The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-21
THE EVENING STORY
The Last Act.

4
you must give 1t a happy ending"
said Miss Anterior.
| Carruthers looked at her, gloomily
Not unless you say yes
las if that had anything to do with
| it,, said Miss Atherton, scornfully.
1t has everything to do with it,
| said Carruthers. when write a play
I write as I feel. II am sad, the play
will be sad. and If am happy. the end
ing will be happy. And I can't be hap
by as long as you persist in refusing
me. Hence. I shall have to give my
1 play a sad ending
"Oh, well, them Miss Anterior
tossed her head, lend it any old way.
But I won't play it If it doesn't suit
me-"
A week later he called her up. "It
Is finished he said. "and you can read
| it at your leisure
| "Read it to me-, she said. and set
| the next afternoon.
| Carruthers found her alone and very
with her dark hair banded with a gold
/ ribbon.
81 want you to dress like that in the
last act of my play he said, 'and
carry violets. 1t will give the proper
| note of mourning"
Then you have made it sad?" she
| demanded.
Yes. The heroine is a naughty
princess, who spurns her lover all
through the play-and in the end he
finds another woman, more gentle,
more kind, and the princess is left
alone in her haughtfness. That is why
want you to wear a purple gown"
oh said Miss Anterior, somewhat
family.
When he came to the last act he
saw that Miss Atherton was intensely
interested. But L don't think am at
all like that" she said. ingenuously,
as he finished.
s'Who said you were ?" he demanded
II am writing of a princess in Egypt
| The color famed into her face. "Of
course; had thought you had me in
mind
81 perceive Carruthers replied,
"that you and the princess have GER
tain characteristics in common, and
that is why you would fit the part, or
the part would fit you. But the ques-
ton now to decide is Who shall take
| the part of the other woman?'"
'I believe you have spent more time
on her than on the other woman
Miss Atherton said, jealousy.
Carruthers looked at her out of the
} corner of his eye. "I had thought of
Miss Muir as your opposite. She would
? fit in. think
) Miss Atherton's eyes snapped "She
isn't half as gentle as you might i'm
agine."
| Dear lady" Carruthers remon-
strated,. perhaps you are not judge
5 of gentleness."
|
, shape this morning. You'll have tc
forgive if criticize everything and ev-
' erybody."
whats wrong?" Caruthers asked
- solicitously.''
Everything succinctly. 1--WE go
> to give up my apartment for one
thing. Aunt Sarah has to go back tt
! Pine Point. And I can't live alone"
: "Of course not" Carruthers agreed
: promptly, land you couldn't find {
| better time to marry me-"
Marry" she came back at him. "AI
q actress hasn't any right to marry"
"It depends upon the point of view.
. ! Carruthers stated. "Of course, if Vol
| loved me-
Please don't talk of love-" exclairn,
;, ed Miss Atherton. 81 have enough o.
l it in my plays"
: ITO return to our mutton said Car
ruthers, calmly, 81 shall give Miss Mui
: the part of the helpless heroine. wht
so works on the sympathies of tn
n scorned lover that he turns from tn
c princess to her.
9 you have made the ending happ,
d for the other girl, then?"
yes; you can't pile sadness on to-
deeply"
twilight, in a purple gown. with vic
let's clutched in her two white hands
and means, My lost love- alas,' o
- words to that effect. 1 can't see my
= self doing it, demonstrated Miss Ath
IL.
20 that ending
~ But how" questioned Carruthers
= Have another lover in the back
- ground for the gentle maiden, and lie
the princess relent at the last minute
You can still keep her in the purpl
"a twilight and the purple gown, but yol
q can have her lover at her feet. wit
u the golden moon flooding them wit
i light"
nf q nf in
~ "She might" Miss Atherton hesita
~ ted. you know you can never tell Jus
what a woman will do"
'e would you" Carruthers demanded
re eagerly, would you relent?''
le II am not talking of myself, MIS-
to Atherton told him coldly; ST am talk
CT ing of the princess in the play"
4 Carruthers folded up his manuscrir
" before he answered. ''Then, positively
es I shall not change the last act. ha
m thought of a better one than that c
ct purple twilight and lover at her fee
- I had thought of the princess at daw
- on the terrace, with wreath of rose
on her head. And coming toward he
with outstretched hands was her love
and the glory of the rising sun abor
70 them both
Beautiful broke in MISS Anterior
=. 1--WE will have that"
= 1--WE will not have that was tn
=. stubborn rejoinder. "As I have toll
you, 1 am not in the mood for happ
= endings.'
L "Oh. well, have your way, then,
70 said Miss Anterior, GROSSLY.
ae During rehearsal Miss Anterior OF
&c served that Carruthers took especii
ne pains with Miss Muir's part.
tn "You act as If she were the star
lie she demonstrated one day just befoi
Is the last act. ne, :,
1e "I like her part he said. at fl
be in with my ideal. I want the audient
o. 70 realize what gentleness and swee
rs ness may accomplish as against beau
n and pride
as Before Miss Atherton could answ'
at she was called for the last act
at She played it WE'LL putting into 1t
a., L. Of who haVir