El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-12
Helen Goes 20 a Box Party
and Mr.. Travis Again Takes
Her Home.

20 INJURED Helen as the curtain
went down amid uproarioua
applause. People don't talk like that"
Mr.. Travis laughed. "Of course not
You don't expect stage dialogue TO be
what people say IN real life. do your"
But the program says a Realistic
Drama Of Everyday Life"
Hum. we'd all have nervous pros
tration in a week If we lived our ev-
eryday lives like that. They take the
most artificial and far-fetched plays
nowadays and stamp them plays OF
everyday life"
What are you two people complain
ing about?" demanded Mrs. Stevens,
who had been scrutinizing through her
opera glasses some people in the oppo-
site box
"oh. were discussing the unreaHties
Of the realistic plays" laughed Mr..
Travis.
Oh who wants to see realism OF.
the stage? The less like real life
play is the more pleasant it'll be-"
That's a nice cheerful thought" OBJ
served Mr.. Stevens
Well isn't 1t true that we come to
traction-nOt to have the sOrdid COM
monDlaceness Of our own lives faith
fully photographer
I'm not SO sure about that" an
swered Air. Travis. 1T seems to me
there's & certain grim satisfaction in
knowing that other peoples lives are
as sordid and unpleasant as your
own"
A ThoughtIess Remark.
But just now I don't feel that life
is sordid or unpleasant"
Helen regretted this statement as
soon as she had made it. for Mrs. Ste
vens laughed triumphantly.
"Oh, you don't! Why dear, you're
imprOvingl I thought Mr.. Travis and
I could drag you out Of your she'll"
Helen flushed and neTyously opened
and shut the little white fan she car
ried. She resented the 'Dlr Travis
and L" Was Mrs Stevens deliberately
trying to throw her with Mr.. Travis?
Was this why she had arranged this
box party2
But here the curtain rose on the third
act and Helen's thoughts were turned
to the stage. Curiously enough the
play dealt with the love OF a man for
a married woman whose husband did
not love her. There were number OF
scenes in which he urged her to get
her freedom, but for her child's sake
she refused.
While there was no real similarity
In this play to her own life, yet Helen
felt that Mrs. Stevens was drawing
some comparison. Mrs. Stevens had
never liked Warren. She had hap
pened to call one day and found Helen
crying after one Of Warren's irritable
outbursts, and had started then to say
what she thought Of him-but Helen
mad indignantly sflenced her.
and now had Helen not felt that
mrs stevens was making some COM
paIlson between the play and her own
IKE, she would have enjoyed the even
ing intensely. She had been in a box
only once or twice before and it was
keenIy interesting though somewhat
Understanding TO be near enough to
see the makeup Of the actors and TO
get occasional glimpse of stage me-
chanisTD IN the wings.
As she turned 10 look over the crowd
ca house, al IN darkness save for the
req hgots at the exits, she was stirred
Win some OF the same Impressions that
must thrill the actor. A great sea Of
white faces filled the orchestra, bal
cony ana gallery, and the breathless
silence ana nervous tension Of many
people seemed to charge the air
Ihere never was a woman who did
not at come time long for the glamour
and thrill Of the foot-Hghts. and who
did not secretly believe she had in
her the elements Of g great actress.