The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1921-03-01
The HOOdoo
tcosyrIshL,,
~ FOREST HALsEY

The moment she opened the door
she knew that they began To whisper
about her.
The contraction OF Tie heart whlch
never failed 70 warn her when shB
was the subject Of discussion warned
her nov.
Under the tight touch OF rouge. that
shield which Of late she had been
forced to don. her face went white.
Her hands clenehed tDgether aRgriiy
In her mufY, even while. iniehea se.
tress that she was, she smiled at the
crowded room her gay. friendly greet
ing. She knew them ah.
Months OF weary sitting 10 the wait.
ing rooms OF the managers had made
them familiar to her.
Once-It seemed long ago-they bad
been TO her simply the crowd through
which she passed 10 pleasant inter.
views with the managers whom the
crowd waited patiently to see. She
had been sent for In those times.
Now she came pnbidden to wait re.
sigDedly at grudgingiy opened doors.
Few today could believe that super
stltion cuR still blight the ,ives OF in.
teiligent people. Bot Il can.
They called her 'the hoodoo.'
wo to the actor or actress on when
that name fniisI
The most bedrsggled specimen
amoug the waiting thronE had bet.
ter chance. And abe knew Il even as
Sha ar,stiad har n.,~.ttnn nj iha snrtn
weary Office boy.
Suddenly every chair held an alert
and smiling figure. The managers
door had opened.
The girl raised her eyes, alert aud
smiling once more. She sprang up.
Eagerly she advanced to the railing.
'Nothlng today. Miss Breen." said
the god, and disappeared,
She went out into the rainy streets.
There was nothing to do with the
rest OF the empty day. The thought
of her lonely, shabby room reyolted
her.
she turned away from It, and in a
short time found herself under the
bare gllstenIng boughs OF little park.
Through the baked branches the
long white marble front of a great
library attructed her. At least, II was
a place TO rest.
In the vast reading room. lined with
rows Of shaded lights and quiet-face,l
folk busy with notes and books, n
sense Of rest came to the weary girl
These people would not whisper about
her.
That little sharp-faced old maid in
spectacles beside her. dipping into that
pile of books, what could her business
he?
The light glittered on the inqulsItive
Spectacles, and the girl turned away
making a pretense of looking at the
books before her, In reality looking
back at her life.
Her mind drifted to what she had
called her "day," the morning wher
she had sprung out OF bed tn read the
criticisms Of the play IN which she hat
acted the night before for the frs
time before a metropolitan audience.
She could still feel a faint ripple ot
that great wave Of JOY which Ira,
passed over her deliciOusly on readInl
OF her personal success. But the plu!
had failed.
margaret Breen. that fine actres
seemingly destined to appear In hope
less plays"
81 wonder " she Is n hoodOO?" tn
producer said JOkingIy.
"Garyis says Breen is a hoodOo," tn,
actor TO whom the remark was mad
said that night, Little by little tn
word "hoodoo' began TO be associate
with her. The Joke became reality.
IN the busy aud prosperous season
she was Idle.
with a start the girl returned to tn
present. She rose and hurried on
down the dim, yaulted corridors.
EXCUSE mr." She turned and behcl
10 her annoyance fIle little, sharp oil
maid. aAre you Miss Breen7" said N
little woman, IN response to the girl
look %"
do you think you could act III
took saw on your face just nowI"
"My dear woman" the girl said wit
little bitterness in her voice, II al
that look. Why 10 you ask?'
Because want you and nObod
else, for the main part In my ne
play. l. am" and she gave a nan
known from coast TO coast for 1
ability to put humor and pathos q
the stage.
The girl caught her breath,
Then, rejecting that the other
spite Of her fame ms a newly reco
nlzed playwright might not have heal
her history, she said quietly:
"You will not want me when Il
you what they call me. The name
90 by Is the hOOdoo.'
Fine humorous lines came out
the sharp face the eyes behind Il
spectacles shOne with the keene
mirth. that which has won throui
suffering.
~ know she sald 'and that