Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-24

.e,,. Molne Finnersn. knew as silver liver
,Lstsrsed from her S,-e7aTeeNF S,-e7TTbs F1Yy}ne swat
i BIupsi VAUDEVILLE act. She receives rec the
kwns5,rfnl sum Of si2 wSSek rmr iur sBrhnBIEs
lsncns and gd,ces syihfi his attentions on Silver,
issssft' erst fears to rebum M him l,aibeT,
sSsn he make, ,oIs qn "qSmdi Buring the irst four
h WIN n her new RositlSn % sss ravenousy.
rryio.assgyd ssgyd Of that time her weight: wh9i,GHh
a tns was ~ pounds neSoln1es ,n,ee,,n1 s,yo,,bf
es r Alarms her for the ob% tTSdqSSp' So pSunds. @SS
n ..so sTsl,Tger several times has renewed bis
,drsnces gitn,o1od}5 !'' silver. beside herself
I an entire day rSnFS'nr g,h9'Ht to eshs the thss ae
s.nSSsr' =. for the night performance
,urN she got back TO the stage door
W. feet were heavy, but her head
u.h, outside cigar store, near the
i.sding to the stage door. there
~, vslehlng machine. Silver did not
W. ,,a, these whimsical devices vary
from one another, but from
noe v,Ig aIyes also. All she knew was that
nsmsv asyns solemn dial that yesterday reg
No. us "a her weight as lis pounds, now,
ss night and day, and fasting and
rnsl,,s.ge, r.s. proclaimed her weight at lii.
~. crent down the black alley of de-
~ md her knees we're hardly able to
~. ~ IN her dressing room; her flng-
nN', hardlv managed to doff her street
~ g.',.~s and don her plumage. She top
c.,i' ~ Sovn the stairs just In time for her
~. ~. and she was SO pale that Krug for
W., W. IA trouble her as he snapped the
sook on her belt.
n,ys ~. ourtain rose and the piano roared
"a ,he swallows began to sing and
sssee silver strove to do her part, but
y. soor yrithed and the walls wiggled
10y las 1Ss he audience eddled. She heard the
ss,r swallows upbraiding her. She felt
A. the audience was laughing at her,
.,,o,ctinR her sobriety To be accused
y ihatl Her desperate little mind fought
I'm the mutinous, unpaid and unfed
'.o,ns of her nerves and fought in vain.
ma audience was openly ridlculing her,
"a few women were whooping and
..st,ns with laughter. Bruni was
Isrring back from the front OF the
sousa when the audience suddenly
sushed its noise. Silver collapsed; her
,.lnts gave way one by one from her
sntles up, and she lay outspread on the
,s.rs a pitiful, broken-winged bird.
ira other swallows stared. then moved
"A hsr aid. But just at that moment the
~ arrived for their flight. Tho men at
Ma wires had seen nothing of what had
Mppened and they bent to their task.
me advancing swallows felt themselves
dragged backward irresistibly, then up
they went into the air.
And Silver was lifted too. Still aswoon
and all limp she was gathered up like
hy figure and carried high, hanging
doubled downward from the waist. her
head against her knees and her hands
tapping against her feet.
The stage manager ran the curtain
down Just as Brunl reached the scene.
He was Mortified at the interruption to
Ms sacred rites, but his heart melted at
he sight of Silver. Always n Snowman
first he ordered the rest OF his flock to
stand by to continue and taking Silver in
Ms arms as she was lowered to the stage.
unlocked the wire from her belt. Her
weight amazed him and he staggered
under 1t to the wings, groRning:
"Pe ramor di dlo; my swallow is
soose"
He turned her over to Krug, who
rushed to his assistance: then he made
haste to the footlights to explain to the