Evening star., 1921-10-02

OCCASION.
| was a. light house, and 1t had been
raining for forty-eight hours without
| a letup, and We We're all feeling rather
soggy and low in our minds. Auntie
| Bates. having more temperament than
most of us and being shy on self-con-
+, willies the plainest. Before the cur
| tain went up she wept Il little on my
shoulder and told me all about it.
| Everything seems to come to-
, gether. doesn't it. dearie?" says she.
This dreadful weather is bad enough.
And then Thespy had to have another
spell-asthma. or something like that
which dogs have. The poor dear!
l held her in my lap all the afternoon.
And / supposed daddy would be there
stead Of that he insisted on going
off to some foolish banquet l was
real cross with him, too, but he said
J it was the annual something or other
| and as he was the grand past what
/ you-c llum he just had to be there.
| 1 suppose he did have to go. but
| was SO worried about Thespy that
didn't care what l said and We
we-
"Uh-huh," says l. "I can guess the
rest. You kept the home brew boil
! ing and slammed the door as you
! left. You'll both get over II. though:
/ by tomorrow noon. and the sun will
be shining, and every little thing will
be lovely once more. So there'
Tits such a comfort shifted
who understand You. II it wasn't for
you ard that dear boy T don't know
what l should do
So it was Sczernoff's turn next. but
| somehow she didn't get chance to
conffde in him until welt along in the
evening. When she did. though. she
| made up for lost time. She didn't stop
at merely paving him. When l saw
them she. had gone to regular
clinch. with both arms around his neck
and her much revised hair Nesting on
his shirt front. He did look a bit
fused at this sudden burst of affec-
ton, but he patted her shoulder
,, soothing and said the proper thing.
l suppose He could hardly do any
thing else, you know"
And then all of sudden I saw her
make a quick break-away and stand
rigid looking back into the wings.
From where I was l couldn't see what
had startled her SO. but she didn't
! leave me in doubt long. for she came
dashing over to me and grabbed me
! by the arm.
"Oh. OH she moaned. Now there
viii be the dickens to pay"
"Eh?" says I. Whats the trouble?
You act as if you'd seen a ghost. ga... ;,
Well. what did you see that got
you so panicky?" demands.
Didn't you see him. too? she asks.
Back there in the wings. watching
me? Daddy Bates!
"But thought he was OF at pan
$50 he was" said she. "At least.
that's where he said he was going.
But perhaps he didn't go at all and
came here toto watch. And he saw!
He must have seem"
You and the dear boy?" I sug-
gcsts. We'll. if he did he got an eye
and he won't understand" walls
Auntie Bates. I'm sure he won't un-
derstand."
says /. "I'm afraid he'll not"
''Oh. OH" she groans. Il hope he
isn't going to do anything desperate.
Il told you what he said he'd do'
you know
"Yes, I remember" says l. Carries
one with him, does he?"
II think So" says she. and he must
have gone into my dressing room. He
he's waiting for me there, or else
he-means To-
half they say. Probably he's just gone
off to sulk and in half an hour or
(WHICH was where. this '.bang"
" came in. 1t wasn't a real loud
one-rather dull and muffied. in fact
but it sounded ominous enough.
I'll admit it brought me up on my
toes. AS. for Auntie Bates. she SIM
ply surged at me, grabbed me as
though L was life raft. and proceed
ed to cut loose with the Mysteries.
Hold the = curtain, somebody" l
calls out. Don't let it go up"
"What?" asks two or three, rushing
UP. whats the matter?"
IT'S Mrs. Bates" says l. She
she's had shock or something. Can't
go on just yet. Hold her. will you,
Mr. Biggs. And take her somewhere.
No, not t.' her dressing room. Any
where else"
L They had quite a job handling her.
but they finally managed to lug her
into my room and stretch her out on
a wicker couch. And about then Ames
Hunt happened to stroll in from the
box Office
whats it, all about?" he demands.
What has happened?"
s1 don't know, quite" says I. 1--WE
got to see. Just a moment"
It's odd. too. how calm you can be
at a time like that. 1 remember
glancing in the mirror to see If I
could be pale in spite of my make
up. Then hurried to Auntie Bates
dressing room. I didn't want to go.
I'm no tragedy hound that likes to
horn in on the scene. But was the
only one who knew what to expect.
So went.
AS I opened the door 7 couldn't help
shutting my eyes. though. and 1t was
not until I'd eased myself IN that
had courage to open them. No, /
didn't find Daddy Bates weltering on
the floor. He was sitting in q rock
ing chair mopping his face with a
handkerchief. And the stuff he was
wiping off his cheeks and opt of his
eyes was red. es~s
( "Mr Batesp I gasped.
"wha-what?" says he. "Oh. it's
you, Miss Dodge, is ft?"