I'm the last
act showed the child at her mothers
knee praying that her father, who had
been estranged, might return.
he Is lurking behind the curtains
9adly jealous and waiting to kill his
wife when the child is put to bed.
The naive plea wins him TO a belief
In his wife's innocence.
1t was Saturday night, and the little
theater was packed to The doors. Ell
via and Jack had both been accorded
welcome, and this reused
Inc chiid's professional jealousy.
She was unusually quiet when Off
the stage, and Trent wondered at her
meekness. Just when the big scene
was progressing finely and the petition
from the child was being read as [
Siadys never read 1t before II han
)ened.
In her white nightdress. with her