Grand Forks herald., 1917-01-11

shoes.
Fire away" he said, looking
around at her over his shoulder. Then,
with reference to the blue-bound pair
Of sides she held In her hand: whats
the matter? Isn't that part fat enough
for you?"
Fat enough?" Rose echoed inquir-
ingly. "Oh. you mean long enough"
Sho smiled in Yood-humored acknowl-
edgement Of his joke, and let that do
for an answer.
John Galbraith hadn't been sure
that 1t would be Joke. He'd been a
musical - comedy producer long
enough SO that no megalomaniacal
absurdity could surprise him.
"All tho same" said Rose, I'm
afraid I've got to tell you that
can't take this, and to ask you to put
mo back in the regular chorus"
He want immune to surprise. after
flash and stared ut her. What on
earth are you talking about?" he
asked
"If have words to say. even only
a few, wouldn't anybody who hap
pencd to be in the audience know who
I was?-I mean If they knew me al
ready?"
"of course they would. What of
it,"
IT told you." said Rose, "the day
you gave me job. that it wasn't a
lark. had to begin to earn my own
living suddenly, and without any
training for it at all, and this seemed
to be the best way. Thats-all true,
and it's true that no one could come
and, as you say, lead me away by the
ear. Nobody's responsible for me but
myself. But there are people who'd
be terribly shocked and hurt If they
found out I'd gone on the stage. They
know I'm earning my own living, but
they don't know how I'm doing it.
I thought that as just one Of the
chorus, made up and all, I'd be safe.
But with these lines to soy"
"Now listen to me-" said John CAL
braith: listen as hard as you can.
Because when I've done talking you
will have to make up your mind. In
the first place. you wouldn't be safe.
as you said. even in the chorus; A
makeup isn't a disguise. You will be
rouged and powdered, your eye-lashes
BACKED. your lips REDEEMED and SO on.
not to make you look different, but to
keep you looking the same under the
strong lights. You're not the sort Of
person to escape notice. That's the
reason I made up my mind to hire
you before I knew you could dance.
I saw you standing back there in the
doorway. You've got the quality about
you that makes people see you.
$50. If you're ashamed Of being
recognized in this business. you'd bet
ter get out of it altogether. On the
other hand. it seems to me that if
you've got to earn your living, it's no.
body's business but your own how
you do it. You're the one who'll go
hungry if you don't earn it, not these
friends of yours. You've made an
excellent start; you've earned legiti-
mate promotion. 1t will mean that in
stead Of getting twenty dollars a week
when the show opens, you will get
twenty-five. It's long time since
I've given person without experience
chance like that. I gave 1t to you
because you seemed ambitious and in
telligent-the sort who'd see me
through. But if you aren't ambitious.
If the game doesn't look worth play
ing to you, and you aren't willing to
play it for all it's worth, why, good as
that's your choice."
His manner wasn't quite as harsh
as his words, but it convinced her that
he meant every one of them right to
the foot of the letter.
She couldn't answer for moment.
She hadn't guessed that the choice
he was going to offer her would be
this!
"Take your time" he said. 1T don't
want to be brute about it, but look
here! Try to see it my way for a
minute. Here are my employers. the
owners OF this piece. They're putting
thousands of dollars into the produc-
ton Of 1t. They've hired me to make
that production success. Well, |
don't know about other games. but
this games battle. If we win. 1t
will be because We put every bit OF
steam and every bit OF confidence
we've got into and make it win. That
goes for me, and for the principals,
and right down through to the last
girl in the chorus.
"Will you be able to do your share.
do you suppose. If you're sinking
around. afraid of being recognized? T?
We don't care whether your pussy-cat
friends get their fur rubbed the wrong
way or not. Tho only thing we care
about is putting this show across.
Well, IL you feel the way we do about
it, If you can make it the one thing
you do care about, too-why, come
along. Let the pussy-cats go He
finished with a snap Of his fingers.
"The only one that really matters
isn't a pussy-cat." said Rose with a
reluctant wide smile, "and--he' d
agree with you altogether. if he didn't
I'n, reallv verv much Obliged to YOU"
"yo,, will come along them"
"yos" said Rose. 'i'll come"
"So autters afterward ?" questioned
nantanca:,
.,-o,s,
Iol,, colbraitr, u,en+ avay satisfied.
posa had The same nower that he had.