Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-31
SUNNY DUCROW
THIS STARTS THE STORY
y HENRY ST. JOHN COOPER

.V.I. "a Ws,. .i,lin -, .sl,h h.~ mt
she Intends to ride n a n,otoroar some
ddp. sunny Mpes W noI.o,o, ap
sfupid ard iu,provideut, sunny and
Bert are hungry for q day IN the
country and, lacking the funds. they
sing on the street for ponMes and are
doned by the magistrate. Leslie Mon.
tressor, a tocitknopn dctress, sees
SAMMY IN court and 70 impressed ,otth
Bert before MaG Hempino,oay, man.
oyer Of the play IN tchich she Is dp.
ptprtno. He engages sunny at too
pounds q toeek for three years. SUNNY,
SsSt 70 'Gy@ Ssr TSsrs "a ,HSs some 90 Saf a
cgny N getting into The Theatre, ds
sLswhere, They got 70 the managers
to.his associate. Mr.. Rcsthstmer, "I'ys
dive the public crd.y.a sunny re.
Ss.Se; s.S srs,,p psrsSf aS oSs. g9 s ,se crsms nss
Of. the sender. omitted. They go.
through their first rehearsal Bert
shotgs an utter and absolute stohd
stupidity, the snterrterenoe only Of TIE
Sunny's part pas brief. but Bert
torites a song and receives fue pounds
for the rights Of the toords. sunny
stn0s the song at a private rehearsal
r.: CHAPTER VI
~ Tho First Night
WHAT was a. that terribIv sinking
sensation that Ieemng OF tear tna,
never Detore " ner lIe nau assaiet
nert sne couid no' as unaers'ano r It, ~
frisntened her ana worr,ea ner. .,o de-
What's the matter WITH m, me oosa she ss aee
mended OF herself She telt @ eoio; rsrne sne
snlVereu httie' ner n"hos "e'e ''
onnB .,. ,o,n ,,orea -,or tho hardly.
" was the ions.ioIpkeoIto,, ,ne ,n,,a nn,e q :
Sworked@-,or @ msst ,hssntr. nst ~ ,,ns ao hriIIiantv
tnst. ahe srsa. s o.ohessra S,s ai@ady
niuni,nMa.ou, M tie @ ,,tno me oynrt,,re Here
III III ths .h. p' tas y. pSnyny and ali the rirls of
~ ths,nSnrus uS S h,S taien their niaces. and
eunny tsnt tbs asSSeiv asSivers7" Daisy de yenn
asked ~ Know. had 'em myself.
n,,t tbsv.,i gn on nresentiy. YOU see"
~ hona 40 can't get over IT,"
Sunny said. II feel as cold as cold, and
Ses There's nothinr-" She paused.
Tha orchestra was playing the opening
chorus the great curtain rolled up, and
uN}fe %tSousands oet and Thousands of
white spots, IL seemed to her, drifting
nbo,,t IN n sea Of fos, The spots Of white
were the faces in the audience: the fog
existed only in her Imagination. she
still felt cold, but she was singing; she
was going through actions almost me-
Chemically.
Mrs. Melkin was in the gallery She
had been presented with gallery ticket.
She was probably pointing sunny out to
her immediate neighbors, and describing
how for years she had shaved and striVen
Tbs Chorus W was over: the girls took
UP their positions at the back of The
stare.
Now Miss Montressor came on, to be
greeted by a storm OF applause. Then
Harry Kibble. who was almost as popu-
lara fine, handsome looking young
fellow. But Sunny still felt worried and
nervous, EVERY moment her nervous
ness Increased, She was thinking OF the
scene in the second act when she came
on alone when she alone must take the
atage when abe knew she would not be
II would be up to her then and she
would have to sing Berts song
II shan,t never do it," sunny thought.
didn't know. I feel like I was wishing
was back at the pickle factory
The ffrst act was over. No one seemed
to notice that there was anything wrong
with sunny,
She met Bert behind the scene.
.Tow do you feei?" ne asked,
.Ail right" she said. She smiled at
hinr: Bert, deluded, went away.
--tse areat ballroom scene where she
was n taEe the stage and sing her gong.
~, wish I didn't never have a song"
shesthought. "I'li break down, I can I
do ~ sunny Ducrow. you've got to do
uWo uWo s.Thsra won't he no ' motorears' nor
nice. .fiata with sofy cushions on the floor,
nor nothink for YOU il YOU don't do II.
mvsgirlI"
She did not take her place in the
chorus when the curtain went UP on tho
second Act. She had changed into the
ragGed dress of the girl from the pickle
factory. II was an exaggerated dress.
It was coming, coming coming Every
moment now was bringing her nearer
and nearer 70 the ordeal
sunny Ducro " pull yourself together.
nv girl! It's your chance your chance
waiting for and looking for. GO on I'm
ashamed OF you" she murmured to her
"M,ss Ducrow the call-boy was
shouting
Heavens. never had she WINGED before
at at the SsTs Of sbe heH da Hot know She
found herself standing on the stage by
the wings. Her moment had come. It
was here! Some one gave her little
thrust forward and she stepped on 70 ..c
on which the attention Of the great audi
ence was focused. Yes, It was her hour,
the moment Of her life. She felt that
sho wanted to turn and run for ~; ny
foThsr life hide heTsef fNdsng so"s@her ssr Good
heavens, she had to say something !,
What was 1t she was expected to say?
were the words she had spoken SO giipiy
for weeks now ut rehearsal? why % GU
thete he was, standing in the opposite
wings looking wretched and detected
Sunny could also very distincsly sor,,s see d
snetr on the faces Of some OF the cnorus :os
ladies who were dressed ,eataS IN eat. to say
Sbaa. racked her brains, she Closed leT