The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1913-01-10
"RUBE9 AND The GIRL
ByLz BURTON

How much lcnger-hoW long--noW
lohg-how long7'
The words drummed II her ears al
every beat OF the music: every note
made the pain IN her head more acute,
as Nellie Day whose name on the
program was Nile. Eleanor Diem) pi-
rouetted and coquetted IN the maze
Of her dance.
/ Mile. Diem was the premiere dan
Eeuse Of a small company playing
"The Circus Lady" q melodrama or
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 OF" 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 q sharp scoid-
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 "Rnbe"
that had followed the show from place
70 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."
Ill and Kid Clay (the Clay sisters)
told her she was fool not to 20 out
10 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 your He's got
the coin!o
you girls don't understand. He
amt the kind we've been used to. He's
good. He never asked me to 60 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
a name for your"
AS the curtain descended with the
last blare Of horn, Nell sank In
little heap on the stage-a heap OF
erumpled pink tulle, spangles and
cheap satin. Sweeny growled out
word or two about "incompetents" and
sick folks" but had her carried to
the building that bore the name OF
MOTEL.
Then she was put to bed and dosed
with bad whisky and water, which
tailed to revive her.
Next day the company was forced
to continue is tour, leaving Nell be-
hind in care Of the slatternly wife of
he hotel manager. Theophilus. hear
Ing Of her illness, also remained. He
It was who saw that her room was
made bright with flowers, wild fiow-
srs 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
ielicacies as could be obtained at the
general store on Main street.
The day she was able to sit up in
the big, oldfashioned rocking char
beside her bed the Rube brought
J magnificent bunch of roses and
/ large box Of bonbons tied with wide
pink ribbon. These had been sent
from Chicago.
He laid them in her lap; then TAX
ng her frail, little hand in his big,
brown one he stroked the back OF It
with the tips Of his fingers and in
ialtering voice hesitated and stumbled
through a proposal OF marriage.
Maybe I'm a Rube, little girl; but
I kin take keer of you Come home
with me. home to the farm. and rest
al YOU want to- I don't ssk you to
love me, yet; but just come en let
me keer for you like I would my own
little sister. II had one.
Nell buried her face in the roses;
their perfume filled the room. With
+ a rush Of feeling she knew she loved
this man; this "Rube" that all her as
soeiates had ridieuled 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
girl like me. r."
} But she got no further He held
i her face between his palms, looked
J straight into her big. brown eyes
ayes that did not waver as they re-
turned his gaze.
Little Nell" he said. Il Amt mar
ryin the girl you have been. want
The girl you are; the gentle. honest.
sweet girl that ] know is your real
] self You must forgit everything that
happened to you before today. Dent
. talk about IT; don't think about it.
Begin to live today, now, the life you
want to live; the pure, clean, sweet
life Of the open country. Marry me
and we'll go back home. WIN you,
Nen?"
q needn't tell you about my life;
Z that other life on the stageT'
Not a word. You begin to live to-
day new life as my wife, Mrs. The
ophilus Sykes"
: Her body swayed forward and she
: buried her face on bis. shoulder. A
little ray Of sunlight falling through