Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1919-09-11

sses.-4
atre and found herself, Just as the
clocks were striking the quarter-past
eleven, Id the hall Of the Carlton,
standing before Mr., Charles lizard and
listening but scarcely hearing the
shewd compliments which that astute
gentleman deigned to shower upon
her.
You've struck II thick, my dear" !"
he was saying. "Oet twelve months
experience in my company and you'll
make great actress. ] say what
mean. All you want is Just what my
theatre win teach you-the little
tricks o6 our trade which 20 right
there, though the public doesn't know
much Of them. Come and have sup
per now, and we'll talk business in
the morning. shouldn't wonder II
the critics spread themselves over
this. Don't pay too much attention
to them-they daro not quarrel with
me-"
Mrs. Charles lizard, frank florid
woman, was much less discreet and
much more honest.
Perfectly adorable. my child"
she said; ut was Joy all the time to
me. You couldn't have played 1t bet
ter II you'd have been born in a
Dukes house. Wherever you got your
manners from, don't know. Now.
really, Charles, don't say 1t wasn't;
don't contradict me, Charles. You
know that Miss Romney 10 going to
make fortune for you; and you're
rich enough as 1t is. Why. child, the
mans worth five million dollars II
he's worth q penny. And II isn't hve
years since I was making my own
clothes"
The supper room unfortunately put
an end to these interesting revela-
tions. Eta followed the loQuacious
Mrs. lizard as closely as she could, be-
ing sure that such a gorgeous apart.
ton (for the lady was dressed from
head to foot in scarlet) would divert
attention from herself and, in truth,
It did so. A few turned their heads
to say, That's lizard and there's the
only woman Of his company who fixes
her own salary" but the supper was
already in full swing and the people
for the most part silent upon their
own entertainment or that Of their
| guests. OF the six or seven women
who remarked the stately girl in
Izard's company, the majority first
said, what a charming gown!" The
men rarely noticed her. They had
taken their second glasses Of cham
pagne by this time and were generally
| flirting with the women at their own
tables. II they said anything, 1t was
Just, what pretty grill"
| And what were Etta's thoughts as
she sat for the first time amid that
garish company, typical of one OF
London's sets. and in some sense of
society? Possibly she would have had
some difficulty in expressing them.
The music excited her, the ceaseless
chatter hurt ears hong accustomed to
silence In truth, she had tried to de.
pict this scene in her Derbyshire
home many times since her father had
shut his gates upon the world. But
the reality seemed so very different
from her dreams; so very artificial
SO shallow, so far from splendid. And
beneath her disappointment lay the
fear that some accident might dis
close her identity. How. she asked
II she stood up there and told them all
my name is not Eta but Evelyn. To
night / am an actress at the Carlton
Theatre, but you will know me by and
by as an Earl's daughter" Would
they not have said that she was mad
woman? Such a confession would
have been nothing but the truth, none
the less.
She had planned and carried out
most daringly, as wild an escapade az
ever had been recorded in the story
of that romantic home Of hers, tt
which she must soon return as secret
ly as she had come. Until this mo
ment her success had been complete
Not a man or woman in all Londor
had turned upon her to say, "You are
not Eta Romney but another, thu
daughter Of the one-time Robert For
roster, Of whom your cousins deatl
has made an earl" Living q secluded
life in a quiet lodging in Bedfort
Square, none remarked her presence
none had the curiosity to ask who sh'
was or whence she came. The yer,
daring of her adventure thrilled and
delighted her. She would remember
1t to the end of her life; and when sh'
returned to Derbyshire the stimulus
of 1t would go with her, and permi
her to say, II, too, have known thu
hour of success, the meaning Of ap
plause, the glamour of the world"
These thoughts followed her to th'
supper room at the Carlton and wer
accountable for the Indifference witt
which she listened to the praises ant
the prophecies OF that truly great man
Mr.. Charles lizard. He, wonderful be
ing, confessed to himself that h
could make nothing Of the girl an,
that her stately manners frightene,