The Sneedville news. (Sneedville, Tenn.) 191?-19??, 1918-08-09
Against
Traditions
~
D. JANE OSBORNE

When Justine Flanders consented h
open the Red Cross drive In Bishops
town, little did she realize that on the
Sunday afternoon set aside for thai
purpose SO many hindrances, botk
trivial and important. should conspirs
to make difiicult her getting on. Hel
chauffeur's wife was III and at the last
minute she had to send to the station
for taxi her maid forgot to press the
dress she intended to wear; she mis-
laid her purse. and q lift came OF from
her favorite pair Of shoes-just the
sort Of things that sometimes come to
mar the serenity Of great actresses as
well a. the rest Of US. So Justine
Flanders was In NO cheerful mood
when she started out and she wonder
cd rs she slammed her apartment door
Just why she had consented to 90 out
to a little town like Bishopstown and
make an appeal for Red Cross aid be-
fore lot Of narrow-minded college
professors and ministers and country
folk. Still she had been asked espe-
cially by DR.. Taylor Holmes. the pres
ident Of Bishopstown college. who told
her that the college men had voted her
the most popular actress on the stage.
and he felt she could make Q better
appeal than anyone else.
The men at Bishopstown were Just
at an age when the emotional. but
never sentimental, acting Of the IA
nous red-haired actress left nsthing
to be desired. As for DR.. Taylor
Holmes he had never seen the lady
either on the stage or OF. He ad-
mired her ms he admired anyone who
had az definitely succeeded In the
achievement of a worthwhile ambition
40 she had. He had set his heart
on becoming . college president. and
she on becoming leading actress;
and at q little less than forty they
had both accomplished their ambition.
In 30 far. unused Taylor Holmes, they
were kindred spirits. In spite Of this
the schoolman felt some
While he didn't disap-
prove of actresses, he still retained
enough of the old Puritanic traditions
Of the family to make him feel that
members of the acting profession
moved In a different sphere. His
stern old father had thought "play-
actors" were emissaries OF the devil;
FOR his own part he merely avoided
hem. No wonder. then. that as the |
time came for the Red Cross rally with |
Justine Flanders as the chief speaker
md himself to introduce her. he had
ZONE actual palpitations Of the heart.
Ais maiden sister. who presided over
IFS household for him. had more than
She frankly didn't APP
rove. though she made an especially
elaborate toilet preparatory to the
meeting and consented to sit with
'ther celebrities on one Of the chairs
n the platform behind the speaker.
"Of course" said the sister decor
usly drawing on her black gloves as
he waited for her brother to crank
In cheap but entirely adequate mo-
orcnr on their departure for the hall
vhere the meeting was to be held,
Of course, we won't have to have
nything to do with her socially.
ope she won't look indecent" this
nth emphasis on the 'look" as II
here was no doubt whatever as to
he actress actually being 30.
The college president paid little at
ention to his sister. He was divided
etween steering a straight course be-
xeen the ruts In the bad road that led
rom his house to the hall. and re-
earsing to himself the words Of his
speech.
When the famous actress sat, smil-
lg and beautiful. on the platform. no
ne would have guessed that her de-
nrture from the city had been fraught
ith Interruptions and distractions.
he did not have to rehearse her
,eech. for II was the Identical speech 9
lat had been given on all previous
sessions OF the sort and she knew Il
! heart.
'rd know her anywhere by her hair"
hispered someone on the platform
ats.
swell. at least she IL deccntiy 9
'essed." conceded the president sis
r to the professors wife beside her. o
ID then there was a hush rs the y
'esident stepped forth to Introduce .
e great actress. q
Fully three minutes cheering fol- c
wed before Justine began her talk. a.