Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-06
~ FIGHTER of TWO WORLDS
A story Of York Life
By LEROY SCOTT
,-. -, "Np ts Washington Square," "Mory Rcodr, etc

| the laws. This cooing at each other
| done with. she proceeded to declare
that she could come TO no man and be
to him merely n burden--therc must be
some way out of the will.
Thus far all had gone cxcollently
Absurd us the foregoing synopsis may
seem. Farwel's lines had been clever
or agrccably sentimental. the music had
always been adequate and in spots high
ly pleasing. ard the audience had been
in Il most cordial mood. At this point
in the dialogue Ciiorla was supposed to
have an inspired plan. But ut this
point Gloria had nothing ut all. She
began to founder in her lines-tbeu skt
| lost them altogether. Young F'arwell
began to talk rapidly, improvising, slip
ping her her cue repeatedly in his dis
cursivc speech. From the wings Slim
whispered her lines loud enough for her
TO hear. BIT she heard nothing. For
once her self Oossrsson failed her. She
stared wildly Mt f'arwcl for D moment.
then she fairly ran off into the wings.
| No other course was left to Furlyc1
! except to follow her. leaving un audi.
ence that blinkcd its eyes at an empty
stage.
Slim Jackson swore one of those oaths
such as he had used in the long ago
down in the pckin. but such rs he had
never before permitted himself in such
company as this. DRAW those cur
ta'ns!' he snapped.
Jcnnic'S attention during these mo-
ments was on Mrs. Shirman. She sat
in her chair. stricken with the sudden.
ness of the Disaster uS tho curtains
swishcd together. My heavens NV
heavens" gasncd the great lady. And
then hcr mn"r!icrnt eyes suddenly
Nuzed at Clio u. "Nou-you--'' she
Hhoked. But G'o"ia. trembling, vet az
the same time defiant. wa kcd by with.
out answer into hnr dressing room.
Beyond The curtains was that dead
hush which is more sickening 70 the
soul of performers and managers than
hisscs and cat calls can ever be. Jennie
saw that Mrs. Shinman. though slumpcd
lnwn in her chair, had grown tense
with tn" realization that this failure
was SO utterly comOlctr as to negative
'hc pleasant effects OF thc preceding
nunbcrs-to make Of all that had qonr
Nrfore. and i'll that Wns 10 come nftrr.
thr ball, til" ri"ntical but rharmiug
business of the booths. hollow and
dismal ruin. AMI for 'hc grolt Mrs.
|hiHmon to fail in publ" and fail so
""lo7snI Ilv. JrnNic ,coN'd guess the
'goniaing thor"hts which wcrc horrify-
Less than IN minute had nasscd since
slim had ordered the curtains to he
drawn. lennic'S mind worked so swift
" th"t she cnu hnrdlv hc said to huve
thought NJ al. Back of the operations
If hcr mind. Trough not then conscious
v" rcmcmhcred. waa hor acquaintance
With the o'd stage fact. acquired from
,""iHg to MI sor@s of th"rt"ns from the
| "'w"rv t" i'rO"dw1v in ho" p"iin davs
| ''"' thing which i prrt?utiouH and a
| ''''""" needs Only to he cxnggcratad
''rl i""d2 consciously nnd solcmnlv bad
| ~ o"'|er to become effective with an
Gudirncc.
She c%"idrGlv cau"ht Sims arm.
Come on--lct's go on and burlcsque
"What's in YOUR head Jon?' was
Slin's nuick. whispered question.
'l'" be Nannetto. the raid--you'll II
l." Thomps"n. the hutlor" she an
"wcrcd ra"idl". ''Wc'ro the servants.
'nst come bnck. and VIC p'av exactly
h" sn"c scenes us our mnstcrs-only
W. b""'"9"ur it-mrking it as broad as
tho Old I'owc"v things. We remember
some of the lines. and we can fake the
'"St. It's the only way 70 save this
| Con" on 80
J"nnic caught up Il tiny npron which
hnd been used in au earlier tableau
| "'"i't'v tied j. on--nnd in her severe
h'acli dr"sS which she had worn as a
"ou"nin~ dIu%htcT' of Belgium. she was
t''Hrsformed into the most desirable oi
maids. She hllr"icd on to the stage
S'im hchind her. Slim at the sam" time
1"dc' ing tn" curtains drawn. When the
"urtair" nH"t"d ~" "'i'' hnYed audience
hc.d Jennie, sitting in the same utti.
"''" E'"'ia had assumed shortly afte'