Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-12
THE MIDLANDERS
By CHARLES TENNEY JACKSON
Author of Che Day Of Souls, My Broihsr'' Keeper Etc
CHAPTER Xx-Continued.
>, The Bobbs-Merrin Company

Hll| CHAHTEh Ah-SOntihu0u'
The young man was unfolding pa
per from his pocket. And suddenly q
fear shot through. Curran that it had
to do with the hushed story OF Lad
eau's. They had kept It well quiet, yet
II haunted his counsels. But Harlan,
his voice cool. spoke of another mat
ter.
wiley, did you see this from the
Chicago papers?"
Wiley took the review Of last weeks
opening of The Girl and The Burglar.
he stined 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. Aurelie!
Saved the first night" gasped Cur
ran. "And I've been on the road and
never heard a word Of 1T"
The grim young man silently ex-
tended other clippings. The review
ers were surprised. felicitous. Cohan
& Snitz had "got by" with musical
comedy that had been on its last
legs until the Chicago opening. And
a new face--a girl with funny per-
sonality had pulled 1t through. A
girl who sang and laughed with a
happy audacity. A refreshing per-
SON who had no ingenue tricks. no
footlight mannerism-nothing ex-
cept laughter and ignorance OF con-
vention. The reviewers suddenly re-
called 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 & SMITHS pub
licity bureau seized as only drowning
Hebrew manager can seize on a
drowning forty Thousand dollar show.
They flung it broadside; they scream
ed it, on every fence. The star roar
ed and resigned. 1t did her no glory.
Cohan & Snitz would have deified
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 hap
py-go-lucky verve.
Mr.. Curran laid down those clip
pings and wiped his eyes. Where
have I been?" he gasped again.
Asleep"
Read on" demanded Harlan.
Aurelie had been interviewed by
the Times. She said she was from
Rome, Iowa, but adored q bull-pup
and lobster Newburgh. She was In
terviewed for the Telegraph-Sun-
day, first page, supplement, speciall!
posed photos and a sketch by Max
and said she liked all the Johnnies
and used their notes to stuff a pill
low for the bull-pup. Next day, de-
clared the veracious publicity bu'
reau, she received eight pups from
eight millionaires and fifty masf
notes.
Wiley laid down the clippings once
more. 'The dear kid" he murmur'
ed. Eight million pups and eigh
million millionaires-Td not care!
He looked up to meet Harlan's eyes
"And two months ago she was living
in New York-cooking oatmeal ovel
a gas-jet! She's a humdinger!"
Humdingers are not in the Val
Hart genealogy. In 1742, Ebeneze
Van Hart married Agatha Ann Bun
ker, indentured servant The Mrs
Van Harts Of today never read tn
paragraph on page twenty-eight abou
Agatha Ann. one-time humdinger.
Harlan broke out wrathfuily
Wiley! You rejoice at it,"
81 reckon! The dear kid-let ne
20 on lust joyously! All she's done
The money she's sent back to Limo
storms to pull 'em all through! An
now she's got Uncle Mich's pat' le
paid for-at last. And Uncle Mic
sent Peter in to ask me to come ou'
A regular party to christen Mich
leg-that's what Aurelie said W
must have-with flowers and laugh
ter and everybody happy!"
Young Mr.. Van Hart rose. 1t wa
no use to quarrel with Wiley when HI
eyes were shining so! No use to re
mind him Of congress. No use I
charge him with making a fool
himself.
But Harlan shouted from the dool
"Aurelie-you got her into this! An
YOU ought to know how girls get
in these music shows-the only way
No he shouted on passionately-
you don't love her-it's a joke"
The editor stood up and wiped n
glasses and looked after Harlan's re
treating figure. Love her? Cor
found the boy!" He knocked n
pipe out on the desk edge. Hey
o! III was twenty-one-" he sighe'
But when I was twenty-one thel
was Janet, and 1 went out to see u
tinsel world" he sighed again. "Ar
Aurelie and her tinsel show! Yet
reckon I'm glad I'm what 1 am!
After supper he went up the olu
road. Along this trail she had CON
flying to him in her despair. ADO
were the hills in whose autumn glol
she had robed her loneliness. The
the bleak field about the Lindstor
cottage lay. Out Of all this mease
ness she had come. And he had III
ed her!
Even Lndstorm, gaunt and siler
welcoming him from the ravenii
dogs, could not chill his jubilanc
He waved the papers toward y
Mich. The household stared at hil
Hear this-all Of you!" And
began reading the tale Of Aureit
glory. Even John was stilled. A
bert's pale eyes shone. Old Michig'
waved his peg-leg.
Done comet" he crowed. Ju
as Captain Tinkletoes and me said
was! Aurelie'd done occupy all {
lands and states and countries! Al
1 done got the new leg she's be-
buyin, Mr.. Wiley. But I amt goi
to wear it. It's too fine and shir