The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-02-20

CONTINUED From Our Last Issue)
Days spent at matinees and the
boarding houses of the actress set
were varied now and then by Julia
and her mother with visits to EN-
eline's parents.
Old Mrs. Cox always had a well
come for her oldest daughter and
her beautiful grandchild. She
would limp about her bare little
rooms. complaining of her hus-
bands increasing meanness and of
her own physical Ills. while with
twisted old hands she filled tea
pot or cut into fresh loaf of
milk bread"
Emeline's brother Chester, call
ed by the family Chess, by this
time had been imprisoned in the
psnitentiary and released, and was
living at home again. He was a
mild hammered man, prematurely
old, and his mothers assertions
that evil associations rather than
actual guilt had brought about his
conviction were true enough. But
after all what difference did it
make to Julia that her uncle had
been a convict? The fact had new
er been considered by friends OF
hers as worthy of comment.
Sometimes at the Cox home
Julia and her mother met Eme-
lines sister May. As with Ches-
ter, Julia gave Aunt May and her
children never a thought. 1t was
true that Aunt Mays husband
worked but little and spent what
money he did on drink; 1t was
true Aunt May was a frousy wom-
an of endless complaints against
life. But what did all this mat
ter to Julia? Her life was to be
cast pleasantly; a successful stage
career awaited her just around the
corner.
Julia's chance came at last. not
as good a chance as she and her
mother had counted on, but ac-
cepted because actress friends so
advised. Julia was engaged as a
professional to take the leading
part In an amateur play to be CIV
en- by society's younger set for the
benefit of charity. She was to re-
ceive $25 for her services.
Dress rehearsal was held at the
yacht club at Sausalito.
After the rehearsal the men,
bers of the dramatic club, includ-
ing Julia, were entertained at the
Sausalito home of Barbara Toland,
n
In the play. And because Julia
missed her train home she was
forced to spend the night at the
Tolands'.
And so 1t was Julia met young
DR.. Studdiford, who was to be her
husband, and Anna Toland, Bar
bara's spinster aunt, whom chance
was to make the girls guide on the
upward path.
Left an orphan in his babyhood,
Jim Studdiford had found In DR..
Robert Toland a father. Twenty
years before DR.. Toland had been
engaged to a beautiful young wild
ow, a Mrs. Studdiford. who had
been left with a large fortune and
the tiny boy. 1t presently befell
that the doctor, two weeks before
the day set for the wedding, found
himself kneeling beside his fiancee
on rocky headland, where she
mad been flung by her horse, and
straining to catch her last agon-
lied words: You'll keep Jim
with you. Robert?"
And SO later. when the doctor
married the lovely Miss Sally
Ford, Jim became their oldest
child. To Barbara and her sis
tiers Jim was big brother. To
the doctor and his wife he was
as dear as their own. And to the
eccentric and wealthy Aunt San
ma he was perhaps a shade
dearer.
Anna Toland 1t was who had es..
tabhshed the Alexander Toland
settlement House. But not as any
other settlement house the world
over did Aunt Sauna conduct the
Alexander.
A procession of trained workers
came and went. Miss Toland when
not visiting at her brothers home.
lived In the institution. and when
she preferred quiet for the read
Ing OF the latest novels tn tbe
tramp of the neighborhood young-
eters, she would instruct whatever
trained worker happened to be I'm
power at time to lock the doors
II the worker protested-and tbe
trained settlement workers had
ways of their own that made pro.
test likely-the skilled one was
dismissed.
The Toland home. with its air
OF ease, luxury and happiness. was
revelation to Julia. Good-heart-
cd Mrs. Toland, the genial doctor
and the eccentric Aunt Sauna
could be nothing less than kind IN
any young girl, even a tough IT.
tie would-be actress" Barbara
was kindess itself.
And then the next day. after n
final rehearsal, as Julia changed
70 her street clothes in the i'm
provised dressing room separated
from the clubs wide porch only
by wooden shutters, she heard
this conversation conducted ON
the porch by Barbara, her sister
Ted, and Miss Hazard, one of
their girl friends: