The Winslow mail., 1912-02-10
Sraookr1r,1s

She was the littlest girl-tbe one on
the end Of the line to whom DENLY
worked" in the kid song that was
| the excuse for the children's chorus.
She was mite with big blue eyes
/ that saw more than was altogether
! good for a child of six, yet saw with
unseeing eyes the undercurrent of evil
that marred life behind
"Snookums,' DENLY had called her
the opening night when her short legs
refused to carry her off the stage with
the others in the mad rush that was
the wind-up of the song, and after that
her real name Of Polly Crane appeared
only on the salary roll. The Shook
ums" hit was a success.
Snookums worshiped Denby, who in
his careless, good-natured way made
a pet of the small child that contrib
uted so materially to his own hit. The
little girl came to love those moments
when she sat on his lap with the spot
light full on them and he sang to her
the nursery rhymes that were SO
much funnier than the ones her moth
Snookums did not understand. Miss
Carver used to stand behind them on
the stage with her arm about Denbys
neck; for Miss Carver was the big
gest of the little girls, though she was
Denby's wife.
Snookums was fond of Miss Carver
too; and as the song went on she used
to reach UP and press against her
cheek the hand that rested lightly on
Denby's shoulder.
There came q night when talk that
had been growing increasingly frank
in the company came to Edith Car
ver's ears. It was prefaced by the
usual my dear, l would not tell you
this, but I think you really ought to
know" but that brought cold comfort
to the poor little woman for whom the
honeymoon, which had consisted of
three weeks of rehearsal and two
months of playing, had scarcely ended:
They had warned her that DENLY
could not be held true, but she had
shut her eyes and ears reselutely to
the bits of gossip and tried to see the
audacious glances with which Lottie
Lorrimer favored her husband. Now
however, she was brought squarely
face to face with her trouble.
II know about Miss Lorrim mer-last
night" she whispered.
"Just little supper he whispered
back Grossly. "You had headache
and | was lonesome"
There was the club" reminded
Edith. you told me you had gone
there"
Il was going, but Miss Lorrimer
came along and said she was hungry
too; so l said, Come along, kid, and
she came"
Edith started a retort, but at the
moment her cue came. Grasping Den
by's hand, they ran out upon the
stage laughing with the fictitious
laughter that on the stage hides many
broken heart. The audience saw
nothing of the tragedy, but wise little
Snookums was a witness to the scene
Denby's voice sounded as funny as
ever, but 1t seemed to Snookums that
there was a worried look about the
mouth in spite of its painted smile.
Perhaps because he felt the need Of
working hard, DENLY did better than
usual in the kid song. When he came
off the stage at the close of the act
he swung the child up to his shoulder
"Still love me. Snookums?" he
asked with laugh that he did not al
| together feel.
The child shook ner crrly head
grave!Iy.
What's the mstter?" he asked, with
an affection of surprise.
II don't like mems what don't hold
hands with their wives" she explained
graveiy, Mamma and papa didn't
hold hands and then ] didn't have any
papa"
"That was very sad," comm ented
DENLY with pretended gravity. But
1t doesn't always happen that you lose
papas when they don't hold hands"
"Yes, you dol" persisted Shook.
ums. "And you was holding hands
with other girls. I saw you holding
4 hands with Miss Lorrimer l don't
| like Miss Lorrimer.
DENLY looked across the stage to
~here Edith was just emerging from
her dressing room Then he glanced
down the corridor where Lottis Lori
mer, unconscious of his glance, was
! flirting with the stage clearers end
using her eyes as effectively upon
them as she rad done with him
anyone to keep in practice on. .
muttered Denby in sudden realization
of the situation, II guess you're right,
Snookums," he agreed. "I've been
pretty much of fool, but | guess 1t
isn't too late to mend and-well-you
run along. I've got some mending to
do"
He swung her down from his shoul-
der and made his way across the stage
to where Edith was standing.
"Out of the mouths Of babes com
eth WISDOM" he quoted softly
"Snookums has been showing me