The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-08-05

The text of the note was SO unusual
I Lenore gasped.
why" she started; but a tap Oh
the door stopped her. Something
seemed to tell her that Mr.. Temple
was waiting in the corridor. "ShOw
him ill.," she said suddenly.
Jack, felt very much at home as he
found his way into a chair opposite
Eenore.
You must know that we do not
receive 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 81 was sure
l should find you a modest little girl
like this. have come to make prop
osition 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" Lmore had risen to
her full height, and her head was held
high, you must think, indeed, that 1
am inexperienced to be so taken in by
such an impossible offer. The thing
is preposterous ~
There! I guess I have gone the
wrong way about it 1 am foolish
old man." Jack muttered half to him
self. 81 am more at home on the
stock market than in a young girls
dressing room"
There was a genuine note in his
tone that Lenore recognized. "But
why should you make me such an offer
you a strangely" she asked in won
der.
Like father to a child, Jack started
in. 1t was an ordinary story of a
broken romance-a girl with big ambi-
tons 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 citys
business and eventually to the success
of his career.
But in all these years 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
success and stand today a 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 I wanted
to help yOu-that is ALL" he finished.
"And you thought I was a childw
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 a 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 1 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 l was
in those days, though l am hanging
on and sticking to it in new world.
I may be millionaire, may be feared
by all Wall street, but inside l am just
Johnny Temple, the kid with the big
heart and an empty feeling l 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 the beach. From over a
lake they could see tiny ripping waves
and then from out of the horizon
rose the masts of two ships. To-
gether they travelled the waters, on
ward onward, ever onward, side by
side. 1t was pretty dream. and as
the dreamers dreamed their hands
went together and very closely the
man drew the maid. Let's leave them
there to dream.