New Britain herald., 1921-08-26

ing distress in the girls eyes.
 'Chorus?" he asked then, ab- ractedly.
 She nodded Her voice had become infinitely small and wistful.
 The Satin Slipper We play here the beginning of next week-we're rehearsing now-and then month or so on the road, and then into New York. You're glad, aren't your" But her tone belied the statement: her eager little face gave it the lie. And the next instant she had darted across the room and dropped to her knees, and buried her head in his lap. Jimmy she .sobbed. "Oh, I don't want to leave you here alone. Are you going to stay?"
 T don't know he answered vaguely.
 But you couldn't stand it here, alone," she repeated with a gasp. You couldn't staad it! Cant you cant you come?'
 II don't know
 I'm a pig!" she accused herself, candidly. You're tired; you're hun ery-that's what's the matter with you. And I've still an hour almost before I have to go; I'm going to get you something to eat. And you'd better wash your face, Jimmy. It's pretty smudgy-in spots"
 The Manchester Daily Gazette (pithily termed the town crier and criterion in it's own advertising mat ter) was not the only purveyor of divorce and disaster o< which the city could not boast though it fretted it. ho oc competitor in the field. Indeed, from MT. Latham, the proprietor of the Gazette, and Wainwright, the city editor, down, they were all exceed ingly grateful for the other daily's existence.
 Every canvas needs it's frame; and while, if put to it, doubtless every member of the Gazette staff would have admitted that the Gazette was a superior product of modern, up- tO-the- minute journalistic methods worthy of comparison with any sheet in the country, it was still very sat isfying to turn now and then, to contrast it with the Daily Courier, it's | alleged competitor, owned and man. | aged by inpecunious and old-fash- toned David Landis, father of the | bronze-haired girl who had given 1 Jimmy Gordon such a warm welcome | "Old Dave Landis had grown old in achieving failure. Carol Landis, his | daughter, was the one thing close 1 ly identified with his own existence, which did not seem to appeal, mute ly or otherwise, for commiseration. The unpainted house on the back street had grown to look like it's owner; it was sadly down at the heel. But Carol resembled him not at all. Hers was a more vivid personality; she was alive to her hnger-tips-as alive as he was dreamy and absent minded. Hungry to act on the stage she proved herself daily a consum- mate artist! she treated him like the veriest Apostle of Success. And his air toward her was so beautiful 6 mixture of courtly deference and apologetic humility that, oftener thar not, it brought desperate hot tears to her eyes-tears which she never dared to let him see, lest they mal the entire performance.
 And she played the same game with Jimmy Gordon; played it more skilfully, if anything, for Jimmy's eyes were sharper. That Sunday aft ernoon she left him alone in the front room as if nothing at all was Naniss. Her going was followed i'm. mediately by a most cheerfully ener' getic shaking of a grate. To this noise the boy gave no heed, but later he did raise his head and sniff a the penetrating odor of coffee. An6 he had finished cleansing his hands and face before she spread a frayeo napkin upon the kitchen table an6 I~Jo 1ofn nd sang out for him to come.
 | He showed a faint interest in hel mad little costume, and she. waiting for all opportunity to make conver' lsation, seized avidly upon the ques ton in his eyes.
 The wardrobe woman had mor' work than she could do," she ex
 plained, ''so they let me bring mine
 home to fit it myself. It was too bit around the waist. Did you-did vol
 try to get to anybody with your play?' she heSitated.
 "A few hundred, I think he said with a feeble attempt at humor ''
 lost count after the first days. I triet
 all the little ones first, and neve , got past the office boy. And then } tried Harding-and he saw me. H
 gave me a half-hour, and told m to come back in week, after h } had a chance to read the stuff over. At that she leaned forward, he
 hands going impulsively to his knees ! Not Harding.' she breathed tWhen all the rest refused you?' Be
 fore the glow in her eyes he did hi } best to maintain a manner of indif , ference. He read the play, and of