The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-06-10
THE EVENING STORY
The Difference.
(By Annie Hinrichsen. }

The chorus girl and the chorus
soldier boy swung into place in the
marching, singing column.
"Our life is a glorious glitter they
sang.
Its glitter all right" muttered
the soldier boy, "a silly, tinsel glitter"
The chorus girl looked at him in
surprise. For weeks they had march
Fighting Prince" and this was the first
time he had ever spoken to her.
You don't like it?" she asked.
81 hate it. Do you care for it?"
The leading lady was singing. They
were at the rear of the stage.
IT have no illusions about IT," she
answered. "It is a means of bread
and butter
"I had Illusions, an artistic ideal and
operate ambitions"
Have you kept them ~
81 have learned the limit of my
ability. The best can 90 is to carry a
tin sword and strut in a chorus with
a score of other mediocre warblers. /
leave the stage at the end of my con-
tract. Say" he hesitated. like a BASH
full schoolboy, "I know you are-you
are awfully particular and prudish, but
would you-won't you have supper
with me after the show tonight? I
abhor this whole crowd. except you.
I've wanted to know you-you are diff
ferent from the others"
The girl looked squarely into his
eyes. You're different tco," she said.
frankly. "I'll go with you"
You are more different than ever
in your street clothes" he informed
her across the restaurant table.
$50 are you" she retorted. I'm
citizens apparel, with your face wash
ed clean you look like-1nay say it ~
go on
Like a nice, we'll raised young man
way from New York
Good. At least, I was well raised
and the home city is quite little and
far away
And probably your father was the
wealthy man of the little town and
your mother was the grand lady. You
lived in big, old-fashioned house.
They sent you away to college and
gave you everything you wanted"
How do you know all that?"
"You are stamped mentally and
physically by your environment"
Next month I shall return to the
little far away city and a desk in my
fathers bank Do you intend to re-
main on the stage?"
LAS there is no father, no bank, and
no home waiting for me, 1 shall re-
main in the chorus of The Fighting
Prince
"I wish you wouldn't" he said
like you. There are other vocations.
School teaching, nursing or something
like that would give you better oppor-
tunities for the development of the
| womanly virtues you SURELY possess.
On the stage you learn all the seams
tragedy. You are exposed to a thous-
and hideous experiences which the
sheltered woman never knows. Some
day you will want to marry. The right
sort of fnan-and you could never care
for the wrong sort-chooses his wife
gentle, trusting and thoroughly wom-
anly. Give yourself such an environ
ment."
Little country boy" laughed the
girl don't lecture this worldly, wick
ed chorus lady
"You are a good. true woman. Your
eyes are clear and gentle and steady.
Your mouth is tender and that dim
pied chin is as firm as granite"
On the last night of his engagement
with 1.-The Fighting. Prince" they went
to the table where they had eaten their
first supper together.
"It is the good old life for me again.
Eleanor, and am happy at the pros
pect; regular habits, homo cooking,
simple ideals"
She nodded comprehensively. 'It
| is the life for you" she agreed. You
will work hard and crafty your faith
er's pride. You will be the rising young
man of the little city. Your recrea-
lions will be picnics and strawberry
festivals There will be girl, a sweet,
charming, conventional girl with do
nestle tastes and little knowledge of
the outside world"
'sThero is such girl there
"An old sweetheart, jack"
1--WE grew up together in the little
| city. She is my ideal woman-con-
lventional, domestic and innocent"
| You will be very happy" she COM
mentedI duly. The color had left her
face and her lips were rigid
"I wish you would leave the stage,
Eleanor. You have been a good friend,
| a true comrade in this last month.
shall be happier if I can think Of you
| In a different, less disillusionizing en-
vironment"
''Don't think of me at all. am a
child of this great, wicked city. After
tonight we shall never see each other
again.
|
! ITS no use to send letter in to
Miss Mayne," the doorkeeper was say
ling to an insistent young man. "She
never reads stage door letters nor
speaks to Johnnies."
| The young man wrote his name be-
meath the superscription ON the letter.
Take that to her,"
A few minutes later he was in a
stage dressing room.
.I've come back" he announced.
ITO carry a tin sword in the
Ichorus?"
mo; to take certain sirl out Of