The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-13

! swiftly through the corridors, down tins
deserted stairs TO the elaborate suites
/ on the parlOr floor where Nance es-
/ tablished herself Even in her excite
ment she had time 10 be surprised thai
brilliant light flooded from Names
apartments. and that voices sounded
! laughingly within
To her vehement knOckings the door
| opened. but tardily On the threshold
/ appeared Nance and Studheim, the re-
mains Of supper littering the table. am
/ both were clOaked and hated for q
moonlight auto ride The laughine
radiance on Nance's face faded TO awe
What is it2' she demanded sharply
Stammeringiy, Jane told: and then
wrung her hands wretchedly when she
saw that it was no use.
Who? which?" cried Nance, in angry
/ rebellion.
Noe" began Jane.
And Nance stopped her furiously.
The blackleg, The drunkard, Tie
ruined my happiness-wrecked my girl
hood. 1t was over, years ago, How
dare ne claim"
He claims nothing. mourned Jane
1T was J."
Nance broke into whimpers, like a
I terrified child She clutched Studheim
appealingly.
Il am all-faint, Take ne To the
air. she insisted.
Stiffly bowling to Jane, Studheim drew
Nance's cloak about her and led her
toward the street doors.
The world grew very black 20 Jane s
sirlish vision, and she swept her hands
across her eyes as if TO clear them Of
dreadful picture. Then she went up
stairs, and compOsediy returned to the
dying mans bedside.
She had sewed for perhaps an hour
when he spoke.
"She would not come then. he said.
Had he known? guessed? Immaterial,
he was beyond the vexing power OF
questions
she was-she is out" SAID Jane III
a matter-of-fact tone as il it was of
no consequence. And. after all, was it?
The night licked coldly on 70 the chill
of sullen dawn. Afraid of the depres-
sion which generally manifests itself
at that time, Jane fortified her charge
with wine In strengthened him He
asked to have his things put in order
because he was to be taken TO the
hospital. Jane gladly busted herself
glad of change OF occupation. But il
was sOOn finished, and she was at her
interminable spangiing again
So many thoughts came to her
through that long night She flashed
into a complete comprehension Of the
instability, the e-menaCing. en-
forced heartlessness of the profession
she had embraced, could nevermOre
give up. She realized that what she
had hitherto stigmatized as an actors
cOwaruice in face Of threatened illness
was the premOnitory horror OF just this
desOlate abandonment. An actor earned
his living-as a matter of truth. was
adjudged worthy of life-Onlv so Ione
as he could entertain. Neither man
ager nor public had any use for him
helpless. Individually made up OF the
sentlest men and women, the public
as a unit is utterly without heart a
sick actor is ignored an old one, neg
lected, dead one. forgot
Keep dancing at the head of the pro-
cession if you would not be under the
heel of the applaUding crowd.
The long nighttime slow, sweet smile
that answered her every look!
Then backward day crept into the
room, yet no Gathering sounds of life
arose in the sleeping hotel The man
stirred restlessly.
A sudden brightness shone in his eyes.
and he sat up resolutely, his quick
strength bringing to Jane an unspeak-
able fear.
Would it trouble you to get me a
drink of water?" he asked.
She quickly hurried a glass to his
lips. He thought he drank, but he did
not, and the glass crashed from his fin
gers