, 1920-02-26

called insistentiy for the hook, but the
high voice of the Dispenser of Doom
in the gallery called, "Shut up; give
her a show" and the noise died down.
She was nc longer frightened, and the
golden voice rang through the theater:
Saddle my horses and call out my men,
Open the west gate and let me go free
Where there's room for the bonnets
of bonny Dundee.
At the end of the verse, n pause, and
then came q crash of applause, re-
peated again and again. One malcon-
ent called Jaw, the hook but twenty
voices roared, drop on yourself"
She sang her song through, n at
Its close there came a whirl of hand
clapping, stamping, and the gallery
boys whistle, high-pitched, and a rain
of coins.
Clarsie turned and walked blindly
toward the exit. but the manager stop
ped her.
go back and bow and take your
encore" he said. you've made good;
don't you near them? Go back and
pick up your money"
Shaking with revulsion, fighting hard
to keep down hysteria, she turned
again, bowed right and left, and sang
again-and again the crash of hand
elapping.
"Pick up our money" called friend
ly voices. "Pick 1t up, take your time,
get 1t all; It's yours; 1t belongs to
you don't be bashful."
St1o -lat-o1 80. .la .or- an ~,
hands were full, and, taking a hint
from poor Barney, she took off her
shabby little sailor hat and poured the
coins into 1t. Then. smiling and crying
together, she bowed again and STUN
bled off.
A strong hand caught her and she
heard, all faint and far, the white
hussar saying, Get n drink of water,
somebody. Don't you see she's dying?"
mo, I'm not" said Clarsie. 'Ill-
I'll be all right SOON"
Guess you WILL" said the other.
you're all right; first prize for you
All you wanted was to be woke up.
but you'd be there yet, planted, If I
hadn't fired the quarter Mt o and
got you going.
Here" she continued, "let me tie
your dough in your handkerchief"
"Not-not-that quarter" stammer-
ed Clarsie; 'T-I-want thai to keep"
well" said he white bussar. oIm
going. Good night ="
She give her n strong bandclesn.
and staggered Off.
Clarsie turned to a boy In the line
and asked. "Who Is tbat?y
"What." said he. "don't Won know7
That's Lola Rivers She owns tho show
that was playIn' here tonight She's
a bird makes ten thousand dollars
a year with her show"
Through the wet streets Clarsie
stumbled bomeward. I'm n dream The
hard bundle of coins she held tightly.
First. at n little oyster-house. she ate.
breaking a fourteen hours fast. Then.
to her room. where she counted her
earnings. Seven dollars and sixtv.ive
cents, and five dollars first prize. NOT
much to you, perhaps. who read this.
but to her the gift of life of shelter
and food for n month to come.
Next day. she met the dragon of the
Neutrality-suspicious. without shrink
ing. and paid her. She still felt weak
and sick and remained indoors all dov
to rest.
As dusk was falling there came a
stately step up the rickety stairs and
a knock at her door.
"Can 7 como In ~ asked a voice that
she knew well, though heard for the
first tim the night before.
She opened the door. and all tremu-
lous with timid gratitude, she ushered
Lola Rivers into her room.
If Lola had looked tall in her bus.
sar dress. she looked taller In the LITTLE
room. Her head seemed almost to
+o,oh .ho ooutru