Middletown transcript., 1910-05-14
BY ". CAREY WoNDERLY


aouiclk, dazzling smile which took
in everybody on the station plat
form. / wonder what this burg's
got in store for the -Four Flying
Zenos ?
Why, all kinds Of good things
sure laughed viii. That amt a
hard one.
| should say not, echoed Fred,
glancing proudly at the pretty
woman beside him. Wen make
'em sit up and take notice, en-
girlie2 ? :,
Give 'em something to talk
about, added Will. If we don't
make a ten. strike, it's because
they don't know a classy act
when they see one. How's that
Grand sighed Mabel, clasping
her hands ecstatically. Oh
you're SO encouraging thanks.
swf'ly!
She closed her blue eyes for 9
moment, then, opening them sud
denly, shot q radiant glance al
the fat drummer with the sample
cases, whereupon he promptly
dropped the cases on his feet.
They boarded a trolley-car al
the depot. 1t was Sunday morn
ing, bright and clear and crisp
The Four Flying zenos bad just
arrived in town from Philadel'
phia, where they had played the
week before, and where. in
the parlance Of vaudeville, their
act had gone big. They were
acrobats. people who, beginning
in a small way, had by their real
" clever work, risen in their pro-
fession until now their names
were gracing the best bills in
the country and being promi-
nently displayed in the adver'
tisements. They we're proud
of their success, and pardonably
so, for the two men had begun
at the lowest rung of the ladder,
and Mabel and Dora, not so long
ago, had worked in a cotton mill
in Connecticut. Away from the
theater, Fred was Mabel's hus'
band, and Dora was her sister.
VIII had been Fred's pal before
the other had gone and married
the pretty millhand, two years
before. They were the best OF
friends, all of them, and their
life was happy and care.free, If
at times monotonous.
When the car stopped, viii
helped Mabel aboard, jumped in
himself and Dora followed with a
stack Of magazines land papers.
Then Fred, with the conductors
help, ,felIin with the two suit-cases.
Fred laughed good.naturedly,
and Mabel laughed, and Will
laughed, and some of the passen-
gers laughed; but Dora sat stifly
erect, her long, dark lashes hid
ing the smoldering fame in her
eyes.
Brush your knees off, Freddy,
giggled Mabel. What's the mat
ter with you, Dora ? Who are
you mad with !? And she laughed
merri!y.
Dora looked up and forced a
smile. I'm not mad with anybody,
she said.
At their boarding house they
were greeted by the landlady
with smiles and good wishes and
CONGRATULATIONS. Mabel, now
that the Four Flying Zenos were
making big money and being
featured on the bills, was for
going to a swell hotel; but for
once Fred had held out for
Sweeney's.
Let's go there as usual, he said.
It was good enough for us in our
humble days. Don't let 'em say
we've got q case o. swell head
cause we're featured now, grille.
All right, consented Mabel
slowly. But I would like to sail
into the dining room at the Stat
ford in my hello princess. Oh,
come on! Sweeney's is all right,
/ guess.
So they went TO Sweeney's and
Mrs. Sweeney was discussing
vaudeville and making notes of
Mabel's costume, when suddenly
she saw Dora for the first time.
And who, she cried, is this little
lady?
Mabel yawned.
Oh, that's my kid sister, Dora,
she returned, we've taken her in
our act. That's right -you
haven't seen her before. Dora,
Mrs. Sweeney's a particular
friend of ours. Yes, | was think
ing Of dressing our act in raisin
this year, being as it's all the go;
but, as i was saying
4