The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-03-28

"Oh gells there's Peter Parks!"
 Suddenly, from the berth directly beneath me, came a moan followed by series of half articulate cries.
 It waS the ingenue having a nightmare!
 waited long enough for some female of the com pany to come to the chid's rescue; then with de termination less paternal, the snOres con- tnued to rise and satter about my like breakers,
 .MissI saw Hey. wake up! You're all right!"
 She opened her with start and sat up in the dim-ghted berth, an after-image of terror and agony on her face.
 "Who are your" she demanded shrinking from me.
 .I'm the chap that lives upstairs. l. replied Oeer-
 'Oh such an awful dream" she exclaimed, apolo- getically "I thought poor, totterng old lady that had to beg freezing to death And look at me: boiling! These dreadful night journeys!'
 That's right, they're fierce. It's almost morning let's get up."
 'sWhats the matter, Christie?" motherly voice from the berth opposite.
 Bad dreams. dear.
 'shall come in with you?"
 sNo thanks. honey"
 It seemed to me that the ingenue adopted a very patronizng tone toward the moherly voice. for such little thing she. Why, she was no more than a child-a little Tamagara with big black eyes and expression of perpetual innocence and surprise. I felt sorry for her. It seemed inhuman that girls children such she should be permitted to go the stage, should be subjected to the vicsstudes of night stands. It was little short of outrageous l determined the spot to be protector to Christie.
 We dressed and I met her on the platform of the observation car, where placed couple of camp with silver above the dusky that went galloping back to the last stop. The red bulls eye lantern at rect shed glow upon CnrlStleS paie cheek she sat in her kimona. the wisps of black hair tossing about her face She casped knee in her hands and gazed in silence at the speeding parallel of tracks
 "So you're going to be an actor" she unused ''Why should anybody want to be an actor" What have you against t?' asked. lighting cigarette, the soft warmth of this dsgrunted little comedy queen penetrating my shoulder.
 "Oh. pooh" said she. There's nothing in it-not for me, at least. Soon I shall be too old for an ingenue and then shall have to step down to playing character parts or old ladies'"
 <, Can't you become star?' "Nope. Not big enough Takes two spot lights to find now v'
 .Why don't you get married"
 She shot quick look.
 Actors and actresses never ought to be married. It's all right if they're in the company. But if they're not he's carrying somebody ese'S suitcase and she has to flock alone It isn't what it's cracked up to be-any of it-my dear boy"
 sWhy, thought you were one of the happiest and most prosperous girls on the stage declared. To- night at the table was looking at that picture of you coming out of your country residence in your machine" %
 Christie smiled.
 "I was in borrowed car that had been backed into Charlie Schwab's front gateway Riverside Drive while snapped by the press agent"
 But surely you are we'll paid' persisted, agasp.
 ''Well, get seventy-fve week tour and a century note in New York. Suppose I rehearse a month without salary, pay five hundred for my gowns, and the show closes in two weeks Suppose that hap pens three times in succession it did last year. Where am I? It's taken all I've made this season to catch up Then. you know, there are the big gaps of waiting when you've got to eat and got to keep up appearances When you enter managers office you must be up to date and spotless down to your shoe buttons Some manager may have part for you and invite you to lunch Now. you can't hold up your head and bluff that into giving you the part without the lunch unless your jacket fits both coming and going. And the first thing you know some morn ing in strong light you look in the glass and-Lawsy,