The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-07-29

l Poppy Belmont slowly opened her 1 eyes. The sun streaming through the window was proof that it must be | very late, late even for Poppy who was not given to early rising. How that | light hurt her eyes. She tried to shut i it out with her arm but that did not stop the throbbing in her head. At last in desperation she dragged her self from under the clothes drew down the shades, then went back and threw herself across the bed. Her misery seemed more than she could bear. A voice uttering a single word seemed ringing in her ears but she tried not to listen to it. Now, if ever, she must pull herself up.
 What life she had led. They had always been poor her father having died when she was but a baby leav- ing her mother but a very meagre in come. When Poppy was sixteen she was left all alone. And with so many girls the stage seemed the most al- turing place to earn her living and to the stage Poppy went. After tramp ing from one agency to another sne finally obtained @ place in the chorus of a musical show. Her personal ap- pearance, which was quite striking even though she was not yet fully developed, made up for her lack of voice.
 But she soon found that the gay and exciting theatrical life about which she had read was to be found only in the illustrated magazines. The actual life proved to be a dreary round of work and loneliness. Her education and upbringing had been superior to that of most of her as sociates and this made it rather hard for her to form friendship at first. But during her second season she found that she was not as easily shocked at the habits and manners of her fellow workers.
 One girl in particular, Daisy Eel lows. a splendid looking girl with wonderful golden har tnatura1. not peroxide) and statuesque figure often urged her to go with her on some of the good times that she seemed to foe always enjoying. For time Poppy made one excuse or an other but at last the day came when she was so discouraged that she felt she would go anywhere and do all most anything to forget her troubles. They were rehearsing a new show and the stage manager had been par ticularly unbearabIe that day. And the center of all hts wrath seemed to be Poppy. To cap the climax he
 
 cons1oerable more intelligence and animation the next day he would do without her valuable services. To lose this chance would be @ calamity The show was a good one and would probably have a long run.
 It was late when she came out of the stage door. Her eyes were blinded by tears and she almost ran into Daisy who was waiting there for her.
 Come now. kiddie, cut the wet stuff Here are two friends of mine who want to meet you. They are going to take us over to that new place I was telling you about, '-The Owl Tree"
 Poppy began to shake her head but Daisy paid attention. She made the introducttons with a flour ish and almost before she knew it Poppy found herself being guided to the waiting car.
 That night was but a beginning. With friendship and good food Poppy began to blossom. She began to fit her name, to become a ealIy gor- geous flower, her body a graceful, willowy stem that held up her small well-shaped head with its aureole of red-gold hair. Her circle of acquaint- ances grew and with them her invi- tauons to dine. As well as being pleas ant these were a great help to her not very well-fil1ed pocketbook for a chorus lady, even though of couz-~- erable popularity is not a high sal arted worker.
 One night after an unusually jolly supper with Daisy and two young officers one of the men had urged them to visit '.The House With The Black Blinds" a well-known night club. At first the girls hesitat- ed for they know the place was rather more daring than any they ad eyer visited but they were soon persuaded just to take O peep. But the peep was prolonged until well into the morning. How well she remembered that night and the following visit. It was that second visit that brought Arm strong into her life, Armstrong who seemed so' interested in her, Arm strong who had gave her the first 'whiff'' of that pretty white crystal powder. She had taken 1t that night half as Q daring joke, half out of curiosity. She had not the slightest fear that she would ever repeat the joke once her curiosity was satisfied. But now, she lay across the bed she faced for the first time the naked truth, Her curiosity had long ago been satisfied but her desire was only just now attaining its growth, lShe shrank from admitting it even to herself but she knew that she had become a slave of that same white powder, a slave to cocaine,
 Finally she arose and slipped into a negligee and rang her bell for the landlady who, a few minutes after wards, was puffing at the door. She was not an over-clean nor over scrupulous about her lodgers provid- | ed they paid their rent. Poppy hand ed her a watch.
 Here, like a good soul, go around | to Goidstein's and see what you can get on that''
 Mrs. Martin showed no surprise | She had often gone on similar err rands for Poppy. She did not com plain for she was getting a rather exhorbitant rent for Poppy's room tlnaIlech e 1.res