The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1919-01-17

AnAN AsAAH ny lNAlllt ANth aQuItl
Syndicate)
Jean Ward, dragging two tired and
iistless legs up the narrow iron stair,
case, passed down the tier Of dress
ing rooms, hot as a jail in the sultry
August air, and, with a sudden burst
of energy, flung herself into the last
room In the tier and slammed the door.
AS she kicked two damp slippers from
her slender, tired feet, a noisy chorus
greeted her from the adjoining room.
Thanks fr tn breeze, kid" shrlllcd
one voice, whom Jean recognized as
Flo barrett, of the Dancing Darretts,
a fellow act On the Olympia bin. "Bc.
ms we hogged III only room with Il
window, guess y don't mind leaving
this door open, do y'?' Flo'S head
appeared in the doorway between the
two rOoms, and with II a cloud of
cigarette smoke. Jean Shuddered
slightly, and shook her head. No use
being angry, She thought. After all,
perhaps il was hot in those inside
rooms. II was none too cool in her
own, opening as il did on the narrow
back alley, with a ifty-foot we'll be-
yOnd.
ooh, no, / don't mind" She an
swercd listIes~ly, then drew Il deep
breath of the thick, t~ohaccoIaden air.
"Only-plcaSo-don't smoke. Its hot
enough already"
"Di mi ,' anne the mocking re.
Spouse, as Jean turned TO draw off
her moist costume, and to escape the
cloud Of offensive smoke that came
with 1t she drew her chair near the
window aud fell into a discontinued
rcverie.
What was the matter with Bart
Fendull, her dancing partner? she
unused. Why did he insist on her do.
ing this threc-a-day summer season.
She remembered his promise, before
they left Salisbury, to start on their
road to fame-he had promised a va
cation In July. 1t would be hot then
he had told her, and they would need
y rGst-back among the shady willows
away from the white lights-witt
fresh country vegetables, pure coo
milk, and-here they tarried, in Il hot
stuffy theater, with every woods!
back-drop every line OF "Down Home
the rural sketch that preceded then
on the bill, fairly ~Shrieking to then
the call Of the wild. And Bart haC
been growing so different Of late-S,
silent, so unresponsiye, so difreren
from the good old friend he had bee
down home. Maybe, thought she, h
merely reflected her own mood. Sh
was feeling iaded, she was lookin
sallOw, in fact, 30 different fror
Mabel Woods, the new coincidence o
rhe bin. Bart had been fawnin
around her u lot lately, was the mex
discomforting thought. How, wor
dered Jean, could she keep that fires.
appearance, THAT creamy white con
pleNiou? Maybe that was why Bar
was hanging un-and keeping he
working. too, she angrily added +
herself.
She raised herself TO her feet an.
stared in the mirror. Her face wa
red from the heat, her eyes a trim
bleary-Something fell on the drcs,
ing table before her, and she pickle.
1t up glngerly and stared at it wrath
fully, then flung it out the window.
"Pleasp," she called to the parretts
in the next room, don't throw thos
lighted stumps in here. Somethin
might catch fire"
"Tn that case came the answer
with Flo'S ~cachling laugh, here
something TO put it out with" An
close to Jeans head, with cattisI
venom back Of il, hurtlcd q small bot
tie, landing on her PINK nat. an
splitting q little Of its amber fuid o
the pink perfumcd brim. Jean too.
the bottle of liquor and hurled it re
sentfully out of the window, the
turned and slammed shut the connect
ing door and pushed her trunk uyoins
It. She hurried into her stage co,
tune and went downstairs, her fac
red with anger.
Meanwhile, i'm the back alley, And
Scobell, the Olympia'S property ma,
sprang up from his chair with Il cr
and flung a lighted cigarette stun
from his trousers.
what IN ." he yelled upwar
st the window above, and counted it
relative position SO as to place It's q,
cupant. Why, it's -"
whats III row, Andy?' chimed II
- bass voice and Andy turned an,
faced Bart Fendnll,
"Shc'S smokin'." gurgled Andy, hot
ly, gc%sticulating madly at The uppe
window. ayr partner, aud IFS ugainS
th' ru-"
A bottle fell between them, an,
Bart, STOPPING, picked it up and SnifcO
I'm horror Mt the contents,
ITS whisky" he muttered, dazedly
and then turned a mortified glauc,
above him. Jean !" he called, but n,
head appeared ut the window,
shes havin' II party" growlet
Andy. zine Irl country kid y'r,
with"
But Bart, entering the stage door II
u sort of stupor, missed Scobell!
mncklng lecr. Was this loan. thy