South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-02-23
THIRD YEAR OF
MARRIED LIFE.

'Oh, that isn't real" murmured
Helen as the curtain went down amid
uproarious applause. People don't
talk like that
Mr.. Travis laughed cor course
not You don't expect stage dialogue
10 be what people say in real life. do
yOu?"
But the program saws a Realistic
Drama OF Every day Life"
Hum. we'd all have nervous pros
tration ln a week IL we lived our
everyday life like that. They take
the most artificial and far-fetched
plays nowadays and etamp them
PLAYS Of everyday life
what are you two people COM
planning abOut2" demanded Mrs.
Stevens, who had been scrutinizing
through her opera glasses some peO-
pie in the opposite box.
"Oh. we've been discussing the I'M
realities OF the realistic play laugh
ed Mr. Travis.
oh. who wants % see realism on
the stage? The less like real life
play Is the most pleasant i'm be-"
That's a nice cheerful thought,
observed Mrs. Stevens.
Well. isn't il true that we come TO
the theater for amusement and dis
traction-not to have the sOrdid
commonplaCeness OF our own lives
faithfully photographed"
Pm not so sure about that, ans
wered Mr. Travis 1T seems 10 me
there's a certain grim satisfaction in
knowing that other peoples lives are
as sordid and unpleasant as your
own"
\ ThoughtIcss Remark
But just now j don't feel that life
IS sordid or unpleasant
Helen regretted this statement as
uh Ia Nrc
Stevens laughed triumphantly.
"Oh YOU don't. Why dear. you're
improving! / thought Mr.. Travis and
L could drag YOU out OF your shell"
Helen flushed and nervOusly open
ed and shut the little white fan she
carried. She resented the Mr..
Travis and j" Was Mrs. Stevens de-
Mr.. Travis Was this why she ar
ranged the box party"
But here the curtain rose on the
third act and Helen's thoughts were
turned TO the stage. CuriOusly enough
the play dealt with the love of a
man for a married woman whose
husband did not love her. There were
"A number of scenes in which ne urged
her TO get her freedom, but for her
child's sake she refused.
While there was no real similarity
IN this play to her own life, yet Helen
felt sure that Mrs. Stevens was draw
ing some comparison. Mrs. Stevens
had never liked Warren. She had
happened 10 call one day and found
Helen crying after one of Warren's
irritable outbursts, and had started
then To say what she thought of him
but Helen had Indignantly silenced
her.
And now had Helen not felt that
Mrs. Stevens Ssvas making some com
parisOn between the play and her
own life, she would have enjoyed the
evening immensely. She had only
been in the box once or twice before,
and il was keenly interesting though
somewhat misunderstanding 10 be near
enough to see the makeup Of the
actors and to get occasional glimpses
Of stage mechanism I'm the wings.
As she turned 10 look over the
crOwGed house. all in darkness save
for the red lights at the exits. she
was stirred with some Of the same i'm
pressions that must thrill the actors.
\ great sea OF white faces. filled the
orchestra, balcony and gallery, and
the breathless silence and nervous
tension Of many people seemed to
charge the air.
There never was a woman who did
not at some time long for the
glamour and thrill of the fOOt-lights,
and who did not secretly believe she
mad in her the elements of a great
actress. And now for a moment
Helen was foolish enough to feel
vaguely some such longing.
ut isn't as anuring as it seems,
whispered Mr.. Travis. who had been
keenly watching her face.
Mental TeIepathy.
Helen started and looked at him