The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-01-22
A Wonderful
Wife
Copyright, 1919 by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)
BY R. RAY aAKER


Gary Hazard, dramatic critic of the |
Morning Star. scowled into the cloud
OF tobacco smoke for which his long
curve-stemmed pipe was responsible.
mo USE" he sighed as he tore a
sheet from his typewriter and cast
II into the waste-basket. II simply
cant make the girl out good vaude-
Whilst. She's wonderful to look mt,
but when they put her on the vaude-
Vile stage they spoiled fine wife"
His face took on little smile as he
sat there at his desk In the editorial
room. He was in hurry to finish
his criticism, or rather the printers
were In a hurry TO get IT,. so they
could close up the theatrical page,
But somehow he just couldn't seem
to go on with his work.
All about him was noise. Type
writer's We'd with telegraph instru-
ments In contest of sound. and
every now and then the linotypes
would chip In with their musical
tlnkle-tinkle whenever some one opened
the door TO the composing room.
The city editor was roaring into
telephone, repeating for the fifth
time the words: 81 didn't get that
last name; will you please spell itf"
The state editor was bowling into an
other phone, and the telegraph and
news editors were arguing rather
loudly over the size of head for the
IaoOua of Nations story
In the midst OF this apparent con-
fusion Gary sat at his machine and
dreamed about the girl he had seen
an hour and half ago on the EN-
press vaudeville stage.
Gary did not try to dclude himself.
He realized he was In love with the
girl; had renounced possession OF his
heart the moment she skipped onto the
stage, and the worse her act became as
Il progressed the more deeply Gary
became enmeshed in her charms. The
girl fitted the mental picture of his
ideal In features. height, gesture and
voice. And yet her act was absolutely
impossible.
That was why Garys hands lin
gered on the keys Of his typewriter
He could not bear to give his honest
opinion as to Mildred Harrison's act
Mildred Harrison In WhIrlwind OF
Song, Dance and Merriment." Twice
he started to write complimentary
words, and once he thought seriously
Of omitting mention Of her In his re
view. but quickly changed his mind
when he realized the omission would
be more noticeable than few words
Of adverse criticism. As to the com
pliments that he wanted to write
and which he knew her act did not de
serve-well, he simply couldn't writ'
a lie. He knew, and everybody els'
at the theater that evening knew, tina
. Mildred Harrison was failure on thu
!, vaudeville stage, as was evidenced b,
the tittering heard during the would-b'
serious, moments OF her program ant
the forced "haw, haw, haw" when sh'
endeavored to be witty.
: 'How did they ever let her on thu
:, stnge?" he asked himself. "Surely sh'
must have had big pull with thu
powers that be-"
. Well, 1t was inevitable. He wai
paid money to give his honest opinion
as to the acts on the bill, and h
owed II to his paper and also to tn
theater-going public TO do just that
: Besides, he would be doing the gir
: a favor by telling her In print tina
she was failure behind the foot
= lights, SO he finally wrote:
"Aliss Mildred Harrison is yer.
attractive girl, with an enhancing per
= sonallty, but when II comes to vaude
: ville-dear Miss Harrison, may It no
be suggested that you try some othe
= means Of earning living? AS
= vaudevillist, Miss Harrison, you ar
not-well, you would make som
young man wonderful wife,
Gary finished his criticism and hand
, ed II to the city editor, through who's