Gilpin observer., 1920-12-23


she had GOT beyond his teaching. and he did not
Know 1t. In h!s vanity he thought he had made"
ner. He lived, fattened that. thrived on the
reelected glory Of her aSt, and ghOul-llke on the
woman herself
There was no escape for her from his exact,ons
n this piece. The author was abroad, in Ill.
health, so he could not be present at rehearsals.
moreover, because this his first play, the Zig
MAD took liberties with 1t as might a theatrical
celebrity
This one rehearsed his wife with the assidu-
aty Of an animal trainer, bullying her before the
whole company until they Uttered and then grew
silent with sympathy.
The Big Man came into the room noisily. He
was always called the Big Man. The name fitted
him He was big in physique and In self-sufh-
cheney. His face still showed signs Of exaspera-
ton
Rotten Simply rotten r. he threw at her. strid
ang up and down. Five years Of drilling things
nto you, and you're as dense when / married
you. 1ou queer the business, you sur your lines
fou-you haven't an ounce Of the real STUFF in you
Don't look at me with that martyred expressioni
10 get rid OF you II we didn't have to open on
New Years Eve. Now. look here we'll 20 through
that business In Act II again. right here now until
you get 1t right-my way-see? What's the cue?
can't ask you to sacrifice yourself :, (He
takes her In his arms). Come onI"
Inc Big Mans temper smarting under a
recent newspaper criticism in which 1t was sug.
gested that In his next production he should give
premier place to his wife. He specially resented
the ADVICE, because the writer limited that the
Big Man. dramatically speaking, did not count.
Come on" he repeated.
NO"
He stared at her. She had never disobeyed him
before. 1t nearly staggered him.
I'm too tired tonight. Besides, / don't agree
that the scene should be played your way. That
was not the authors intention"
He took her by the wrist. "By gad you'll be
saying the play was written for you nextI"
1t had been. The author had seen her on the
stage once. He had purposely written his play
round her because her personality had impressed
him. The Leading Woman did not know this
Neither did Dig hian
You've got to do what tell you. II you're
ored. what about me?"
Rather than argue she gave in 1t wasn't
worth it-arguing with man who could only rea-
son like woman. The worst of II 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-of1ce receipts had
been 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
could secure oblivion Of her mental suferings Not
BY morpha, or drink, but by letters. score of
them, written by her, sealed but not addressed
lay In locked drawer Of her escritoire. She did
not even know the man who, in them she in
voked. Her eyes had never seen him. To write
thus was one Of those queer feminine impulses
that women who suffer give way to in order to
save their henrts from breaking. They were the
only love-letters she had ever written to a man.
She took up her pen now. striving for calmness
while writing to her Unknown:
"Oh. my dear. am SO terribly sad and nm
10 lonely that feel like little child crying in
the dark 1t can't go / can't bear II
much 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,
and my deep regard for you, Unknown. Shall
ever see your VIII you ever become real my
ideal7 Shall never know what love is7 For now
my heart is virgin.
Think of 1t. Half-of M Soul, wherever you arei
am wife. And have never known what II Is
TO love- except intangibly. as love you That is
my punishment for having married without re-
Election. 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 ever meet your know, as know
still. that I should recognize you and at once.
! used to think Of myself bent to the Big
Mans will. But know now that this would not
be right. He has SO long forfeited my loyalty. All
bhat IL best In me belongs to you, whoever and
wherever you are. I could not keep away II you
needed me. And am religious woman.
All this life am living is wrong, unnatural.
Surely 1t can't 60 on. l am twenty-six-oh, dear
est. only twenty-six and there is nothing left to
me but work. And in work I cannot forget
because II is emotional
4 am going to write little prayer here. have
prayed II waking and in my dreamA send II
now on the wings Of my spirit this petition Of
my soul. that somewhere and sometime may nee
you, know you, II only once face in the
crowd"
She was strung up and she covered pages, Ev.
ing her emotions full play. To woman Of acute
sensibility there 10 something very convincing In
the idea Of a soulmate. II was that Leading
Woman's consolation and her beacon Of hope
During the following Meeks while the neyp plar