The Western outlook., 1915-05-01
TOO MUCH WARNING
If Parents Had Not Preached
Harry Might Not Have
Done 1t.
By DONALD ALLEN.

had married an actress and thereby
broken his mothers heart and caused
his father to hang his head In shame
The actress was a chorus girl on
salary of fourteen dollars per week
and she spent her money for choco
lates and left her poor husband te
bear all the expenses Of the FIAT or
his ten. When he could no longer dc
SO, having been disowned by his
father, the wife ran away with
butcher who wouldn't give even his
best customer a chunk of cat meat.
Mr. Frayne didn't take on so very
much about this affair, 1t being MS
busy day, but when he read the same
sort of affair again three months later
with the addition that the ruined hus
band had hung himself to bedpost
he turned to his wife.
And we've got son growing up,
he said
"Yes, and he's now twelve years
old" was sighed.
do you think l had better speak to
him about it?"
II would. You cannot begin with
boy too early"
And so young Harry Frayne was
called into the library and told these
two cases, and learned that they were
only two out of hundreds of like ones
and then the question was put to him
with all parental sternness.
Young man, would you marry an
actress?"
But never saw one, papa" was
the puzzled answer.
THAT makes no difference-woulo
your"
IL guess not"
IF you ever do, sir, | shall disowr
you"
''Then / won't"
No one in the Frayne household
unless it was the cook, who would
have married an actor right off and
taken her chances Of being choppeo
up with an axe the next week, ever
attended theater. 1t therefore hap
pened that when young Harry had
reached the age Of twenty-one anc
was starting for Chicago to enter a
railroad office, his father did not think
1t necessary to post him on any more
tragedies of the theatrical profession
81 shouldn't hang around the vesti
bule of theater if l were you," he
said by way of advice.
mo, sir"
Because an actress in front of the
house is just as dangerous as one on
the stage"
Even If you don't speak to herr
Even So"
''Miss Barrymore dangerous"
II have said that they are all dan
gerous."
''But why are they, father?"
BE careful, sir, or / shall think
you are taking an interest ] will
answer this one question for you. II
is because they eat late suppers and
receive bouquets from brokers. Ii
you do not care to read evenings,
there is the Y M. c. A."
A wooden-headed man would be
prepared for the natural sequence.
The evening of the young mans ar
rival was spent in his room The
next one found him at theater. He
entered with fear and trembling. He
was rather surprised that at least
six actresses were not on hand to
welcome him. Such as were in the
play on the stage acted with just as
much propriety, and he quickly OBJ
served that they were far>>better look
ing than the girls in the audience.
why, there are rich people here
and nice people!" said young Frayne
to himself as he looked the house
over. IT wonder what father and
mother are so down on actresses
for"
And for the next year, except when
his father visited Chicago, 1t was
always two nights a week at the
theater and sometimes three, and then
the young man had an actress pointed
out to him on the street or in a
restaurant, but he thought them more
reserved than any other class. 1t was
months before he happened to be in
PRODUCED to one, and then by accident
and not by her stage name. They had
a few minutes talk and though her
face and voice seemed familiar, it was
when he saw her on the stage again
that he fully identified her.
Young Frayne had good society
backing, and the more he talked with
people of social standing about the.
atrical people the more he wondered
at the opinions held by his parents.
1t was at gathering of distinction
that he again met Miss Bell. and they
sat together long enough to become
quite well acquainted.
It was then that the young man
learned from her own lips that he
had made the acquaintance of an
actress and no chill ran over him. nor
did he find himself gasping for breath
He found her not only winsome but
broad-minded and well educated and
well posted.
And ever since my boyhood | have
been taught to dread them" he said
to himself as he walked home that
night
His father and mother arranged
that when he had his summer
vacation they should go away to-
gether. and one day in July found
them at Lakeside hotel A day or
two later brought Miss Bell, though
she had no idea that he was there
There were guests that knew her. and
people were discussing her before
young Frayne had a hint of her pres
ence 1t came from his father and
mother first