The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-02-27
r,nvr,cbt, ,s15 Nv Mcclure publications
The New star.

ttS w"
TNHE voice of the stage director
shrill with evaporation. be-
came suddenly distinct as
Mary opened the door OF her
dressing room. "oid Gex." as they
called him, was on his usual dress
rehearsal rampage" and she smiled.
The raucous voice. now vituperative'
now satiric in assumed pleading, came
in tonal waves ms the director stormed
up and down the centre aisle amid tho
shadows. while on the stage the players
themselves strove, with unconscioussy
comic grlmaces. to shield their eyes
sufficiently to sec over the harlng
footlights as they listened to his tirade.
Take that scene overt" he shouted
ut last. Craig. begin your entrance
cue. Now And NoRA-where's
NoRAT
Mary drew back with little tremu-
ious sigh of content, and. laying a
caresslng hand on tho canvas battle
ments Of towering castle. drew in a
deep breath OF the conglomcrate
odors-
1t was all so familiar: so much a
part Of her life! And yet It seemed
only yesterday that she had stood In
much the same fashion in the wings.
shabby and unknown. her lips dry and
her hands like ice. waiting for her re-
hearsaL
1t had not, after oil. been so very
many years since that day. but they
had been long ones full OF dislllusion-
ment and hard work. Yet to Mary.
looking back at them through the
glamour Of their fruition. they seemed
very happy years leading up to the
happier present: for tonight the great
fiaring letters Of the electric sign would
proclaim to oil the world that Mary
Page was-a star! Not the star OF
second rate road troupe or stock
company, but a Broadway star In the
exclusive Covington Theatre. that
Rltima thule of the young actress.
For a moment the players blurred
before her eyes. and her lips quivered
with an emotion deeper than tears. but
the sound Of familiar phrase brought
her sharply to herself. Her cue had
sounded, and she gave a last little
feminine witch to her costume and
tripped lightly out upon the stage.
She had forgotten that she had been
in the theatre since nine O'Clock that
morning; the endless repetition OF
scene and act that had set every nerve
3angllng slipped from her like dream
and she remembered only that she was
NORA, playing the last splendid act of
the drama she loved. And at the first
sound of her voice, so bravely guy.
the tired players were suddenly galvan-
ICED into action. Some part OF her
radiant Joy seemed to filter into their
own souls, and dropping shoulders were
lifted and dull eyes Frightened. A new
note crept into the witty badinage OF
the lines, and with n sigh Of relief the
director took out his huge silk hand
kerchief and mopped his brow.
They've got it," he muttered to the
two other men who stood. indistin-
guIshabls shadows among shadows.
"She puts the punch into it all right"
"Gex is right" mumbled the shorter
of the two. Were going to make n
few trust managers look sick with this
play. You wait-if you're from Mis-
souri,"
"oh. the play!" sneered his COM
panion. 1.-THE play is rot It's Mary
Page that gets 1t over"
well, I'll grant you that too" &C
uuiesced Daniels in some haste. his
eyes narrowing shrewdly. "Sho can
sure deliver the goods every time.
You didn't think was trying to hand
HER anything. did you?"
But David Pollock didn't answer.
He was leaning over the seat in front
staring at that gay little figure In its
quaint costume. his eyes full OF brood
ing tenderness, his ears alert not to
miss a single tone in that clear young
voice.
For to Pollock. Mary stood rs the
epitome Of all that was lovely and
desirable. Her youth. her vivacity and
perhaps most of all the fiower-like
Innocence Of her filled him with a
tunultuous desire to win her; to give
her the world for a plaything II she
wanted It; to fill her little hands with
iches and Jewels II they pleased her
put to have her-for himself
Young though she was, there was al
ways a little wistfulness in her ex-
preston that added to her beauty, II
was as II some far-otf sorrow had
aever been forgotten. David wondered
e she was really happy today
ostensibly wine merchant, Polloclss
financial interests thrust their steely
tentacles into q hundred different en-
deavors, not the smallest OF which was
the theatrical world. It was say
Ing that what Dave Pollock wanted
ne got. and heaven help the man that
stood between; but back of his want
of Mary lowered an intangible doubt
and-when he was sober-the bigger
question OF his own worthlness; ant
now as he stood watching her the harsh
lines OF his mouth and chin softcaet
and there was an unfamiliar note II
his voice as he said musingly:
IT wonder what she'll say when sh'
hears I'VE backed her to the limit
that bought her stardom for her
lies she asked about that side OF IL?
mo-" said Daniels. a little nervously
"She's such a little kid about SOM
things she sort Of takes 1t nll 70
granted. But see here. Dave. don
you 70 tellin' her today. Stars tn
oost Of 'eE. are temperanenta! as tn
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS;