The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-07-10

The text of the note was So unusual
LenOre gasped.
"Why," she started: but tap on
the door stopped her. Something
seemed to tell her that Mr.. Temple
was waiting 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
! receive visitors in our dressing rooms,'
Lenore started in. Even small show
actresses have pride. Mr. Temple"
swell spoken, little girl" Jack said
| in his most fatherly tone. II was sure
| should find you modest little girl
! like this. have come to make prop
osition to you. 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
high, you must think. indeed, that /
am inexperienced 10 be so taken in by
such an impossible offer. The thing
| is preposterous ~
There l guess l have gone the
wrong way about it. / am a foolish
| old man." Jack muttered half to him
| self. II am more at home on the
stock market than in 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 won
| der
Like a father to a child, Jack started
in. It was an ordinary story of a
| broken rOmance-a girl with big ambi-
| lions and q 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 l 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 l. the man with the
| small dreams, achieved undreamed-of
success and stand today man big In
the affairs Of the world. but, oh, so
small in the joy of it. 1t was to try
| to steal some of these joys l wanted
to help you-that is all" he finished.
land you thought l was child!"
| Lenore had risen and was quietly roll
ing her curls high upon her head. The
baby stare had fled from her eyes,
| and Jack was facing beautiful wom-
an in her thirties.
"Why, / had no ideal did not know
j." he stammered.
.'YOu didn't know me, you don't know
me now. Oh, Johnny Temple, can't
you see it is Just Betty Ross, the
little girl with the big dreams but
the small ability? Oh, Johnny. Some
day hoped to find you again. find
YOU the same old plugger with the
same old-fashiOned ideas, and l was
going TO tell you you were all right
and l was all wrong. l was going to
ask YOU to take me back, take me back
into your love-those have been the
dreams that have kept me up these
last few years Of failure, but now they
are only dreams"
but they are not dreams. l am
still plugging. still the old-fashioned,
hang-on. stick-to-it sort Of cuss | was
in those days. though l am hanging
on and sticking to it in new world
7 may be a millionaire, may be feared
nv all Wall street, but inside am just
Johnny Temple, the kid with the Dig
heart and an empty feeling l want
some one to fill"
And as these two sat side by size In
the little dressing room in that third
rate house they went back in fancy
TO a log on the beach. From over 9
lake they could see tiny ripping waves
and then from out of the horizon
rose the masts of two ships. TO
cether they travelled the waters. on
ward. onward, ever onward, side by
side. 1t was a pretty dream. and as
tbe dreamers dreamed their hands
went together and very closely tho
man drew the maid. Let's leave tnen
there to dream.