The Washington times., 1916-03-12


would have sat aosurily mon
nor slender shoulders, but In Inc part
Of the ihsoiciant ingcnuc she never
failed 10 'acuTc She was the quaint
blending. which modern life has evolved,
OF an old-faslIioned small town up
bringing, vcnecTed with n bright crust
of bravado torn OF Latting for her liv-
ing IN city trimming with tenipta-
tons, but khe had never lest her gay
defiance nor had she lost the corner
stone of her simple creed, lie decent,
loyal &c your friends and dent 20
around with CROUCH
Her gayety was infectious. and rs she
tripped UP the two steps Of the wit
ness chair she nodded u familiar greet
ing to the Judge and smiled at the jury.
Miss BHttCn,' said Lanydon, YOU
have told lis OF the experiences with Mr.
Pollock that led to yJur Sudden rcsts-
nation from THE Blue Feather" com
after that
See him Ggan!" she retorted. why.
that man was u regular epidemic. n
delighted gigglc greeted the words.
cmonating from tho lury-bUx itself.
I'VE bumped Into him the DAY we land
cd our firsr real lob Tor the road. We
were on our way to the PrentiSS Accn-
cy. We'd teen there - fore and they i
handed us the call 0kain' sign. 30 VIC
were playing q return date though we
hadn't much hopes. Old Miss Prentiss
Is such sour old maid she'd never
hand ANYBODY job il she could get
her commissions any other way, but
she has the inside with some OF the
good mnnarcrs aud yCu can't overlook
went back, and while we were going
down the nall Mary looked so blue that
had 10 play Little Sunshine with
much business of 1've-a-nunch-that-
VN.h -1aV = a, ,..f Il.
smile and look pretty Tor any possible
manager, That's why we didn't see
David Pollock till we fairly bumped
into him, and no made n grab for
out an apology. LIo said he'd been
searching every theatrical agency and
every theeter In towE looking for Mary.
I've been wretched. Mary. he said I
at the Blue Feather" was jealous
md angry md hurt besides. and l lost
my head. Won't you forgive me- I'm
not going 10 bother you any more, but
BY that time Mary had got the power
of speech beck and she Jerked her hand
away from his as Ii IL burnt. I ana
perfectly willing to forgive you, she
heid. and accept your apology, but 1
do not care to continue any acounint-
ance with you. With that we both
sailed by him and into the Office, where
there was a fine young lineup of leads
be selected BY manager who was
closeted with Miss Prentiss."
did you and Miss Page secure posi-
lions In that new company"
Yes. The minute the manager spot
ted Mary, he picked her for the lead
because she was the proper type and
Mary, the darling, said she couldn't
take the job unless / went along too.
SO he handed me an ingenue role with
about ten sides apd twenty-five beans
as salary. Old Miss Prentiss was SO
friendly after that l thought she was
going to kiss us good-by, but she didn't.
and we got away with our first call for
rehearsal and our contracts tucked in
our handbags. Mary's included the fact
that she was to be featured in the play
which had the glddy moniker of "A
Woman's Pledge "
May 1t please the court" broke in
the prosecutor, getting lazily to his feet,
''all this is no doubt very interesting
delightful. in fact, and might prove Of
great help 70 us Il we had stage aspi-
rations. But with a sudden change
Of tone) I'VE are here to decide the
guilt or innocence OF Mary Page, whom
the state declares to have murdered
David Pollock. l fail to see, your honor,
where the somewhat rambling fable in
slang which the witness is telling has
any bearing upon this case"
I'll your honor, and gentlemen of the
jury" Eangdon's voice rose before the
words Of the prosecutor had died away,
HI
has everything to do with the question
OF the murder of David Pollock. 1t
will show how again and again he
forced his attentions upon Miss Page,
and OF the horror in which she held
him: and or the almost. inevitable
mental collapse that followed his brutal
efforts to make her marry him. II l have
allowed the witness TO tell the story in
her own way II Is simply that l wish
TO bring before you the picture of these
two young girls, so brave and hopeful
and hard working whose positions and
good character were attacked by David
Pollock
For "a moment the Judge hesltated. and
the court held it's acknowledgements
even antagonists at the mere thought
OF losing the guy little witness who was
looking from the judge TO Langdon with
such childlshly startled eyes. Then his
honor said slowly:
"I cannot sustDln your obieotion to
the testimony as irrelevant sir. ] con-
curious relations existing between Mr.
Pollock and Miss Page as nj paramount
Importance, At the same time" ne
added. turning to Langdon. II would
suggest that you instruct your witness
TO confinc her testimony 10 mere state
ments of fact
Tho entire courtroom. not excepting
the jury, hcaved sigh OF relief, and
Langdon's face showed Il flush OF tri-
nnhph as he asked:
''How long did yOur engagement in
"A WOman's Pledge last. Miss Barton"
six weeks, but We only got salary
for four"
"NVhsrc did the tour cnd?"'
eft didn't end. 1t blew up In n one
tank rhbe town called Prindlevillc. 1t
was one of those towns that have the
railroad station GO one side of Main
ati'ect. the hotel and opry' house at.the
other and the rest OF the buildings scat
tered about wherever they happened to
drop"
Again g2st OF laughter lifted
through tho dinEy room, but LaEgdon
frpwned and shook his head at Amy.
Never mind doscriptiops,' he said
more sharply than he had spoken so
far. Tor he feared that the Judge in a
rcVulslon of feeling might stop his wit
ness before she had told tho story that
meant so much in the case Fer tho de-
Tense. hut Amy far from being awed
by his sternness, routed at him with 4
gay little mOue AMI went on WITH her
story in her own fashion.
1--WE wcrc all feeling pretty Grouchy
when we, hit ilinGleville. because II had
been a losing tour, the ghost hadn't
walked for = month. and nobody know
whether we'd ever get back TO Now
York or mot"
flDid you give the performance that
might 7"~Drokp in l.nnisdon. impaticntlY,
rWeli, We started to. but It never got
beyond the tlcket-taking STAGE, for the
slTerir blew IN with n badge rs big es
q nsiGGI and said that he'd been order