The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-30
The Epening Story
Ealconer's Fan.
(By Dorothy Dougias.)


(By Dorothy Dougias.)
Jimmy Falconer had come to the
conclusion that the world was nc
place for him to live In There SEEM
! ed no one in all the universe who rec
ognized q good play and FAlconer mao
nothing else to offer In exchange Tor
living save original manuscripts.
He had struggled ~ nine out OF ten
really good writer's do struggle 10!
recognition. yet managers had turned
him down without 10 much Al READ
Ing. AS Falconef watched the proouc-
ton Of bad play after bad play he real
ICED that money and Influence were the
assets behind the great theatrical
game. And Falconer possessed neitn-
er OF these attributes toward success
In their stead he had genius ana tenn
i, perament-gifts that had given nan'
nothing save failure and poverty.
Falconer's body was underno0risheu
even as his mind was over tnteii1gent'
The managers who did read his plays
pronounced them too "htghbrow ano
could not see that the public was mum
CRY for good drama. Thus FaiconeI
wayside from sheer exhaustion or toai
with his hands Life would mean NJ
tie to him without the expre:sion OF
the dramatic instinct within nim' ~
he cared little whether or not ne
ceased to exist in the world OF living
men.
AS he came forth from partic-
ularly insulting managers office WIN
his manuscript under his ARM Ea;
coner decided to spend what sna..
change he had on q good meal: Sin = s
he was to fling fame to the vino ne
felt that his physical body wouio ~
least require strength before attempt
ing to wrestle with finance.
While he sat In the restaurant, con.
sumed by a despair 30 hopeless ma
the food before him seemed az naus.'
his ears habitually attuned Tor iraS
menta of conversation, caught tne
drift OF a dialogue at the next taorS,
His neighbors were botn oaIntIS
charming girls, but OF their =.
ance Falconer was not conscious ~
was the words spoken "
senses were keyed: sn.,red
.aTo think" said the golden. naireo
one. that my brother Is simply 0es.
perate for q really good play arg III liz
not one out of the hundreds zen. mn -
il worth while. He has notnlns ~
eon-at least nothing suitable ior ne!
Wonderful talent" The girl snruseo
a nair of exquisitely gowned snoulo-
ers. .,... are
always crying out about tne .' "a real.
given them by managers wnen IN
itv thew haven't the goods, Iaus"eu
the less serious of the two g1rls.
E.Iconer felt his blood stop courslne
through his veins. At least IL seenheo
as IL something frightfui were hAppsn
ing within him. since he coulo nei.lae !,
approach those two innocent ss an ~
thrust his manuscript upon Snem' hoh
"a anv way md out who the anaeel
,,ght he who was desperate Tor play
oranges Moony" groaned FalconeE
..the very incarnation OF my Helen. ny
part was positively conceived a1ount
her personality" He sat 90 stii tna'
even his breath seemed petrineu.
Suddenly and without ~als ~
two iris arose and left the restaurant.
Esoiconer was possessed by an insane
des,re 10 crv out after them. He knew
that he had BEEN poised TO seize tne
neurological moment and that ms
courage had failed him. Wtnout1 ens
strength to snatch that WHOM was OIL
fered him he. too. arose anu
left the restaurant.
The two girls were standing In mo-
mentary indecision at the door, ana as
thew made up their minds to take the
Rroadwav car FalcOner also Doaroeu
+het conveyance, although he was In no
way conscious Of what his next step
would be. He only knew tnat ne auS'
keep those girls In view.
when thew left the car at Seventy
eighth street he. too. got on ana Ioi,
lowed whittier they led. Some mino
onnarentlv other than his cwn was
euiding his footsteps. When the griis
would have gone up the snort nisns
Of steps leading to the door OF Drown
stone residence Falconer suooenIy
knew he was about to play his last
card.
II was with almost involuntary action
that he stumbled and fell headlong on
the pavement.
OH" cried Elise Parker. the goioen
haired one of the two. that poor man:
She rushed swiftly down the stairs ano
leaned over Falconer. He mas nust nAs
head" she said, while with tendeI
Ancers she smoothed back the hair from
a 6eep cut on the dramattsts heao.
run in and see II brother Is in-we Will
have to carry this man INSIDE. she
! commanded her sister. while she drew
Falconer's unconscious head onto hei
zap. ,.h
Even had he been In robust heaitn
the knock he had sustained WOulO
have left him semi-consciOus. AS II
was. with his poor body only one
tenth nourished and his mental state
bordering on a breakdown. Falconel
| did not open really sane eyes until
nine weeks had slipped into the past
| When that sane moment arrived ne
opened his eyes upon a scene OF won
derful grandeur. The room was a
bower Of roses. To Falconer 1t was a.
| If he had passed int the realm OF
unreal things. Even the girl, with heI
joyful supply OF life. whom he found
i sitting quietly beside his bed seemed
a being beyond the ken OF morta
man. =:
! "Oh!" A soft sigh of relief was the
first sound that greeted Falconer's
ears as he awakened in the conscious
world.
! He asked the usual question, Where
am II" and gaxed at the girl.
| You are In our house." Elise an
swered quickly. you had bad tai
| and we have taken care of you here
But why are you SO wonderfully
good to a stranger? have not 8
cent nor even a knowledge of where
to get one"
! The tende- Less in the girls v0ict