Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-11-03
"RUBE" AND THE GIRL
BY |. z. BURTON.

now nuCu lOHBeI-uOW lOHb-uOW
long-how long?"
The words drummed in her ears at
every beat of the music; every note
made the pain in her head more acute,
as Nellie Day Whose name on the
program was Mile. Eleanor Diem) pi-
rouetted and coquetted in the maze
of her dance.
Mile. Diem was the premiere dan
seuse of a small company playing
THE Circus Lady" a melodrama of
the most mellow order, doing one
night stands in the middle west,
Although Nell was the pet of the
show, she had incurred the disapprov-
al of Henry Sweeny, the big. rough
manager, because lately she had
fallen off" in her high kicking and
whirling act.
Sweeney had glared at her and NUT
tered an oath at the end OF the first
act, and now she knew'a sharp scold-
ing would greet her when she re-
turned to the dingy dressing room.
Making her last bow, she smiled
right into the eyes of the "Rube"
that had followed the show from place
to place for over a week, who every
night had occupied a front seat, who
had paid scant attention to the other
players, but who always led the ap-
plause when Mile. Diem appeared.
The other members of the company
leased Nell in a good-natured way
about the "mash" she had made on
the "Rube."
Lii and Kid Clay (the Clay sisters)
told her she was fool not to go out
to supper with him after the show.
IF you are so tired of this life.
why don't you lay off while and
get him to put up for you? He's got
the coin!"
you girls don't understand. He
amt the kind we've been used to. He's
good. He never asked me to go to
supper after the show, but he took me
ridin' in the country once.
He asked me to call him Theo. His
names Theophilus Sykes. Amt that
name for your"
AS the curtain descended with the
last blare of horn, Nell sank in a
little heap on the stage-a heap of
crumpled pink tulle, spangles and
cheap satin. Sweeny growled out a
word or two about "incompetents" and
sick folks" but had her carried to
the building that bore the name of
hotel.
Then she was put to bed and dosed
with bad whisky and water, which
failed to revive her
Next day the company was forced
to continue its tour, leaving Nell be-
hind in care of the slatternly wife of
the hotel manager. Theophilus, hear
ing of her illness, also remained. He
1t was who saw that her room was
made bright with flowers, wild flow
ers that he gathered in the country
lanes early in the morning, when the
dew was fresh upon them. He it was
who fetched the doctor from a neigh
boring town, and who paid for such
delicacies as could be obtained at the
general store on Main street.
The day she was able to sit up in
the big, old-fashioned rocking chair
beside her bed the RUDE brought a
magnificent bunch of roses and a
large box of bonbons tied with wide
pink ribbon. These had been sent
from Chicago.
He laid them in her lap; then TAX
ing her frail, little hand in his big,
brown one he stroked the back of it
with the tips of his fingers and in a
faltering voice hesitated and stumbled
through proposal of marriage.
Maybe I'm RUDE, little girl; but
kin take keer of you. Come home
with me, home to the farm, and rest
all you want to. I don't ask you to
love me, yet; but just come 'en let
me keer for you like would my own
little sister, if | had one"
Nell buried her face in the roses;
their perfume filled the room. With
rush of feeling she knew she loved
this man; this "Rube" that all her as
sociates had ridiculed and joked
about. But could she marry him?
Il can't marry you, Theo-I-oh,
I'm not good enough to be your wife.
You are too good-too honest for a
girl like me. L"
But she got no further. He held
her face between his palms, looked
straight into her big, brown eyes
eyes that did not waver as they re-
turned his gaze.
little Nell" he said, 81 amt mar
ryin' the girl you have been. I want
the girl you are; the gentle, honest,
sweet girl that l know is your real
self. You must forgit everything that
happened to you before today. Don't
talk about it; don't think about 1t.
Begin to live today, now, the life you
want to live; the pure, clean, sweet
life of the open country. Marry me
and Wen go back home. VIII you,
Nell"
81 needn't tell you about my life;
that other life on the stage?"
Not word. You begin to live to-
day new life as my wife, Mrs. The
ophilus Sykes"
Her body swayed forward and sha