The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1920-12-31

49, ne' iiNe glove. And the Big Men
made her murder IT ~
Once he had taught her In her ;
had married him SO that he might teach bar NJ
she had got beyond his teaching and he did NOT
know it. In his vanity he thought he hod 80. az,
her. He lived fattened on that. thrived On tho
reflected glory of her art and phoullI., -
woman herself INV
There was no escape for her from his ow.4,
of this piece. The author WINS ohrood -, ''' u
health, so he could not be present at reIaor,
MoreoVer because this was his first play tba p,c
Man took liberties with 1t as might thoatu1r7
celebrity
This one rehearsed his wife with tho auu,,..
ity of an animal trainer, bullying her before tho
whole company until they Uttered and then crow
silent with sympathy.
The Big Man came into the room nob,i1v u
was always called the Big Man. The name fitted
him. He was big in physique and in self-snB'
cheney. His face still showed signs of exasnara-
ton.
Rotten Simply rotten !" he threw at her str,d.
Ing up and down. give years Of driIling thinos
into you, and you're as dense as when 7 merriad
you. You queer the business, you slur your limos
fou-you haven't an ounce of the real stuff in Won
Don't look at me with that martyred expression,
IA get rid OF you If we didn't have to omen on
New Years Eve Now, look here wen 90 thAough
that business In Act II again. right here now INIT,
you get it rght-my way-see? WHAT'S the cne3
can't ask you to sacrifice yourself fHe
takes her In his arms). Come on"
Inc Big Mans temper was smarting under
recent newspaper criticism In which if was suo
eested mat In his next production he should give
premier place to his wife. He specially resented
she advice, because the writer limited that the
Big Man, dramatically speaking did NOT count
Come on?' he repeated.
NO"
lie stared at her. She had never disobeyed him
before 1t nearly staggered him
I'm tan
that the scene should be played your way That
was not the authors intention"
He took her by the wrist "By CAD vou,T he
saying the play was written for you next!"
1t had been The author had seen her on the
stage once He had purposey written his NAV
round her, because her personality had impressed
him. The Leading Woman did not know this
You've got to do what l tell YOU If vou're
tired, what about me?"
Rather than argue, she gave In 1t wasn't
worth it-argung with man who could only rea-
son ike woman. The worst of 1t was she could
see through him now. She knew he was Jealous
she knew he took perverse pleasure in trying
TO queer her business" She was perfectly well
aware that could he have dispensed with her. he
would have done so only box-ofice receipts had
oeen so good since he had starred her After he had
gone, the Leading Woman turned the key in the
lock There was always one way by which she
couiu secure oblivion Of her mental sufferings Not
py morphia, or drink but by letters. A score Of
them written by her, sealed but not addressed
lay In a locked drawer Of her escrtoire. She did
not even know the man who in them she in
,oheu. Her eyes had never him. To write
mus was one Of those queer feminine impulses
mat women who suffer give way to in order to
save their hearts from breaking. They were the
only love-letters she had ever written to man.
one TOOK up her pen now, striving for calmness
while writing to her Unknown:
"Oh, my DEAR I am so terribly sad. and I I'm
so lonely that l feel like little child crying In
the dark 1t can't go l can't bear 1t
hiuch longer Sometimes in my agony have told
myself to do as other women do to be worldly,
venal, to laugh and console myself with the first
likely man who comes my way Pride stops me,
ana my deep regard for you, Unknown. Shall
ever see you? VIII you ever become real my
ideal? Shall never know what love is? For now
my heart is virgin.
Think of it, Half of NJ Soul, wherever you are
am wife. And l have never known what it is
10 love, except intangibly, as love you That is
my punishment for having married without
nection Beloved. was such child and thought
nothing mattered except my art.
sometimes when first began to write to you.
Unknown, used to ask myself what would hap
pen should l meet you? i know know
sun that should recognize you and at once.
used to think of myself ever ben! to the Big
'" VIII. out buoW uOW thdt tns "ouiu bot
ne right He has so long forfeited my loyalty. All
mat is best In me belongs to you, whoever and
wherever you are. / could not keep away If you
needed me. And am religious woman.
"All this life l am living is wrong, unnatural.
Surely it can't go on. l am twenty-six-oh, dear
est, only twenty-sx and there is nothing left to
me but work. And in work cannot forget
because 1t Is emotional.
i am going to write little prayer here. have
prayed 1t waking and in my dreams. / send 1t
now Oh the wings of my spirit, this petition of
my soul, that somewhere and sometime may see
you, know you, If only once face in the
crowd"
She was strung up and she covered pages CIV
Ing her emotions full play. To woman of acute
sensbility there Is something very convincing In
the idea at a soulmate. 1t was that Leading
Nomans consolation and her beacon Of hope
During the following weeks while the new play