Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-04-23

''Must be members Of Arrowsmiths
company" one of my neighbors re-
marked. "They open in two weeks
in Shakespearian repertoire"
Montani had half risen, the better
to focus an opera-glass on the box.
The gong soemnly announced the sec
ond act, and Alice moved her chair
| to face the stage. Once more Mon
TAM scanned the party with his glass.
AS the lights faded Alice, with the
| pretty languorous gesture | so we'll re-
| memhered. opened her fan-the fan
| of ostrich plumes, that became a blur
of white that held my eye through the
| dusk after the curtain rose.
Alice. Montani. and the fan! To this
| combination had now to add the new
| element introduced into the situation
| by the apparent familiar acquaintance
| of Alice and Mrs Farnsworth with
| Cecil Arrowsmith. And yet, as the
| play proceeded on it's swift-mOying
course, reasoned that there was moth,
ing extraordinary in their knowing the
eminent actor. He had long beer
a parsonage in England and had late
ly been knighted. Their appearance
with him at the theater really dis.
posed of the idea that they might bs
impOsterS The presence of Arrow
smith bad put zest into the company.
and | hadn't seen a better perform
ance of Searles' play. The trio in
the box joined in the prolonged APP
plauSe at the end of the act.
AS they resumed their talk Alice, it
seemed. was relating something of mo-
ment for ArrOWsmith's benefit, refer
ring now and then to Mrs FarnswOrth
as though for confederation. The
scene in the box was almost as in
teresting as any in the play, and the
audience watched with deep absorb
ton. Alice, the least self-cOnsciOus
of mOrtals was, | knew, utterly I'M
aware Of the curious gaze of, the
house; whatever she was saying with
an occasional gesture of her gloved
hand or a Shrug of her shoulders
possessed her completely. thought
she might be telling Arrowsmith of
her adventures at Barton; but the
length of her narrative was against
this, and ArroWsmith's attitude was
more that of critic appealed to
for an opinion than of polite listener
to a story He nodded his head srv-
eral times. and finally. as Alice. with
q slight dip Of the head and an out
ward movement of her arms, settled
back in her chair he patted his hands
apprOvingly.
In my absorption ] had forgotten
Montani's existence. but as the third
act began | saw that he had gone.
Whether | should put myself in Alice's
way as she left the theater was still
an undetermined question when the
play ended. With Montani hanging
about | felt certain obligation to
warn her that he had been watching
her. | was among the first to leave,
and in the foyer I met Forsythe, the
house manager, who knew me as a
friend of Searles.
You notice that we're still turn
ing 'em away" he remarked. 1--WE
don't have to worry about this piece;
everybody who sees it sends his friends
the next day. Searles hasn't looked in
for some time; hope he's writing a
new play?"
Hes West visiting his folks. Don't
know when he'll be back" answered.
II must write him that Sir Cecil Ar
rowsmith enjoyed Who Killed Cock
Robin? just as much as common NOR
tails"
FOrsythe had paused at the box
office, and in my uncertainty | stuck
to him as the crowd began to surge
by.
Arrowsmith's approach was adver-
tisad by the peculiar type of tall hat
that he affected, and the departing au-
dience made way for him, or hung
back to stare At his left were Alice
and Mrs. Farnsworth, and they must
pass quite close to me. "WhO Killed
Cock Robin?" was a satisfying play
that sent audiences away with light
ened hearts and smiling faces, and the
trio were no exception to the rule.
Listening inattentively to FOrsythe,
| was planning to join Alice when the
trio should reach me. She saw me;
there was a fleeing flash of recog-
milton in her eyes, and then she turned
toward ArroWsmith. She drew near
err; her gaze met mine squarely, but
now without sign to indicate that
she had ever seen me before. She
passed on. talking with greatest ami
nation to ArrOWsmith.
'Well remember me to Searles If
you write him." heard FOrsythe say
ing | clutched his arm as he opened
the office door.
"Who are those women?" demand
ed.
"You may search me! I see you
have a good eye. That girls rather
nice to look at y
Crowding my way to the open, !
blocked the path of orderly, sane citi-
zens awaiting their machines until
! policeman pushed me aside. Alice
saw for a bewildering instant, framed
| in the window of a big limousine that
| rolled away uptown.