The Press., 1909-08-18

A--~-~~ 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 Mordant, of her patient SUD- port, were 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 at supper that evening. Her shrill, piping voice, trained to fill 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 ears long after she had reached her room.
 Scalding tears stained her pillow, but she was at last certain that she did love Trent, and, had he only known, he had cause to be grateful to the youngster. Instead he savagely sug- gested to Joe Glidden that a 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. It had hap pened on Il Sunday, and business was bad all the following week, because the child played abominably in spite of all threats. Not until the promise was made that she, should not be spanked my more did she appear at her best again.
 Glidden only smiled induIgently at Trent's suggeglon but Gladys hated the map fteEl ehe se- lected Nar specfal victims
 It did not ISl 6n 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 at her pert re- marks, because they were selfishly glad that GAdys found vent for her love of mischief that did not involve themselves.
 Their laughter encouraged the child to fresh endeayors, 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 1t was disconcerting to hear a sibilant "Ahv' as their lips met in a stage caress. Only in the theater did they see each other now, so Gladys made those stage scenes moments of torture.
 Not for a moment did the child re- lent. and her father only smiled indul- gently at Trent's protests and threats to l2ave. Engagements were not easy to l,c had in the middle of the season, and Glidden knew that Trent would not take chances with a mother to sup port.
 He had no wish to lose Trent, who was clever man and worth double what he was getting, but there seemed small danger of his resigning, and 1t 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 it. 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 q sense of false security, passed all limit. The favorite play with the public was one of her angel parts, and the ''big scene" in 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 madly jealous and waiting to kill his wife when the child is put to bed. The naive plea wins him to a belief fin his wife's innocence
 It was Saturday night, and the little theater wds packed to the doors El- win and Jack had both been accorded tumultuous welcome, and this roused the child'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 Gladys never read 1t before it hap pened.
 In her white nightdress, with her golden curls framing her earnest baby face, she was an appealing little fig ure, and as she made her plea that her father might return even men in the audience furtively dried their tears.
 "And bring him back and make him good to mamma and me again,1 plead ed the child. Trent reused himself ready for the spring that should bring him to the center of the stage, his arms round the mother and child, but her next lines were not read. Instead she said slowly and deliberately:
 "And please let MT. Trent marry Miss Mordant so they'll stop being spOony = and = and bring my papa back"
 Papa" came with a promptness that startled Gladys. Jack knew that the salvation of the scene was to get the curtain down before the audience real ized the interpolation and laughed. so