The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-10-26
Helen and Warren;
Their Married Life
By MRS. MABEL HERBERT URNER
Originator Of Their Married Life Author of The Journal OF Neg
ected Wife," Alone" Etc.

/, hats were doing a violent acrobatic
dance. Down to the floor with split
legs, curveting leaps, loose-jointed
contortions, the Russian crouch-all
in accelerated time.
Watch that thin lanky chap--he
ought to be in the hospital right now.
He's got the 'con'-last stages-and
he knows it."
The dance ended in mad whirl Of
cartwheel legs. There was only the
faintest applause-not even enough
for them to take curtain.
/ ooh, he worked so hard-why don't
they applaud" whispered Helen
fiercely as. ignorant of stage rules,
she clapped from the wings.
Look at him now! That whirlwind
finish is what takes it out Of him"
Leaning against the wings. the pant
ing dancer was holding his side in a
racking cough, his pallor showing
easily through the rouge.
And he does that twice a day."
breathed Helen.
Three times! This is small-time
house"
into the next wing with hurried:
you can see better from here. This
is our act--right after the intermis-
sion."
The stage hands we're showing into
place the gilt furniture of drawing
room set. On centered table were
placed q telephone, a vase of paper
flowers, some letters, books and
photographs.
Miss Floyd, seating herself at the
table. Strengthened the props, hid the
unattached cord Of the dummy tele-
phone, and took down the receiver.
Let 'er co." called the stage man.
ager, and the curtain rolled up, with
Miss Floyd talking fast and excitedly
over the phone.
1t was jealous wife sketch. Laura
who had the small part Of the maid,
stood in the wings beside Helen,
tensely waiting for her cues.
When the curtain fell there was a
mild pplause-enough for Miss
Floyd to take one call alone, and one
with her "company"-a stacy, dudish
youth, who played the husband, and
Laura.
AS it was Saturday night, and the
entire bill was changed Sunday, there
was general scurry of packing up.
1--WE have to get our trunks to the
station tonight" explained Laura.
Tomorrow we open in Troy. The
week after we're booked in Scranton
that's as far as l know"
With the feeling of leaving
strangely foreign world, Helen kissed
Laura good-by and made her way
around to the front of the house.
Warren was waiting for her in the
lobby, scowling at next weeks bill
board as he buttoned up his overcoat.
Oh, wish you'd gone back with
me-" slipping her hand through hts
arm. There's SO much you don't see
from the front"
Huh, saw all l wanted to! That's
what | call one punk show!"
Don't, dear; it's so easy to criti-
else They try so hard-it's all so
much harder than it looks"
Hard? How about the audience
who have to sit through lot of sec
ond-rate slap stick turns? Seems to me
I've heard you do some pretty tall
kicking myself"
But / never knew how hard they
worked or how much little applause
means to them"
well, WREN I applaud an act-it's
got to be a darned good one. l go
to a show to be entertained-not to
pass out encouragement to a lot of
bum actors"
Helen felt helpless to assail this
attitude. 1t was the attitude Of most
audiences, and in a way it was just
And yet when she thought of that
emaciated. dancer holding his side
after his frenzied exertions it seemed
pitilessly hard.
AS they hurried on under the signs
of the now emptying theatres, Helen's
silence was charged with a bitter re-
bellion-the baffled, futile rebellion
with which she always beat against
the memorable cruelties of life.