Evening star., 1915-03-14

shall tyke her plyce! Hi feel it my duty to
stand beside my 'usband in such case e bein'
'ighly susceptible, poor Grace, and those
i'm wherever e goes! So tell me- once and
for hall, is there 'ussy with imp"
Mrs. Bruto," said Maxey, "there is not!
And if | have my way, there won't be-
"Hi 'ope not" she said. Hi am not keen
to perform; though if Hi say so myself when
Hi do there's some does it less successful
than me. Why, in Birming'm, as me card
states truthfully, they called me the Brum-
magem Belle, an in Manchester"
81 believe every word of it, Mrs. Bruto,"
said Maxey, cutting her short from the
narration of her triumphs; "but you don't
need to worry about your husband while
he's in my charge"
"And you give me your word there's no
female in the hact with imp"
lady" said Maxey, opening the door,
"come with me and prove it for yourself!'
She swished by him to the elevator, dis
daining the offer of his arm.
"Hm!" said he to himself "I can see
who's the real strong man in this family, all
right"
WIHOS the chicken?" asked Benny,
w when they arrived at the theater and
Mrs. 'Iggins hurried to her husbands dress
ing room, where he was enjoying moments
rest from his labors.
Maxey told him. "And, believe me-" he
said, cts good thing for you you amt
your sister, because she's that jealous of
poor old Bruty she'd throw fit if she eyer
catched him lookin' at copy O the Ladies
Portfolio"
Mr.. and Mrs. Grace 'Iggins-which
Bruto confessed was his real name-came
out of the dressing room. There was a
smile-grim, but yet a slnile-on the face
of the Brummagem Belle, and Maxey saw
that her suspicious were lulled. But he cut
the rehearsal short
"It's case O hustle, Bruto," he told his
star. "Mr Schell wants to see the act to-
morrer, and we gotter be ready. Benny,
you see about the new costumes quick, and
I'll get the setting up here tonight. So
come on downtown, everyone.
"Just mo-" said Bruto. "Wholl 'elp me
with me truck? Hi cawn't leave it ere
you'll have to handle it yourself today,
then, said Maxey. "Come on, Benny
need youp
"But listen!' said Benny, as they went
downtown in the subway. "1f you amt
goin ter leave her go on,-an' l don't blame
you,-w who're you goin ter get for Bruto's
helper?"
you're elected unanimous" said Maxey.
"You gotter," he insisted, as Benny looked
doubtful; "at least till the openin. For
Heavens sake don't throw me down now!
| got enough to worry about, swingin
Starr & Gaylord to leave me take them vel
vet curtains out without payin' fer 'em in
advance"
THE tryout next day was tremendous
success. To be sure, Schell himself did
not get there; but he sent Charley Hamill,
his right-hand man, and it went off SWIM
mingly. At the close of it Charley called
N1axey to the back of the house, and said,
patting him on the back:
"Maxey, it's all right. It's a good act, and
you got it dressed something great. Them
velvet curtains alone would be worth hun
dred a week, for the class they give. AS for
this new What's His Name, that guys a
world beater, and why he's never been
brought over before don't know. l s'pose
mebbe half what he does is fake; but what
do we care if he can pull 'em in public and
get away with it?"
ooh, he can," said Maxey. Gas for their
bein' fakes, l give you my word
"All right I'm goin' ter tell Billy you We
come acrost in grand style, and you know
that means bookin' right off the reel. But
the's one thing
Maxeys heart sank. There always was