The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1916-09-07
Retained
In the Role

By Carl WILLIAMS

hanging the paper Of the Denham
Repertoire company for three
night run. And Maggie Denham
hailed from Melrose. Margaret
Denham" she was billed, but Mel
rose recognized her.
tt was the first time that what
Melrose called "a real theater
troupe" had visited the little town.
This in itself would have meant
much, but Maggie in addition Great
ed an epoch in town history.
Melrose could not know that she
was to be star only for this brief
engagement in Melrose. Maggie
had happened to mention that she
had been born in Melrose, and the
astute manager had changed the
name Of the company from the Net
ropolitan to Denham Repertoire
company for the three night stay.
He well knew the value Of local
name In a small town. Occasion
ally Maggie had let fall some scrap
Of information as to her departure
from the town that told the rest of
the old story of the girl who had
run away from home to go upon the
stage.
Maggie's story differed from most,
for she had succeeded in achieving
her ambition She had become a
fairly useful player Of parts In the
smaller companies.
This was her second season with
the Metropolitan, and she smiled
confidently when Quinlin, the man
ager, asked her if she felt strong
enough to play the star part for
three days.
It involved a little extra re-
hearsal, but Maggie was delighted |
She would show Tom Chambers and /
the rest of Melrose that she had
made success.
Tom came ahead Of the rest Of
Melrose, because there had been q
time when these two were almost en-
gagged, and she still thought tender
ly Of those courtship days.
She looked about eagerly when
the company arrived; but, though
every one else In town appeared to
have come to the train to stare
curiously at Maggie Denham's
troupe, Tom was not there.
With a curious sense Of blank
ness Maggie climbed into the ram
shackle bus that was to convey the
company to the hotel Her TIL
umphal entrance into her home
town had gone for naught just be-
cause one man was not there.
She was angry and surprised to
realize that she still cared more for
Chambers than she had ever admit
ted when he had tried to win her.
She had not long to wait, how
ever, for information about the rec
reant one. Presently a string Of
callers came to the hotel, and all Of
the friends Of her school days
crowded the hotel parlOr, all talking
It once.
From the babel of voices Maggie
gathered that Tenn had left town
he day before with the evident pur-
pose Of avoiding her. The blood
hrobbed In her temples.
1t was to give Tom lesson that
he wanted to show to Melrose how
Vell she had succeeded. Now be
Tould not witness her triumph, and
he turned strangely depressed until
he manager, versed in the ham
ling Of the erratic women Of the
tage, sensed the situation.
Anyhow, you can do your best"
luinlin reminded her, ~and leave
ehind a record that be viii be
roud Of"
@And who may he be7" demand
d Maggie truculently.
Il don't know" confessed Quin1in
romptly, @but there is usually q
ie' somewhere, and since be does
OF seem to be around | thought
on might like my suggestion"
Maggie waved him of with a lest
ig remark, but her heart was light
:. Here was something that she
ould do. So it happened that even
er fellow players wondered that
vening at the brilliancy with which
le played her part.
you'll land on Broadway yet"
ley assured her, but even this
-omise Of reaching the goal Of all
tors did not cheer the girl, and
hen the performance was over she
irried back to the hotel, only to
eep into bed and cry herself to
sep.
On the third and last day Of the
gagement Tom appeared sudden
in town, and, though she could
t see him IN the badly lighted
ditorium that night, Maggie felt
at be was there, and she acted
Eh touch of tenderness that lent
" beauty to naturally sympa-
sfic role.
John BENJAMIN. one Of the i'm