Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-08-08
eager to live" He took her hands and

eager to nVe. He TOOK her handS anc
drew them across the desk: I'm 60
ing to take a great responsibility. I'm
going to tell you-go."
Yes. I'm glad! like you, Mr.. Cur
ran. You make me feel that you had
trouble. too-and weren't afraid, and
were misunderstood. And so I'm 60
ing!"
That's right And be a good little
girl, Aurelie, and don't let 'em spoil
you."
And some day I'll come back and
play in the tin opera -house!"
And they laughed. They went out
through the dingy old shop and up the
path in the moonlight, he holding her
hand, both laughing. She seemed SC
like himself-he could understand all
that she could not say.
Aunt Abby listened. and then set
them out Banbury tarts and milk.
'Dearie-dearie-Tm glad you've come
back again-and to us in your trouble.
And If you want to go to be an ac-
tress and marry millionaires, so there
go do 1t, and don't mind what this
town says!" Aunt Abby was a vigor-
Gus, broad-faced old Philistine and a
great cook. Wiley had found her on
his wanderings, sitting on the tongue
of her prairie schooner, watching a
dead mule that she had depended on
to take her out OF the Dakotas when
the chinch-bugs ate the wheat, and
she had abandoned her claim. She had
kept house for him ever since, fat, de-
Gently sixty, and filled with huge
chuckles. And the laughter came back
to Aurelie's eyes that night, though
she did lie awake wondering about
Uncle Michigan-a good thing about
wooden legs was that one couldn't get
rheumatism in them.
Wiley" grumbled Aunt Abby. when
Aurelie was in bed-"that girl Is suf-
fering she's terribly in lave
with somebody"
YES" he answered mournfully, pull
ing Off his shoes in the doorway, TIN
afraid so. But she'll get over five
all do. have, myself-a dozen times"
Get out-you never got over one Of
'em! The accumulation of 'em is
what's the matter with you." But when
he was in bed, the old lady came in
and patted his cheek: you ought to
get married--even If have to leave
you"
'T wouldn't-not If you had to leave
me" he answered, "oh, not a bit,
aunty!"
The next day he took Aurelie over to
Earlville. Bravely he faced the stares
them out Banbury tarts and milk
along High street. AS the bob-car jog
ged to the Junction, where 1t connect
ed with the interurban, the Van Hart
surrey drove past them. Mrs. Van
Hart was in the rear seat. Aurelie sat
back against Wiley's arm and then,
conscious that he noticed 1t, she sat
forward very straight and stared full
at Harlan's mother. The surrey drove
on, the lady composed and with kindly
elegance, apparently not seeing them.
Aurelie sighed and said nothing, but
Wiley guessed her tumult She was
very silent when they were In the tiny
office back of the place where tickets
were sold at the Majestic, the ornately
impressive vaudeville house in Earl
vile, across from the equally ornate
Elk's Club. And II you want to see
what architects can do in yellow sand
stone, see the Earlville Elk's club.
In Morris Feldman's office, young
Mr.. Hanbury, of the Dubuque Regis
ter, one time sporting critic, explained
his play modestly: 81 don't claim this
piece of mine Is any world-beater; it'll
never see the great white lights, and
Frohman will never get the wires hot
trying to book us, but that's all right
We're after the kush, amt we, Nor
ris?"
1.-The what?" gasped Miss Lind
strom.
"The COIN" corrected Morris Field
man. "the money, Miss Lindstrom."
II amt saying Belascoll go nuts
when he sees our production" went on
the playwright, "but we're going to clean
up the one-night stands while the pub
lie is ripe on you. Amt I right, Nor
ris?"
The gazele-eyed young Hebrew held
a bunch of blue tickets in his teeth
while he slipped a rubber band about
them and then deposited them in a tin
box : Believe me-" he murmured.
"And if we ever put over that third
act situation with you climbing over
the mlll-dam, Miss Lindstrom. you're
made"
Believe me-" added Morris. "and
here come our angels"
Now, Hen and Ben McFetridge, COM
ing in from a Main street billiard hall,
each with bad cigar and a red neck
tie, were not exactly Of the celestial
choir They crowded into the box Of
flee and felicitated. and offered chairs
and rubbed hands.
II was telling Morris. here-and
Miss Lindstrom, the shows a bird"
went on the author genially. Miss
Lindstrom. want you to read the
script right away before we get the
people together for rehearsals."
But T'-put in Miss Lindstrom fut-
teringly-"can't act!"
Neither can any of the rest Of 'em.
All these hot-house stars are travelling
on their reps. Acting died with Joe
Jefferson. What you do now is to go
around and hand out the bunk, and the
rawer it is, the more the public falls
for it. And here the biggest paper In
Chicago has been handing it out for
you, Miss Lindstrom. the warmest line
Of talk that any actress ever stood for.
She's made, amt she, Morris?"
(To be Continued)
H., 10, tt,hfn