The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-01-19

| kU%256SN cTfticd1 opium VA 3sS~ Aos N
city are generally snugiy
asleep In their little cots when the
momentous decisions Of which they
have been delivered are being read by
/ the anxious and nervous authors. who
sit ND even until dawn to learn their
fate. Kind newspaper publishers
more kind probably than they intend
ed to be to these nervous folk Of the
stage have in recent years adopted a
! policy of issuing special edition al
| their various newspapers for what Is
| known as the midnight saie-a sale
that has grown with the all night cafe
and the development Of the restaurant
section. that has kept large number
Of citizens out of bed II not out Of mis-
| chief. The philanthropic results Of
these so called early editions have
been at least the shortening OF the tor
ture of the actor who has had what
| is so blithely called his broadway op-
| portunity."
Despite the many friends who con-
graduated him and the applause OF the
ushers, Holcomb knew that his piece
had not succeeded One or two former
associates In the companies that he
had been in called loudly for a speech
ut the end of the second act: but. de-
spite all this and even Ludlow's eff
fusive praise. he knew that his play
had not ..got over"-that Is. over the
footlights.
| He had been surprised at Dora's
prompt appearance at the rehearsal
He had taken an opportunity to thank
her formally, and she had replied to
him with equal reserve.
Before the curtain went up on the
night performance he went back to
her dressing room and spoke more
frankly:
Dora, you have been more than
kind. showed myself very weak last
might. and you showed yourself wo-
man with great courage. Whatever
the outcome of this. shall never for
get it,
They were talking through the half
opened door of her dressing room.
with but few minutes left for her
final preparations. so that her Thank
you, Mr. Holcomb," left him still in
doubt as to whether she had under
gone any change in feeling
He had gone back at the end Of the
play mainly to thank her for going
I through the "big scene" as he had re-
hearsed it and hoping against hope to
get some expression from her that
would quiet his turbulent spirit, but he
found her dressing room besieged by
the Winthreps. Elliott. Professor Full
lerton and the haunting Aunt Cornelia
The little conversation that they had
was therefore brief and formal. and,
while there was some talk of supper
, party after the theater. he was quick
to observe that there was no calcula-
ton about having him In It and little
! enthusiasm about his part Of the even
,a&s ressfsI.a yagla had left the
j saae'e% atsar q fe5eaes5 handshake to
c2 tc1 > g7asu For EsoaSou. where he was
81 liver oac ~ a.s - epressible dec
serss
i |':! re1u0s .1E.s night on the
II o'clock train. Do noe the honor to
have supper with me. ! will talk with
you of your play and other things" he
had said to Holcomb.
In way Holcomb had expected that
the play would not be great success,
but he had hoped that it would suffl-
GENTLY establish him in Dora's eyes by
its reception to bring them closer to-
gether He was genuinely disappoint.
ed that the Winthrops and the Fuller
tons had not invited him to their sup
per party, and. strange as it doubtless
would have seemed to the many
friends in the theater who would have
liked to have him for guest or host, he
wandered out through the stage door.
solitary. saddened and wondering
where the deuce he would go to get
the bite Of food and drink that he
needed and yet not run into some gath
ering connected with his own produc-
ton. He was bitterly commenting to
himself on how lonely man of pride
can be when he met two or three of
the minor actors Of the company and
Joined their party gladly. and with
them he sat up until those fateful
early editions were spread before them
and be knew that his play was dis
astrous failure.
He would have given a great deal
, to be able to talk to Dora that aft
ernoon. for the evening papers only
REINFORCED the judgment OF the morn
| ing papers, and the "sale" at the box
Office indicated that the public had no
intention Of quarreliEg with the critics.
He was in and around the theater
most of the day. hoping that Dora
might come to the playhouse or that
, she might at least telephone to him
and condOle. there being absolutely no
reason for congratulations.
Night at last came. and he had an
excuse for seeing her, but she merely
nodded to him as she passed him in
the wings, and he turned bitterly away
from the stage and went out to the
front of the house to watch his play
and see If he could see it as the critics