Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1920-01-02
A Wonderful
Wife
copyright. 1919. by tho Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)
BY r. RAY BAKER


Morning Star. scowicd into the cloud
OF tobacco smoke for which his long
| curve-stemmed pipe was responsible.
mo use, he sighed us he tore n
sheet from HIS typewriter and cast
It int" the waStc-6aSket. Il simply
cant make the girl ont Il good vau,ic-
Whilst. She's wonderful To- look at.
| but when they put her Oh tho vundc-
vile stag. they spoiled II fine wife,
His face took on IL little smile as he
sat there ~ his desk in the editorial
room. He WAS in Il hurry to finish
his criticism. or rather the printers
were in Il hurry to get II, so they
could close up the theatrical page.
But somehow he Just couldn't seem
20 go OH with his work.
All about him was noise. Type
writers We'd with telegraph instru-
ments in contest of sound. and
would chip in with their musical
tinklC-tinkle whenever some one opened
the door to the composing room.
The city editor was roaring into
telephone. repeating for the fifth
time the words: II didn't get that
last name: will you please spell it?"
The state editor was bowling into an
other phone, and the telegraph and
news editors were arguing rather
loudly over the size OF n head for the
League of Nations story
In the midst OF this apparent CON
fusion Gary sat at his machine and
dreamed about the girl he had seen
an hour and a half ago on the En-
press vaudeville stage.
Gary did not try TO dcludc himself
He realized he was in love with the
girl: had renowned possession Of his
heart the moment she skipped onto the
stage, and the worse her act became as
1t progressed the more deeply Gary
became enmeshed in her charms. The
girl fitted the mental picture of Ills
ideal in features, height, gesture and
voice. And yet her act was absolutely
impossible.
That was why Gary's hands lin
gered on the keys of his typewriter.
He could not bear to give his honest
opinion as to Mildred FIarriSon's act
Mildred Harrison IN Whiriwind of
Song. Dance and Merrlment." Twice
he started to write complimentary
words, and once he thought seriously
OF emitting mention Of her in his re-
view. but quickly changed his mind
when he renliZed the omission would
he more noticeable than few words
of adverse criticism. AS to the com
plimentS that he wanted To write.
and which he knew her act did not dc
serre--well, he simply couldn't write
a lie. He knew. and everybody else
at the theater that evening knew. that
Mildred Harrison was n failure on the
vaudeville stage, as was evidenced by
the tittering heard during the wouId-be
serious moments Of her program and
the forced "hnw, haw. haw" when she
endeavorcd to be witty.
How did they ever let her on the
staSeT' he asked himself. Surely she
must have had big pull with the
powers that be-"
Well. 1t was inevitable He was
paid money TO give his honest opinion
ms to the acts on the bin, and he
owed II TO his paper and also to the
thcater-going public 10 do just that.
Besides. he would he doing the girl
favor by telling her in print that
she was Il failure behind the foot.
lights. So he finally wrote:
Miss Mildred Harrison Is very
attractive girl, with an entrnncing per-
Sonality, but when 1t comes to vaude-
ville-dcnr Miss Harrison. may it not
he suggested that you try some other
means Of earning living? AS a
vaudevillist, Miss Harrison. You are
not--well, you would make some
young man n wonderful wife,
Gary finished his criticism and hand
cd 1t to the city editor, through whose
hands it must pass. Then he went
back 10 his machine.
Eve killed that girl as far rs her
stage career Is concerned" he sighed.
"l1er job expires tomorrow morning
there's no doubt of that, because vaudc-
willie fans take the Star as their Bible"
And IL also ends my job. After
this I'm through People may think
It's fun slamIuing stage folk, hut II
isn't. It's better to be one
He wrote his resignation. TO take
effect In two weeks. and went home
to bed. The next evening he went
to The Office early, and was greeted
by the managing editor, who i'll
formed him coldly that his resignn-
ton was to take immediate effect as
his position already had been filled.
Now, Gory was a vaudeviliist him.
self. Two years before he had been
popular on the stage, and had quit
the game only because he had grown
tired Of the constant hopping from
one town to another. There was a
standing Offer for his services rixhi