The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-09-25

~ ~ CuIt Melissa lrIpp WIS
STRICKEN with her first attach;
OF stage fright. which tool; the form
! Of nervous chllis. nicky rOIser. Ills
occupation more or less gone. arose ut
/. rosy dawn, enpticd his own cellaret
and those III The Sheraton aud Art
N0lycau r0oms aud fell downstairs.
ana Tickets johnson lost the c0aduc-
tors score OF the music. At the final
rehearsal that day two OF the most I'm
portaut chorus. girls left 81 vawuing saN
! in the ranks by their failure 10 appear.
Miss Deroc utterly refused to 90 ON
that night unless they settled in her
favor the Ilotmcn: Of the star dress,
| Ing room now III dispute between her.
self and McliSs; Trip. The electrician
who had reliearsel nil the light effects
burned his band. a now grip man
roEed one or the heroic sized papIcr
mache goats through the rear wall 1f
the temple. and the stage manager had
Il fight with Willis Lawrence. the biz
Nasso.
| Through all these triAing incident,
Violet Bonnie. though working like .
stone crusher and meeting each death
! blow as 1t came up With II fierce energy
that should have belonged only to dc.
spHir, retained m amazing cheerful.
| aess, which was explained when, over
! the hasty sandwich that formed her
! dinner, she observed 10 tic only COM
panion who was unruillcl enough OF
disposition TO remain with her through
| 1t all:
"BInckic. it's Il pine: Never in the
history Of the Big Lane was there 81
! production that started Oft with so
many signs OF being Il winner. If
we'd had Il smooth rehearsal this
morning and everything else had gone
off MS gay as an election bet wine fest
I'd have been out right now ordering
a calla lily Rock of Ages and being
| measured for my Grape"
At 7:l7, however. she sent hurry
/ up call for RIHclilc. who was already
! in the lobby with WaIlin2ford. El0at.
ing scrcncly over the advance sale
fastening lack. l'Iacliic found Violet
Bonnie seated in lonely state upon
! the temple steps OF the gorgeous first
| act set.
Its all over, Blackie," she said. with
suT lips which somehow stretched
anu pulled and numbly hurt as she
tried to form the words. Somebody
has sure put Dutch lex on this
show" and she twisted Il lace kcr-
chief into Il rough little string.
Cheer up" begged Rlackie, respond
ing nobly, though with a sinking heart.
to this new demand upon his cheerful
ness. "Thc fatalities may not be 50
great as at first reported Who mixc.l
mp the switchboard this timr?"
"Delancyr' she GuIpcd.
delaney? What's lie kicking
| about:"
Cramps" she walled. Cramps.
log-gonc him! Just got II note that
he's had three doctors, and guess +
plumber, trying to take the kinks our
Of his stomach. but he can't be 10
paired in time"
'IIOw inconsiderate OF him. mum.
blud Blaciic politely, still trying to be
brave. "Why. he's the grand lama"
lie exclaimed, awakening suddenly to
tie enormity of the blow. This show
can't so on without 81 lama. What are
yOu going to do. girl:"
"Do:" SHE half shrielicd. "I'm go
ing up to Squnmosctt and stranglN
Martha Trip with her own cockscrcW
curlsw And suddenly for the first
time in her life she gave way to com-
plctc despair ana threw her arms
around Blackie's neck and sObbel-
actually sobbGd!
BIackie WAS scared to pale Nile
green. "Chccr mp" he begged, with
Il feeble imitation Of his usual tlippant
heartineSs and ratted her automattcal-
IL upon the shoulder. Cheer up. vi.
SHY. for the love OF Mike. cheer up or
I'll go dippy mysclr!'' And he looked
about lin wildly for some place to sit
| down, for Violet was no bantam. ana
she WAS leaning her full weight against
him.
"Thc Lama's Goat might hive
come to premature demise, there and
then, had not the distracted stage
| manager inviEoratcd Violet by burst
ing upou them Mt TINT moment.
Now the devil is to pay!" lie bawled
out. 'Luwrence's boots for the second
net have just come in, and they're an
inch too short. What in Texas are we
going to do about it?"
Saw his toes orr' ordered Violet
turning firrccly upon hin.
But protested the stage man
agar.
,'Shut up" she cried. a told YOU
what to do; 80 and do it. And If you
bother me any more I'll drop the as
bcStOs curtain drum on you. say,
get out. Blnckie, lick him."
sure accepted Blackte. glad for
my relief from his own surcharscd
feelings. ana lie made Il dnsh for the
stage manager, who beat him M the
stairs by two lengths and locked him
self in I.awrcncc's dressing room.
Buckin returned apologeticully. "Hc
got away from me-" lie explained in
some shame. but I'll watch ut the
foot Of the stairs till lie comes out, IL
1t takes nIl night