Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-11-10

oWaro InoIr u able ACROSS the
Room. %
him In a chair. We all went round to
his apartments after the theater He
lives in three rooms with his whole
family and he's had so many debts
and so much trouble and such a poor
contract that he hasn't made much
out Of "Mandalay," but guess he will
out Of this new piece. He Rugged and
kissed me until l thought he would
break my neck"
London had gone mad over Lefty
Lane, whose traits and contour were
the admiration Of the world at large
and well-known even to the news
boys, and whose likeness was nearly
as familiar as that Of the MadonnaS
of old. Her face was oval and per
fectly formed, with the reddest Of
mouths-the most delicious and soft
est OF mouths-the line Of her browi
clear and straight, and her gray eyes
]. large and as innocent and appealing
as child's; under their long lashei
they opened up like flowers. 1t wa!
said that no man could Withstand theil
appeal; that she had but to look t
make man her slave; and as more
than once she turned to Dan, smiling
and gracious, Ruggles watched her
mutely thinking of what he had hearC
this day, for after her letter came
accepting their invitation he haC
taken pains to find out the things b,
wanted to know. It had not beef
difficult. As her face and form wer,
public, on every postcard and II
every photographers shop, so the &C
tress' reputation was the property o
the public.
As Ruggles repeated these things Il
himself, he watched her beside tn
son of his old friend. They were talk
ing-rather she was-and behind tn,
orchids and the ferns her voice wa
sweet and enthrAlling. Ruggles trie'
to appreciate his bill Of fare while tn
two appreciated each other. It wa
strange to Dan to have her 30 nea
and so approachable. His sights o
her of the stage had been 80 Sigh
and feeting. On the boards she ha'
seemed to be an unreal creation mad
for the public alone. Her dress, Gu
fearlessly low, displayed her lovel,
young bosom-soft, bloomy, white a
a shetland her head and ears wer
as delicate as the petals Of whit
rose. Low in the nape Of her mech
her golden hair lay lightly, and fror
Its soft masses fragrance came to hin
Ruggles could hear her say: "Roacl
came to the house and told my peopl
that had fortune in my voice.
was living with my uncle and m
step-aunt and working in the store
And that same day your father sen
down a check for FIVE hundred dollarI
He said It was for the little girl wit
the sweet voice, and 1t gives me 10
Of pleasure to think that l began m
lessons on that money"
The son of old Dan Blair said earl
estly: I'm darned glad you did-rI
darned glad you did,"
Lefty Lane nodded. $50 am
But" with some sharpness, 81 don
see why you speak that way. Nv
earned my way. l made fortune fc
Roach all right"
You mean the man you married
"Married-goodness gracious, whs
made you think that?" She thre'
back her pretty head and laughed
. laugh with the least possible merr
ment in 1t. "0h, Heavens, marry oil
Job Roach! So they say that, d
they? l never heard that. | hear
lot, but ] never heard that fairy tale
She put her hands to her cheek
which had grown crimson. THAT
not true!"
Dan swore at himself for his tao
less stupidity.
Ruggles had heard both sides. Sh
was adored by the poor, and, as far
rumor knew, she spent thousands o
the London paupers, and the Yves
erDer, who had never been given
reveling in scandals and to whol