The Southern indicator. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1903-1925, 1914-04-11
OUT F0R A. LARK
How the Stage Lost Two Shining
Ornaments After Trip to
Bohemia.
BY LELAND COLBY.

JONI AHu OF course DOtn DecaEle very
much stagc-struck. Both dreamed of
Thcspian careers-and both secretly
resolved to go on the stage.
Both were clever. too, and could act
in amateur theatricals. But each
was violently opposed to tao other
adopting Il stage career. He, being a
tritlo worldly-wisc, thought the stage
not at all tho proper place for his
promised wife. and she. knowing that
lie waah triie world!y-wisr, thought
the stage not at all the place for him.
- The consequence was that each
sAnncd secretly and persistcntly to
IAAnge into the magic world of Stage
slAhd without letting thu other know
about it.
sss One day John acquired Il great idea.
II cannot become a full-liedged actor
;at once said he to himself Like
unto all professions or occupations, I
trow it is necessary to start at tho
bottom. Next week the great spcctac-
ular production. 'CtOpia,' opens at the
Grand, md they are advertising for
extras. or course this means simply
an opportunity to 80 on the stage and
carry spear OF Il gun or TO appear III
evening dress III some sort of So
ciety scene, but at any rate it would
be some SCrt CT Il start and would
accustom one to the glare OF the foot
lights So John applied for the op-
portunity to act as IN extra" in the
"univcrse" and was promptly accept
ed when the aStutc third assistant
stage manager, to whom was given
the task OF securing extras" learned
that he was the posSessor Of a dress
suit and knew how to wear it. So
John began the task of rehearsing
along with all the rest OF the mob
who had been secured to make the
great White House reception scene.
Now John was 4 comely fellow and
bore all the earmarks of the gentle
man he was. Hence It was not
the soubrette Of the cast, looked twice
or thrice in his direction and that his
vigorous and virile manhood moved
him to return the gaze In kind. Nor
is it strange that after the rekearsals
were 4 few days old John found him
self one fine afternoon buying nice
little supper for Miss Floy, and after
that 1t is not strange at all that SIM
liar suppers should follow and-well,
to tell the truth. quite an audacious
little nirtation which lasted past the
days of rehearSalS and ran into chop
suey suppers after the performance
quite as regular thing. And had
you seen Miss Floy and observed what
a dainty little thing she was you
would not wonder at all, am sure.
Along toward the end Of the first
week Of the production Of utopia"
there was most Scandalous row on
among the extras" the result Of which
was that several Of the lady members
of this august body departed in high
anger and with speed accelerated by
means known only to assistant stage
managers. Whercupon there appeared
more advertisements in the papers for
"eNtras" Of the female. persuasion who
were possessed Of the sort Of clothes
suitable for appearance in tho great
White House reception scene
Now, as the fatcs would have it.
May saw this innocent appearing liz
tie adlet In the very respectable and
conservative evening paper from
which her father gathered his infor-
nation Of the stock market. And.
curiously enough. the same line OF
reasoning popped into her perverse
little head which had drawn John into
the inaelstrom OF stageland She had
seen the production and knew just
what the scene was there for which
the extras" were required. She had
the clothes, goodness knows, and
plenty of experience in society mat
ters to carry herself. What an op-
portunity to get back of the magic
footliEhts and see for herself how it
felt. Just the opportunity to make a
start-and it could bo done so easily
and without publicity. She flew to
her bosom friend. Marcy Phelps, and
outlined her audacious plan. And
Marcy, although shocked and not at
all approving. thought it rare lark
and entered into the conspiracy.
SO it happened On The following day
that Miss May announced with all the
assurance Of an only daughter that
she had decided to 80 over and stay
with Marcy for week. True her
mother was trfle lnystified at the
extent OF the wardrobe May deemed
necessary to take for weeks stay
with a girl friend, but a severe sus-
gestion regarding amateur theatricals
silenced that question, and the next
morning at ten o'clock May found
herself standing in the dismal line
waiting for an interview with the as
sistant stage manager. 1t was a sim
pie matter to secure the job when