South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-14
LTHEA sTANDEN shut the door
\ OF her fat with a little bang.

n OF her fat with a little bang
and ran lightly downstairs.
A taxi was waiting outside. In
readiness 10 take her 70 the Galaxy
Theatre. where she had been leading
sctreFs for seven OF the ten years that
she had played there.
But on the second landing she
came 90 an abrupt standstin and
stared hard ~ a child who was peep
ing wistfully through the haIf-opened
door OF the fat Immediately below
her own.
Us 90 an sngelr' she asked. IN a
stage whisper.
Gracious. not" laughed AIthea.
What made you say thatY she
asked. gently.
Cause. II ask daddy when I sail
see muvver. he always says. when an
angel tones for 90, and"--pressin
a conhding little arm on Aitnea's knee
The said We angel would have pity
gold hair. so I fort II must be 90"
A mist rose before Althsa's eyes.
And what Is Jour manner"
Betty" came the prompt response.
Betty T'evor."
Althea's face whitened. and with a
sharp exclamation she bent down and
looked more closely at the childs
winsome features. Could IT be-was
Il possible-that this was John Ire
vor's chiid7 The child OF the man
whom. ten years ago. she had refused
because she considered that love and
marriage were but hlndrances and
stumbling blocks 70 art and ambition?
She refused him whilst loving him
with all her heart
That had been FIVE long weary years
ago. but Althea had never forgotten
she never could.
For the moment Althea forgot
everything II was only subconscious-
" that she became aware OF mans
Quick step mounting the stone stairs
OF the mansions. and II was not until
his voice was in her ear that she came
hack 70 realities and found herself
looking once more ever the bridge OF
years on the face OF the man she
loved
john
"AltheaF'
The music OF his voice was In her
ears again, turning her faint and
dizzy with JOY; she lifted shining eyes
TO his.
cried. enclosing her hands in {. close,
warm clasp before releasing them
was going TO look you up tomorrow
lis II stall the same old address?
Althea shook her head
The mans face shadowed: he
pressed the curly head TO his side and
looked at Althea with clouded eyes
Her own were filled with a passion
OF sympathy.
It's true. Them" she murmured.
You have lost herr
Two years ago In india" was the
brief reply. ItIr
The taxi driver from below ap-
peared at her elbow with a respectful
intimation that she had only Just
time TO reach the theatre.
What Is the play7" asked John
over the banisters as she hurried
down the stairs.
The Ladder OF Fame" she said.
with slow distinctness.
1t was only by a lucky chance that
John Trevor was able TO secure a seat
From end to end the theatre was
packed with an audience eager TO
witness play that had been in
everyOne's mouth for months and was
proving a record success.
No one was allowed TO know that II
comprised the story OF five years OF
the authors own life. beginning at
the bottom rung OF the ladder and
ending AT the top.
Had the audience been let into the
secret they would have known why
Althea Standen-incompara actress
that she Was-rose to such superb
heights In her portrayal Of the
heroine
After the rise OF the curtain. the
first scene had rot progressed more
than Ave minutes before Trevor's in