The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1912-01-19
CHAPTER VII.
At the STAGE Entrance.

K
I Ruggles, from his stall, for the
Fourth time saw the curtain go up
ON Mandalay" and heard the temple
bells ring One of the stage boxes
was not occupied until after the first
TACT and then the son of his friend
came in alone and sat far back out of
sight of any eyes but the keenest,
and those eyes were Ruggles' Lefty
Lane, delicious, fantastic, languishing,
sang to Dan; that was evident to Rug
gles He was a large man and filled
his stall comfortably. He sat through
the performance peacefully, his hands
in his pockets. his big face thought
8ful, his shirt front ruffied. To look at
him, one must have wondered why he
had come to "Mandalay." He scarce
ny lost any of the threads of his own
reflections, though when Miss Lane in
response to call from the house,
sang her cradle song three times, ne
seemed moved. The tones of her pure
kvoice, the grading in her arms OF an
Emaginary child. her apparent dove
fiike purity. her grace and sweetness.
land her cooling, gentle tone. to judge
by the softening of the Westerner's
face touched very much the big lei
low who listened like a child At the
end he drew his handkerchief slowly
across his eyes. but the tears, or
rather moisture, that rose there was
not all due to Miss Lanes song, Tor
Ruggles was extremely warm.
He could see that in his box the
boy sat transfixed and absorbed Dan
went out in the second entr'acte and
was absent when the curtain went
down. Ruggles, as well, left before
the performance was over. to make
his way outside the theater to the
stDge exit. where there was already
gathered a little group. looked after
Sby couple of policemen Close to
the curb a cleaning motor waited. the
f0otman at its door Ruggles but
toned his coat up to his chin and took
his place dose to the door, over which
the electric light showed the words
Stage Entrance" A poor woman ell
bowed him. her shabby hat adorned
nv scraggly plume, gray shawl
wrapped round her shoulders. girl
oft two. who might have been flower
sellers in Piccadilly in the daytime, a
couple Of toughs, a handful of other
Migrants smelling of gin. a decent
man in working clothes, a child in his
arms. formed the human hedge Lefty
Lane was to pass between-a singular
Eroup Of people to spend an hour
hangng about the streets at the exit
OIL theater we'll toward midnight. So
ne naive Ruggles thought. and better
understood the appearance of the
vNNpng fellows in evening clothes who
WQFered on the extreme edge of the
Ute crowd. Dan. however. was not
Nthese
Look sharp, Cissy." the working
nan spoke to his child. holding ner
Nell up. When she comes bout she'll
NAPs close to yer, and you sing hout.
God bless YER"
Yes, Dad, | will, shrilled the child.
he woman In the gray shawl drew
close about her. Jaw she's a true
'NF all right, amt she? | expect
I've had some kindness off her as
NNll?"
Fhe man nodded over the child's
Anpulder. Used to be a scene shifter.
aqp Miss Lane found out about my lit
re girl last year-not this lass. not
&issy, Cissy's s.ster-and she sent er
toa place where II costs the eyes out
NJ yer head. SHE'S gettin' well fast,
we we, none OF us. has seen her or