The Washington herald., 1913-09-28

power and personality. Wiley had
envied it, even with his great hurt love
for the boy. 1t was curious how things
come to one man without price for
which another struggles lifelong in
vain. He tried now to come back 10
the dear familiar ground with Harlan,
and Harlan would not have it.
The younger man was unfolding a
paper from his pocket. And suddenly
fear shot through Curran that it had
to do with that hushed story of La
deau's They had kept it well quiet,
yet it haunted his counsels. But Har-
Ian, his voice cool, tense, spoke OF an
other matter:
Wiley, did you see this from the
Chicago papers?'
Wiley took the review of last weeks
opening of The Girl and The Burglar.
He Stihed a shout of amazement. The
woman who had been doing the lead
ing comedy business had been taken i'll
the first night, and a girl from the
chorus. who had understudied the part,
had played her role. Aureliel
Saved the first night" gasped Mr..
Curran. And I've been on the road
and never heard i word of itP
The grim young man silently extend
ed other clippings. The reviewers
were surprised. felicitous. Cohan &
Snitz had got by with musical COM
edy that had been on its last legs until
the Chicago opening. And a new face
"a gir! with a funny personality-had
pulled it through. A girl who sang
and laughed with happy audacity. A
refreshing person who had no ingenue
tricks, no footlight manneriSmS-noth-
ing except laughter and ignorance of
convention. The reviewers suddenly
recalled that this was the newspaper
beauty contest winner of-let's see?
Was it two years ago? No one cared
Only to that fact Cohan & Snitz's
publicity bureau seized as only a
drowning Hebrew manager can seize
on a drowning fortY-thousand-dollar
show. They flung it broadside; they
screamed ii on every fence. The star
roared and resigned. 1t did her no
glory. Cohan & Snitz would have de-
flied their office boy if he could have
saved The Girl and The Burglar; and
here an unknown western girl of their
chorus had all the press with her and
all the public by some happy-go-lucky
verve.
Mr.. Curran laid down those clip
pings and wiped his eyes "Wherc have
l been?' he gasped again. "AsleepT
Read on" demanded Harlan.
AurelIe had been interviewed by the
Times. She said she was from Rome,
Iowa, but adored a bull pup and lob
ster Newburgh. She was interviewed
for the Telegraph Sunday, frst-page.
supplement, specially posed photos and
a sketch by Ma" said she liked
all the Johnnies and used their notes
10 stuff a pillow for the bull pup. Next
day, declared the veracious publicity
bureau, she received eight pups from
eight millionaires and fifty mash notes.
Wiley laid down the clippings once
more. The dear kid" he murnured
Eight million pups and eight million
mllllOnalrcs-Ed not care" He looked
up TO meet Harlan'S eyes. And two
months ago she wa, living in New
IOrk-coOking oatmeal over a gas jet
She's a humdinger!'
Humdingers are not in the Van Hart
genealogy. In I742, Ebenezer Van
Hart married Agatha Ann Bunker. in
dentured servant The Mrs Van Harts
of today never read the paragraph on
page twenty-eight about Agatha Ann,
onetime humdinger.
Harlan broke out wrathfully. Wiley
You rejoice at itI'
Il reckon! The dear kid-let her 90
on just joyously! All she's done! The
money she's sent back to Lindstrom's
to pull 'em all through! And now
she's got Uncle Mich's patent leg paid
for-at last. And Uncle Mich sent
Peter in 10 k me to come out. A
regular party TO christen Mich's leg
that's what Aurelie said we must have
with flowers and laughter and every
body happy"
Young Mr. Van Hart arose 1t was
no use to quarrel with Wiley when his
eyes were shining so! No use to re-
mind him OF congress. No use to
charge him with making a fool of him
self
But Harlan shouted from the door.
"Aurelie-you got her into this And
YOU ought to know how girls get on in
these music shows-the only way!
No" he shouted on passionately-I
YOU don't love he--it's a joke!"
The editor stcod Up and wiped his
glasses and looked after Harlan: re-
treating figure. Love her." Coufound
the boyE He Knocked his pipe out on
the desk edge. "Hey-O! If | was
twenty-one-" he sighed. But when I
was twenty-one here was Janet. and
went out to see the tinsel world he
sighed again. ".And now Aurelie and
her tinseI show! Yet I reckon I'm
glad am what | amp
After supper he went up the bluff
road. Along this trail she had come
flying to him in her despair. Above
were the hills in whose autumn glory
she had robed her loneliness. There
the bleak field about the Lindstorm
cottage lay. Out of all this meager-
ness she had come. And he had lifted
her!
Even Lindstrom. gaunt and silent,
welcoming him from the ravening
dogs, could not chill his jubilance. He
waved the papers toward Old Mich.
The household stared at him.
Hear this-all of your And he
began reading the tale of Aurelie's
glory. Even John was stilled. Albert's
pale eyes shone. Old Michigan waved
his peg-leg.
Done GOMEZ he crowed. Gust as
Captain Tinkletoes and me said it was
Aurelie'd done occupy all the lands |
and states and countries! And I done |
got the new leg she's been buyin'. Mr.. !
Wiley. But l amt goin' to wear it. |
It's too fine and shiny. and cost a !
sight o money 70 an ole whisky run
ner like me. Wouldn't get that leg out