The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-08-21

room door.
What I've attained after 2
years work." she thought, BIZ
terly.
AS she opened the door
stream of hot air rushed out, clos
and weighted with the smell o
grease paints and stored fabrics
The room was fair sized, Blu
three huge trunks took up mucl
of the floor space, and above then
rows of gowns, swatched In sheets
hung from nails.
An elderly woman In a whit,
apron, bending over one of thu
trunks, turned courteously al
Anne entered.
Here already, Minna?" Ann,
said, kindly, IL rather absently
and dropping into the neares
chair. tore open her letter. She
began It eagerly, smiling to her
self, but as she read, her face
clouded.
Poor Elsie! Poor impatient
kiddie!" she sighed aloud, as she
finished it.
But, replacing it in the envel-
ope, she gave little exclamation
of pleasure ana drew out an UNI
mounted photograph. II was the
picture of young girl with fluffy
hair in light summer frock.
Suddenly Anne reached out and
set 1t beside a small framed pho
tograph on the shelf--the only
one the room boosted. That
showed a child, of perhaps s.
Anne leaned forward, studying
the two.
Half hour!" a voice called out
side the door.
She reused herself reluctantly,
and with Minna's help got out of
her street clothes. Then, while
Minna changed her shoes and
stockings, she began the process
of making up. She worked with
the dexterity of long practice, but
her mind was on the photographs.
What do you think of my new
picture?" she asked, at last.
Its lovely, ma'am. Just love-
ly! But haven't seen you wear
that dress yet. Which play is it
for?"
Anne glanced back over her
shoulder in establishment.
why, Minna! You don't think
It's a picture of me, do your"
"Yes, ma'am. OF course" She
re-examined it seriously. ut is,
amt it?"
mo. indeed. It's not a profess
sional picture. That girl is as
and pretty as she looks.
She is my" Anne paused, dean
Ing back and scrutinizing her
in the mirror through
partly closed lids. "She is my sis
ter, Elsie" she finished rather alb
ruptly. "She lives out in Califor-
mia with an aunt of mine"
Your sister," Minna did not
look convinced. Anybody would
say 1t was you, ma'am. You must
be alike as two peas"
At the end of the first act,
when Anne came back to the
dressing room, Minna handed her
a letter.
"You must have dropped it. I
found it on the floor after you'd
gone" she explained.
II remember! I did get two"
Anne said. From Brookfield. f"
She opened 1t hurriedly, and gave
an exclamation Of pleasure.
Doctor Jim! He's in town."
Doctor who!" Minna asked,
naively curious.
Doctor Jim Wallace of Brook
fields, darkest Ohio. The best
friend l have in the world" She
laid the note aside, smiling to
herself. ''I'll wear that gray
tailor-made home tonight. He
likes it. and we're going to din
ner together"
Minna, christening hooks,
sighed with true Teutonic senti-
ment.
Il wish he could have seen
you in this dress. You looked
Just lovely out there on the
stage"
Anne eyed herself in the mir
ror.
HE doesn't admire makeup"
she said dryly, and then laughed.
The first time he saw me. had
1t on, though-all smudged and
streaky at that. I was in little
rat-hole of a dressing-room lying
on a trunk, wrapped up in a flan-
mel kfmono. My hair was drag
ged back under a band, ready for
the wig l was putting on when |
tainted, and I'd cried my eye
lashes all over my face. And yet
he liked met"
Eyes
Minna's voice was so eager that
Anne turned her head with a
laugh.
Don't get your expectations
up. Minna. 1t wasn't the OPEN
ing chapter of a love story. It
happened thirteen years ago.
Though I've always thought
there was the makings of a good
first act in IT," she went on idly.
Scene: barn miscalled a the
alter, in the aforesaid Brookfields.
Time: the coolest, vilest spring
on record. Cast: q repertoire
company of alleged actors. in
Guiding myself, and one real man
the village doctor. AS the piece