Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-06-30

q movie theatre ~ Tcstern Fenn-
sylvania topn, she met Welles iohcn
Ne made a personal appearance
there, hoto he inrited her to come TO
Ne,o York aud said he trould place
key in the movies, hop she came and
fhs chiliy reception phich ne gdce her
4, the studio. Then, becoming inter
ssted IN her, he gets her job in a
srndH topn stock company for the
experience, promising to see her
effen.
K;tty. a member Of the company,
oropcs her best friend and Nelto
Aunts lodgings TO begin her stage
cork. &c..
No,u Go On With the Story
-. CHAPTER y
. DARKNEsS found me still without'a
IL lodging. had about decided 10
throw myself again on Kitty's Kindness.
and beg permission TO pass the night If
necessary on the floor of her room,
when I remembered that I didn't even
know where she lived. would have
TO wait until che was back at the thea
tire. Even then. there was no telling
how long l might have to wait before
she could see me. was tired and des-
perately hungry. would ask the
Arst person met to direct me to some
restaurant or hotel where l could get
some supper.
But on turning a corner l found
myself on what seemed to be the prin-
ctpal business street Of the town. star
ing me in the face was dilapidated
electric sign with a good half OF its
bulbs either broken or gone. From
the ones that still were in condition
a. +ha afHn W fhpU
been intended. managed TO spell out
that my tired feet had led me to the
palace Hotel.
Anything less like ones preconceived
idea of a palace could hardly be
imagined. However, glance through
the window Of the dining room showed
me a small number Of respectable look
ing people gloomAy occupied in the con
sumption Of their evening meal. Any
thing looked good to me in my ex.
hausted state. i went In by the ladies'
entrance, wondering. as l did so. If tn"
dilapidated sign which hung, immedi-
ately over the entrance could be per
suaded to stay in its place until l was
safely past the dingy portal.
The dinner was better than l had
hoped Feeling utterly incapable OF
further e1ertion after had satisfied
the pangs of my hunger, l decided 70
.remain at the Palace for the night.
and pursue my search for a room the
first thing in the morning.
Having been shown to a huge barn
like room which contained nothing but
the most Necessary furniture, but
which, like the dinner, furnished an
I agreeable disappointment in that 1t
seemed fairly clean, ! lost no time in
tumbling into bed. was too tired
even to dream. | awOke the next
morning TO find the sun streaming in
through the torn and faded window :
blind. l accepted It as a good omen,
and after breakfast started out again
\ refreshed both in mind and body. This
time luck was with me. The first place
] called | found a small room which
had the merits Of being both clean and
neat and for n price within my modest
means. ! took 1t for week, paying
half of the rent down in advance.
Recalling what Kitty had said about
morning rehearsals, | went over to the
theatre In the hope of seeing her and
perhaps finding her free for a moment,
In the latter hope | was disappointed.
She seemed 10 be on the stage every
minute Of the time. But she nodded
and smiled gayly on seeing me, and
told me in pantomime that | was not
to have any fears for Monday night,
had feared that might not be per-
mitted TO witness a rehearsal, being
still an outsider. But no, one paid any
attention TO me. think for the first
time / realized what unremitting
drudgery falls to the lot of the stock
actor. ! no longer wondered that Kitty
complained Of being exhausted before
the, matinee was over. The way they
went over and over scene after scene
was fatiguing, even TO spectator
Toward the close Of the rehearsal,
Kitty found time to thrust n copy OF
the song we we're TO sing together into
my hand. The words and music were
en- separate sneets, hastily and care
lsssly copied from the original, My
heart sank as ! puzzled over them
spent the afternoon in my room
memorizing the words. As have said
before, | could scarcely read music. all
my playing being done by ear. Still
/ felt that II had only had piano
y ] might have picked out the air after a
fashion. But to read it absolutely by
note, without any instrument TO help
me, was entirely beyond me l felt, il
possible. more discouraged than ever.
The evening found me again at the
theatre partly because 1t was already 4
habit with me, and partly because
felt the necessity of having con-
ference with Kitty over the song Tc
my surprise, in view of the long re,
hearsal in which she had scarcely left
the stage-I was too green TO realize
that had been witnessing the re,
hearsal for the piece for the COMING
week-I found that she was not ''on'
at all In the third act. We had ample
time, therefore. to talk things over. lr
her shrill voice, which was yet some
how very sweet, she sang over the all
OF our duet several times, quite suf
hcient for a person with my quick eal
10 catch II. felt more encouraged thar
! had at any time since the Who'll,
wretched idea was first broken to me
Another vexed question Kitty wa
able 70 settle with ready promptncss-
the question of my boys costume. He
only regret was that nothing Of her
would be available on account Of th'
marked difference in our height anC
figures hut she knew of second -hanC
shop where would be sure to get some
thing that would answer perfectly, an'
ut an absurdly low figure. She, her
self, had dealt there ever since she ha'
first been connected with the Henr!
Irving. She would go with me to tn
chop the next day between rehoarsa
, and the matinee. Thss, owing entirel.
10 kitty's kindness, / was able TO &
70 bed that night in my new room witt
q lighter heart than / would hav
drsamsd possible earlier in the day.
y x1s bs ssntinusd tanl~rsv