The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-11

she was glad of it. for her part was
hard one and she had exerted her
every effort to portray it Her maid
entered with a card. The actress gave
the card but a fleeing glance. Cards
meant only one thing in her life
stage johnnies. and experience had
sickened her of that type long ago.
| He was prosperous rich looking"
her maid whispered, And he was
persistent"
| Lenore glanced-up. 1t took almost
a minute before she connected the
maids comment with the card: then
she picked the small shiny bit of card
! board up once more.
Jack Temple she read aloud, and
then as she turned the card over read
the penciled note on the back. IAN
old, middle-aged man who can per-
haps help you. An admirer who does
not want to make love to you"
The text of the note was so unusual
Lenore gasped.
"Whyi" she started; but a tap on the
door stopped her. Something seemed
to tell her that Mr.. Temple was wait
/ ing in the corridor. Show him in"
she said suddenly.
| Jack felt very much at home as he
found his way into a chair opposite
Lenore.
You must know that we do not re-
ceive visitors in our dressing rooms"
Lenore started in. Even small show
actresses have pride. Mr.. Temple"
well spoken. little girl" Jack said
in his most fatherly tone. Il was sure
should find you a modest little girl
like this 1 have come to make a
proposition to you 1 would like you
to leave this life-I would like TO edu-
cate you-give you the chance the
modern girl Graves for in social life
Mr.. Temple" Lenore had risen TO
her full height, and her head was held
hi oh CT fr1Ir =r@An fhar r
am inexperienced to be so taken in by
such an impossible offer. The thing
is preposterous!"
There! 1 guess 1 have gone the
wrong way about it. / am foolish
old man." Jack muttered half to him
self. Il am more at home on the stock
market than in a young girls dressing
ROOM
There was genuine note in his tone
that Lenore recognized. But why
should, you make me such an offer
you a Stranger" she asked in wonder.
Like father TO a child, Jack started
in. 1t was an ordinary story of a
broken romance girl with big am
billions and a man who wanted to stay
at home. The broken engagement
the departure of the girl for the city
his search for her, which ended in
bringing him to the whirl of the city's
business and eventually to the success
of his career
But in all these years 1 have never
even heard of her. Her ambitions
were great, her ability was of the best,
but somehow she didn't realize her
hopes, while I, the man with the small
dreams, achieved undreamed-of sue
cess and stand today man big in the
affairs of the world. but, oh, SO small
in the joys of It'll 1t was to try to
steal some of those joys l wanted to
help you-that is ALL" he finished.
81,
Lenore had risen and was quietly roll |
ing her curls high onto her head. The |
baby stare had fled from her eyes, and |
Jack was facing a beautiful woman in |
her thirties.
why. 1 had no idea-I did not |
know-I-" he stammered.
you didn't know me, you don't |
know me now. Oh, Johnny Temple, |
can't you see it is Just BettyRoss,
the little girl with the big dreams but
small ability? Oh, Johnny. Some day
hoped to find you again. find you
the same old plugger with the same
old-fashioned ideas, and I was going
to tell you you were all right and l.
was all wrong. was going to ask
YOU to take me back, take me back
dreams that have kept me up these
last few years of failure, but now they
are only dreams"
But they are not dreams 1 am
still plugging, still the old-fashioned,
hang-on, stick-to-it sort of cuss l was
in those days, tho 1 am hanging on
and sticking to it in a new world. I
may be millionaire, 1 may be feared
by all Wall street. but inside am just
Johnny Temple, the kid with the big
heart and an empty feeling I want
some one to fill
And as these two sat side by side in
the little dressing room in that third
rate house they went back in fancy to
a log on beach. From over a lake
they could see tiny ripping waves,
and then from out of the horizon rose
the masts of two ships. Together they
travelled the waters, onward, onward,
ever onward. side by side. 1t was
pretty dream, and as the dreame
dreamed their hands went together
and very closely the man drew the
maid. Let's leave them there to
dream.
Copyright, 1920, bv the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate.)