Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-02-19
CHAPTER XIV
FIGHTING BLOOD.

The last week of June Mr.. Curran
received this telegram:
Busted at Broken Bow.-Hen."
He showed it to Aunt Abby. and I'm
with a letter from Aurelie for Mr.. Cur
ran to read.
Mr.. Curran sighed. Broken Bow is
a jerkwater station out in the short
grass country. Western Nebraska.
Pretty tough. I've been there-I vas
busted. also"
81 hope.' aid Aunt Abby. that the
child hasn't been compelled to have
anything else cut out, even if it is
busted"
Mr.. Curran explained that this was
merely the theatrical company. Then
they put the telegram away behind the
clock where all Of Aurelie's letters and
press notices We're kept. The next
week came Aurelie's explanation. The
Beauty Winner company was stranded.
All that expensive scenery and the re-
organized troupe had gone for nothing.
Business was very poor. Hen McFet-
ridge explained, and the actors were
clamoring for their salaries. All except
Aurelie who received hers every week
and sent most of it home. Aurelie in
timated that the twins were getting
hard up. She heard frequent discuss
sions of oil and Verde copper stock and
other matters extraneous to art. And
the following week Mr.. Curran. in Earl
vile to see some Of his political con-
freres. was SURPRISED to see Morris
Feldman in front of his 10 and 2O-cent
Main street vaudeville and moving pic
ture house.
Morris rolled his calf ayes COM
placently. Those two big blobs from
Tulare. Cali. Mr.. Curran, what thew
don't know about the show business is
much. believe me. They lone some
fierce things. Why. UP in Bohemian,
Mont. Mr.. Curran. those two big
the hotel and turned everybody out lust
because Miss Lindstrom didn't like the
room h had! Can you beat it? No
body in that hotel except our bunch of
old hams. Say. and Hen and Ben hired
a chef in Denver what stuck 'em for
the troupe because Miss Lindstrom
didn't like a breakfast she got one
morning. And that old bunch of hams
We had playin-some Of them troupers
hadn't had a square meal since 81,
Why. Hen and Ben blew in more mon
ey on cabs some days than we could
play to in a week. And they plunged
OF oil and played poker, n NOBODY
got any salaries: and then they let me
out. They let Hanbury manage the
back OF the house after that; and be-
neve me. anything Hanbury manages
is frazzled before it starts"
Wei. whatll the company do now?'
asked Mr.. Curran.
Walk" commented Ny. Feldman.
And the twins?"
Back to Tulare. OIL"
and Miss Lindstrom?"
Mr.. Fe1dman turned a limpid eve on
Mr.. Curran. Miss Lindstrom. she'll
make good If she ever shakes that crazy
bunch. I said: Little girl. you get the
clothes and go to New York. You got
part"
"Actually?" MI. curran stared.
Believe me. What broke up the
show was the twins got stuck on her.
"What?"
"Dippy. Hen and Ben laid awake
nights thinking how to put it over each
other. Flowers. cabs, candies-every
girl in h bunch was in on it, too.
Aurelie Lindstrom ran that whole show
and the twins paid the bills. Then we
blew up out In Nebraska When 1 left,
them ham actors was trying to walk
out OF the hotel wearing two suits OF
clothes apiece n leaving their trunks
behind: and Hen and Ben were buying