Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-04-04

business was in a perilous condition.
The mammoth Cowper firm had gone
into bankruptcy owing him a hand
some sum of money which he was not
likely to recover. The failure also
closed an important and profitable
market for his calculating machines.
1t frightened his banks as well, and
he had wrestled like another Jacob
with an almost invisible cashier for
money enough to meet his pay roll.
Yet he slipped large bill into
Daphne's hand when he babe her good
by at the station late in the after
noon, and he whispered to her she
should have other re-enforcements
whenever she called on him.
Daphne reached the theater at seven
o'clock and sat in the dark on a cam
vas rock, watching the stage hands
gather and listening to their repartee.
Patterson arrived at length. He was
in one of his humane moods. He asked
Daphne if she had memorized her lines
and she said she had. He told her
that he would give her another re-
hearsal the next day after breakfast.
"After breakfast" he explained, was
one o'clock p. m.
Next morning Daphne presented her
self to Patterson and endured one of
his rehearsals, with his assistant read
ing all the cues in lifeless voice. Bat
terson was more discouraged than she
was. He showed It for time by a
patience that was Of the sort one
shows to a shy imbecile.
He was so restrained that Daphne
broke out for him, do you think am
complete idiot, Mr.. Batterson?"
'Far from it, my DEAR" said Batter
son. ''You are very intelligent young
woman. The trouble is that you are
too intelligent for the child's play of
the stage. It's all kind of big nurs-
cry and you can't forget that facts are
not facts in this toy game. II you
could let yourself go and be foolish
and play doll house you might sue
coed. It's hard even when you know
how. But it's impossible as long as
you try to reason it out. It's like
music and fiction and all the arts.
You've got to pretend or you can't
feel and you can't make anybody else
feel"
And that, indeed, was Daphne's ag-
ony. She could not release her imagi-
nation or command her clear vision to
see what was not there.
NYS<~1,% o&Aow ,1f~I4% oh vsov1n,An6 al
the theater and left it when the cur
tain rose. On one of these evenings
Tom Duane met her outside the stage
door. His apology was that he felt it
his duty to look after his client.
He invited Daphne to ride home in
his car, which was waiting at the curb.
She declined with thanks. He urged
that she take little spin in the park.
She declined without thanks. He
sighed that it was pity to lose the
moonlight.
She said she would get enough when
she walked home. He asked If he
might ''toddle along" She could hard
ly refuse without crassly insulting him.
They loitered slowly up the quiet
reach Of Seventh avenue. He Ques-
toned her about her work with all the
grateful f1attery there is in an appe-
tite for another's autobiography. She
found it easy to tell him of her diff
culties. He extracted encouragement
or indirect compliment out Of all of
them.
When they arrived at her apartment
house she said, "Sorry can't ask you
up, but have no reception room. and
I'm tired out"
"You have wasted enough of your
time on me- he said. "I'll see you to
the elevator"
AS Daphne stepped into the hallway
she found Clay Wimburn there, wait
Ing grimly. He sprang to his feet with
gasp Of relief. He caught sight of
Duane and his joy died instantly.
Wimburn loved Daphne and wanted
her for his own. He had counted her
his own, and still had neither refunded
the engagement ring nor paid for it.
Daphne was more pleased with VIM
burns misery than with Duane's fe-
LEFTY.
won't you come up, ClayY she
asked.
He murmured, "Can we be alone for
little talk?"
"Pm afraid not. The Chivvises. you
know"
evil you take little walk with me
in the park?"
"All right" she said as she led the
way out into the street. 'I'm pretty