The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-19
THE EVENING STORY
By Grace of Gladys.
IBY Carl Willfams.l

prodigy of the Little Gladys Dramatic
company. What made it worse, her
doting papa was the manager of the
| show which played a repertoire for a
week in the smaller towns-always
dramas in which the small star could
shine to advantage.
AS a stage attraction the child was a
wonder. She could play little girls Who
like all the good, die young, and she
also played rough soubrette parts with
a dash that made more important man
ren's societies in the large cities to
prevent her appearance in the Dig tne-
aters.
Her father, Joe Glidden, had tried the
cities, but after half a season he reor-
ganized his old company and took TO
the small western towns where the
child was a favorite and where chill
dren's societies were unknown
There, among old friends, he felt
safe once more. He swaggered about
was to regard every stranger approach
ing the box office as a possible police
officer in plain clothes.
Gladys, as though to make up for lost
time, became more incorrigfble 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 sup
port, were her especial victims.
Gladys sharp eyes had discovered
the birth of love even before Elvia was
certain of her own feelings, and an
company at supper that evening. Her
shrill, piping voice, trained to NIL a
theater, reached to every corner OF the
dining room, and the gleeful statement
~ ~ sc IN
Jack Trent set the room in a 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 arter
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 G1idden that a good
spanking would be the salvation of the
child.
advice Once, and once only had Gladys
been spanked. 1t had happened on
Sunday and business was bad all the
following week, because the child play
ed abominably in spite of all threats.
Not until the promise was made that
she should not be spanked any more
did she appear at her best again.
Glidden only smiled indulgently at
the man for it, and thereafter she Sc
lected Jack and Elvia as her special
victims.
It did not matter that on the trains
they sat at opposite ends OF the car
Gladys would discover Trent gazing in
tent1y 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 self1shly glad
that Gladys found some vent Tor her
love of mischief that did not involve
themselves.
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 near
a sibi1ant "Ah'' as their lips met in a
stage caress. Only in the theater olo
they see each other now, SO GLADYS
made those stages scenes moments OF
torture.
Not for a moment did the child re-
lent and her father only smiled in
diligently 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 support.
He had no wish to lose Trent. who
what he was getting, but there seemed
small danger of his resigning, and IL
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 nope that
Gladys might then leave ElV1a in peace
but Elvia would not hear of 1t. By sug-
costing that he would leave her to bear
the brunt of the child's enrnity, she dis |
suaded him from his purpose.
But the crisis was bound to come. |
passed all limit. The favorite play
with the public was one of her "an- !
reI' parts and the "big scene" in the /
last act showed the child at her moth |
er's knee praying that her father-
who had been estranged-might re-
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 in his
wife's innocence
It was Saturday night and the little |
theater was packed to the doors. Elvia
muItuous welcome, and this reused the |
child's professional jealousy.
She was unusually quiet when off
the stage, and Trent wondered at her
was progressing finely and the petit
ton from the child was being read as
Gladys never read it before, il aap
pened.
In her white nightdress, with her
golden curls framing her earnest,
baby face, she was an appealing little
figure, 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-" pleaded
the child Trent reused himself
ready for the spring that should bring
him to the center of the stage, his