Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-11
THE DAILY STORY
Plotting With Paula


strength OF woodman's love.
The evening before John had hung over
Clarioe Joyce and had seemed 20 proud
OF the girl who had entertained a room
full OF guests by her wonderful singing.
John admires clever women" Paula's
mother had once told her daughter. HE
is the kind Of man who would be proud
OF a wife who was not a mere nobody"
Like me-" Paula said with tears in
her voice
you are the ioveliest ana sweetest ana
dearest girl In the whole OF the town."
| Paula's mother murmured softly over the
bowed head. III John Woodward isn't
| proud OF you he deserves to lose you.
Clarlce Joyce is a notorious fiirt, and
GLADYS Craven Is so conceited that she
would tire any man in a month talking
about herself" She drew the now weep
ing Paula close to her. You can play
with any conversational ball that is
| flung down." she added, land that Is
more than most women can do. 1t is
an art In itself. dearie."
'Tt doesn't make me famous or get
my picture in magazines or anything"
Paula said and a half smile dawned in
her tear-filled eyes.
who wants to be more famous than
and poor. Resides" Paulas mother add
ed with a laugh, magazine pictures are
so unfat C.ng, That's my own girl,
smile away the tears"
But mother dearle, have always felt
that could do something but / don't
seem to know just what II is''
You are capable of anything. daugh-
ter mine," tho mother said with her
ever encouraging smile. Just you take
a, few hours to yourself and analyEe
your own possibilities. Perhaps the
silence will show you the way to hold
John Woodman's love"
1T will be a splendid source OF inter-
est 10 YOU" she told Paula. Perhaps
there is some plotless author tearing his
poetic locks out for lack of good ma
tertal,"
And you will keep my secret, mother
miner" Paula drew her mother into a
close embrace She felt relieved that she
shared her rather weird mental state. The
visions had at times quite exhausted her
with their reality.
The result of the talk with her mother
was that Paula found her co-author in
the person OF Robert Rylance, a young
writer who was sadly in need of both
mental and physical stimulBs. So vora-
cious was the appetite OF the magazine
upon which he was a member of the stan
that his brain had been drained of every
plot and his body of practically all its
strength. The stories he had evolved and
the continued stories he had begun and
must finish II he was to retain his posi-
ton, had sapped his energy to the full.
Rylance was a sorry wreck when he
knocked at the door of Paula's mentality.
Mrs. Thorne, who was present at the
first meeting of the co-authors, felt her
motherly heart open its great doors 20
the fragments Of a man that Robert Ry-
lance represented. He seemed starved
anti ,nHau AVdN Naat
was for nourishing food for his body The
cup of tea and sandwiches were brought
in before the conversational ball was set
In motion.
When Paula and Robert Rylance met
there was the instantaneous nash that IL
lumines the way TO real and deep friend
ship. Tired and tagged as he undoubtedly
was, Rylance knew that upon meeting
Paula the light had been put TO a fuse
somewhere in his being He became
anSe; more alive than he had been In his
lifetime.
It was foregone conclusion that great
creations of art would follow so cleo
trical a meeting of intellects.
Mrs. Thorne. with insight for the de-
velopment of genius. had suggested that
Rylance make his home with them while
work was progressing. Secretly she
plned TO develop the physical man while
her daughter inspired the mental. The
writing went on in the seclusion of an
attic turned into a den and the world did
not guess the secret that Paula kept
The eo-authors had decided to startle
the city all at once with their stories.
which were TO come out soon after the
production OF a play they had created
They realized that the advertisement pro-
vided by a successful play would make
stories doubly valuable to editors.
The night the play was produced on
Broadway and the house had received
II as a great success, Paula and Rylance
knew for the first time what II meant TO
be famous. They had gone before the
curtain repeatedly hand In hand.
John Woodman. who, of course, was In
the auditorium, felt his head swimming.
Surely Paula, his betrothed, was not the
girl bowling before that applauding crowd.
He drew himself up proudly, as II he
had written the play himself
In the limousine going homeward II
was Rylance who took the seat beside
Paula. As co-authors they felt their place
was beside each other.
Paula's mother tucked the rugs care
fully about the girl
Now just sit quietly and rest. You
two have had trying evening and a
wonderful one" She stepped into the
seat beside her husband. John woodman
had turned rather pettishly away when
he say Rylance beside Paula.
81 am so glad he did not come" Paula
said wearily. II couldn't talk 10 any one
tonight" Quite unconsciously she moved
nearer to Rylance and his body stiffened,
then relaxed, and very tenderiy he drew
Paula's head down on his shoulder while
his arm held her close beside him
TITS no use, darling" he said, quite
ly, 1--WE are born TO be mates: so why
fight against it2 l love you-body and
soul" His lips pressed down against the
softness of her hair.
Eyes, Bobbie," Paula's voice reached
him like gentle sigh. It was a sigh of
oontentment-of complete happiness
(Copvriaht InIb1