The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-05-23
9 RUDE ND GIRL


- UNI
IS. How much longer can !. stand I'll
How much Ions how long-how
long how long e
The words drummed -. Her eal0 IL
every beat Of the mnsic:. svsry snots
made the pain In her head moro acute,
~ Nellie Day Whose name On the
program was Mile. Eleanor nsm) -,
lrouetted and coquetted IN the hazs
of her dance.
Mile. Diem Was the premiere dan
seuses Of Z small company playing
The Circus Lady" melodrama ot
the most mellow order, doing one.
night stands In the middle vest.
Although Nell was the pet Of tho
show. she had incurred the disapprov-
al of Henry sweeny. the BIG, rough
manager. because lately she had
fallen or in her high kicking and
whirling act. .s SZ.ss j
Sweeney had glared at her and NUT:
tered an oath at the end of the arst
act. and now she knew Z sharp scold-
ing would greet her when she 70.
turned to the dingy dressing room.
Making her last bow, abe smiled
right into the eyes Of the 'Rubes'
that had followed the show from PLACES
to place for over aweek, who every
night had occupied 4 ront~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 q 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 30 out
to supper with him after tho show.
III you are so tired of this life,
why don't you lay off a while and
get him to put up for you? He's got
the coin!" 49,.
"You girls don't understand, He
amt the kind we've been used to. He's
good. He never asked me to 80 to
supper after the show, but he took mo
ridin' in the country once.
HE asked me to call him Theo. His
names Theophilus Sykes. Amt that
q name for your"
As the curtain descended with the
last blare of horn, Nell sank In; 4
little heap on the stage-a heap Of
crumpled pink tulle, spangles and
cheap satin. Sweeny growled out 4
word or two about incompetent" 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
it was who saw that her room was
made bright with flowers, wild now-
ers that he gathered in the country
lanes early in the morning. when tho
dew was fresh upon them. He it was
who fetched the doctor from 4 neigh
boring town, and who paid for such
delfcacies as could be obtained at the
general store on Main street.
! q The day she was able to sit up In
the big, old:fashioned rocking chair
beside her bed the RUDE brought q
magnificent bunch of roses and q
/ large box of bonDons 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 1t
with the tips of his fingers and in q
faltering voice hesitated and stumbled
through a proposal of marriage.
-. Maybe I'm q Rube, little girl; but
! kin take keer of you. Come home
with me, home to the farm. and rest
all you want to. l don't ask you to
love me, yet; but Just come 'en let
me keer for you like would my own
little sister, II had one"
Nell buried her face In tho roses:
their perfume filed the room. With
q rush of feeling she knew she loved
this man; this "Rube" that all her 40.
sociates had ridiculed and joked
about. But could she marry him?
IL can't marry you. Theo-
I'm not good enough to be your wife.
You are too .good-too honest for 4
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 % they 70.
turned his gaze. ...
+ ''Little Nell," he said, II amt mar.
ryin' the girl you have BEEN. I want
the girl you are; the gentle, honest,
sweet girl that know 10 your real
self. You must .forgit everything that
happened to you before today. Don't
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 M
and we'll 90 back home WIN You.
Nell?" ..... -. l.. =
Il needn't tell. you about my life:
that other life on the Stage3' =
mot q word. You begin to live to
day new life a. my wife. Mrs.. The
ophilus Sykes." :. -.
Her body swayed forward and" Shl
buried her face on his shoulder. 4
little ray Of sunlight failing through
the window made her fair hair appear
like halo above her pretty head.
r -
Took Him q His Word. i. h
A negro bricklayer In Macon, ca.