Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-07
CHAPTER XIV
sunny Freaks Down

CHAPTER XIV
Sunny Breaks Down
Miss Leslie Montressor's rooms, al
ways charming. were looking their very
best tonight, ms was their owner. a
graceful and very beautiful woman, far
filter to play Shakespearean or old
English comedy parts than light revue
characters. she moved gracefully about
her rooms, putting finishing touch here
and there. There were q dozen guests in
ALL and the first was arriving now. He
turned out to be Hemmingway.
80 good of you to come !" she said
Good of you to ask me, Leslie. BY
George. well miss you badly. old girl"
She smiled.
II shall miss you. too all my friends
here" she said. II shall miss my little
home-all my dear things--but ours Is
always wandering life. An actress has
no right TO n home, l suppose" She
sighed.
"Oh, for goodness sake don't let us
be miserable tonight. Lesle" he said
II can't help it, hate going; yet, of
course, have to 60 one grows old,
the. sun shines. / don't want to be old
and poor. 1t will be bad enough to be
old without being anything else horrible.
How is the new thing shaping, MAXI"
Fine :" he said ariefly. Grace
Bythedale isn't, of course, Leslie Mon
N'SN'' puS SiiS q a. bOou 81 'hu iOOh'
the part
"She is younger than am, and that
counts" Miss Montressor said.
Younger! Rot" he said "She Is
younger In years, but you look like a
child on the stage-a child with the ex-
sighed. However. mustn't grumblc A;
I've got the next best in Grace Blythe
dale, and then"--he paused-"there's g
that protegee of yours, the little Ducrow
girl-she's shaping fine"
II knew she would l was right :"
she said. "lt was another of my finds. "
Not another. but the Find, he
said. THAT girl will go far: she's
barely begun yet George" he said,
She stood up and spouted Portals
speech as to the manner born the other
day before old Rosthelm inner and Posetti
and me. It made my hair stand up on
end. l didn't think she had It in her
Leslie, there's something almost un-
canny about that girl. / never saw any
girl with such ambition, wi tn such an
solve, to get on. She Is going to get on.
Her will will beat down all obstacles"
II believe she'll be n great success
hope 30. When l come back shall help
her all ! can. Meanwhile. YOU will do
what you can for her. MAXI"
Trust me! !" he said.
There were other arrivals now--Mr.
Rosthelmer, Miss Blythedale. Mr. Har-
vey Daglan and Lord Dobrngton. They
were all there. and one or two whom
Sunny did not know. when she arrived
q little later,
It was long way and l missed my
turning twice |" She stood and looked
round the room and laughed.
ITS just the same. only 1t looks diff
ferent somehow" she said II suppose
It's me as Is altered. Miss?"
1.., al. Es,tA '
Miss Montressor said smlingly.
The others were staring at the small,
red-haired girl. who was she?" scme
were asking.
g.. pat GIRL" Ros,nSimer IS s"'a a,,Y with III,
laughing all der time, Iio, ho She haf
god her cheek OF dwendy. :"
Yes, ! s'pose I'm 4 bit different to
what was that Sunday" Sunny looked
down at her plain but neat dress, her
was wearing that time?" she said,
Law. ! lost one of 'em on the stairs,
and l lost 1t twice going home. I never
'ad such boots for wanting to go off on
their own, but II was this way: | got
'em cheap off barrer-men's hoo's they
was--onlY they was cheap and thick and
kept the water out. 'Ello," she added,
who are you laughing at?'
"Ho. he, no! You make me sblit my
sides % Mr.. Rosthelmer said.
II hope" sunny said. you've begun
to save up that hundred pounds you'll
owe me In three months time Three
wasn't tor was 1t siX?"
"Ho, no, ho!" he laughed.
oh, shut up" Sunny said, She
looked round. She saw Lord Dobring-
ton and nodded.
"How's your mother?" she asked
He turned a little red. quite well,
thanks !" he said; while some of the
others laughed
~ go to the same photographers to be
took as she does now" Sunny said.
"Only | expect she pays him, while he
pays me. A hundred and twenty guineas
year I'm getting out Of old Hurling-
"Huringham !" Miss Montressor said
Surely you have not contract with
him, sunny
~ have 7" Sunny said. why, aln't he
good for the money!"
Miss MontressOr laughed.
at isn't that; he IL good enough fol
the money; but, do you know, all the
tried to get him to photograph me anc
he has never cOnsented"'
Because you didn't go the right way
to work with him = sunny said. "He
took me first pop Off ! The Laughing
Gel he called me-not SO dusty either
'adn't got no dress clothes for one thing
l told i'm he could Ire EN-. Sut hC
wouldn't, Poor old Bert !! she signed. ~
wish he could get out of being so mis-
'rable !"
1t was tasteful and dainty little
meal, nothing ostentatous. 1t was just
like Miss Leslie Montressor herself
quiet and distinguished, everything OF
the best and all with a charm and daln
tiness that one could not hope to find
in restaurant, no matter how expen
sIYe or exclusive.
IT'S lovely coming ere, isn't It,
Sunny whispered to Lord Dobrington.
straight In the face.
"YOu needn't try and be funny" SHIT
said. III you mean me, I'm no oil
painting, and know It!
miss Ducrow, II you don't mind !!
she said.
but i thought we were frlendsT'
"Well, sunny, them" she said
What's your first nameT