The Springfield herald., 1914-10-09
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
CRY FROM AUDIENCE
By BEATRICE YORK 4ovaHron.
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BY BEATRICE YORK HoUoHToN.
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The woman with the wistful eyes
looked round the theater. then turned
to her companion with sigh.
He. however, was intently studying
the program. and his frowning brow
did not invite Interruption. 20 she
turned once more to the stage.
She felt distinctly aggrieved that on
this. one of the rare nights whom they
afforded q trip to the vaudeville. there
should be anything dull In any OF the
performances. The wistfulnsss Of her
eyes showed how she longed for any
thing that might break the monoton-
Gus routine OF her life.
The man. who was William Trail
and hen husband. whispered fmpA-
tiently: DO stop ndgeting. Evelyn" :"
Its such . poor show" she whis-
pered back.
The next stunts sure to be good. !"
he replied. You can't expect every
thing to be hrst-class, especially in .
stock performance"
Evelyn looked up at the singer i'm
patiently. wondering how much longer
the song would be. Then she was
caught and held BY the actress ut
ter lack of verve, by her listlessness
and evident distaste for her employ
ment.
Evelyn watched the singer with .
new interest She was Mile. de Bray
on the program. danseuse and raccn-
teuse.
Mile de Bray began on the chorus
of her song and on the half-hearted
gyrations which evidently established
her claims to q danseuse.
Evelyn yawned behind her r-ogram
and glanced at her husband. His
frown made her feel like a very small,
very naughty girl.
The singer began on tho second
verse OF her song.
Then there happened somethi g
which stirred the entire house.
brought William Trail from his frown-
ing displeasure with a start. and
reused Evelyn to the eagerest inter
est.
For little girl. one of the late COM
ers, had jumped to her feet with a
tense cry of Joy.
my mammal" she shrieked excit-
edly. "Oh, 1t is-it is my mammal
The woman upon the stage stopped
singing as though shot. She looked
like an automaton suddenly galvan-
ICED into life.
Her fate expressed rapidly the
| ~ -
on-comprehension. to the dawning OF
Joy almost too great
In the dead silence the elderly
woman with the child could be heard
hushing her to silence. while the little
thing. half-abashed. began to cry.
Helen" breathed Mile. de Bray a,
last. "Oh, Helen. can 1t be you! The
lights blind me. but surely. surely that
was your voice. Speak to me again
my darling-my darling"
The agonized tones rose to a scream
of duplication.
The audience sat breathless. The
elderly woman, embarrassed past en-
durance. rose and began to push the
unwilling child down the aisle.
The little girl made desperate
|
herself free Sobbing loudly. she ran
toward the stage.
Mile. de Bray leaned far out over
the footlights. and the child reached
up her tiny arms. The first violinist
lifted her high. and in another mo-
ment she and the singer were clasped
in a close embrace.
There was nothing left of droning
lifelessness about the singer now. All
woman and all mother. In utter self.
forgetfulness she sobbed and cooed
over the little girl
The elderly woman In the aisle
spoke In troubled tones.
II s'pose you must be her mother,
she said doubtfully.
"Oh, l AMI am" cried Mile. de
Bray. lifting a radiant face to the
eager crowd. Then a realization OF
her position seemed to dawn upon
her.
'I ask your pardon" she cried.
springing to her feet. and still retain
ing her hold upon the child as though
afraid to let her go
Il owe you all the explanation" she
began, and her voice and her face
| were alive and glowing, ana her
charm was unmistakable. II lost my
little Helen six months ago. There
was an accident. you remember? A
street car collided with a taxi. You
surely remember"
She paused as though for answer
and then resumed .
II was hurt. They carried me up to
the hospital and all that know is, that
when I woke up from my long illness
no one could tell me anything at all
about my little girl. They thought
that had dreamed her"
Suddenly her manner changed from
the joyous to the accusing. She ad-
dressed herself to the elderly woman
still standing uncertainty in the aisle.
And you kept my baby" she cried.
You kept her from me when my