The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-10
EOening Story
What Next?
BY MARGARET NJ. LUKEs.

| came to TentonviIle- 1t was that June
/ having the lead in the class play that
made me just know that some day I'd
! have to go on the stage. And now
comes this great chance thru Sally
| Fosters uncle It's only a little part
of course; Bob, you don't understand
how wonderful it is to stand up there
| and
/ dreams. Her dark blue eyes shone like
stars. The freight shed a glow on
her soft golden hair. Finally Bob, big
and good looking in his awkward way,
| slowly rose to his feet.
you've made up your mind he
said huslSily; nothing that I can say
would make you change it?"
Kathleen shook her head. ooh.
Bob she burst forth again. you
don't know what it is to want g. life
where unusual things happen. Here I
always know just what is going to hap
pen next L even Away know what
you're going to do next"
young doctor to the pretty little town
of Tentonville-and he had met Kath-
leen the day he came-he had fallen
hopelessly in love with her. 1t was
characteristic of him now to go back
to his coy white house a stones throw
from the Tentonville hospital without
pleading his cause. 1t was character
istic of him too, to go down to the sta
ton the next morning and cheerfulIy
kathleen.
But when the New York express had
come and gone and Mrs. Hicks, the
fluttery little mother of Kathleen, who
with sher father had finally consented
to the stage venture, asked DR.. Bob
to come back to the house for lunch,
he only shook his head and said he
thought he'd go for little walk in
the country.
To describe the first few DAYS of the
n o 10 he
to describe a cloud of rose glory for
Kathleen anyway. With the strain of
rehearsals all over, excitement flut-
tered about her mind like a gay-colored
little bird At first there was no thrill
in the world like getting up each night
to say her little RRrt. It wasn't much
fun getting out OF a little hard bed in
a small town in the early cold hours
of the morning to make a train for
the next stand. Still a person had to
make sacrifices for art, Kathleen
argued to herself.
1t was just at the beginning of the
fourth week that Kathleen, sitting
quietly in a small stuffy dressing room
in iCastIeton. Iowa, heard the play was
going to fail
Fail" she echoed family to the
character woman as she drew a gen
erous line of grease paint under her
left eye.
why, yes, of course, you little
L
use them baby blue eyes to take a peek
thru the curtain hole and see how
many peoples out front? There wasn't
any more than three handfuls last
night. Jake Sullivan got a wire from
New York last night calling the show
off the boards if it don't start to
break even in three nights
The gossip of the other members of
the company soon proved TIC Kathleen
that the character woman was not
fooling. They sat on the trunks in
each others dressing rooms and gath
cred in small indignant groups in the
dusty wings of the theater and their
one topic of conversation was the
''bust-up'' of the show. Kathleen
learned that the whole trouble was
that they were simply passing thru
certain section of the country where
there was financial depression; that
once tided over and out OF TINS "belt
the show would be on its feet How
ever the manager in New York re
fused to stand further losses and wait
for larger audiences
That night Kathleen sat for long
time on the edge of the little white
iron bed, her two long golden pra1ds
hanging dejectedly over her shoulders.
1t was the thought of wanting 10 zen
some one all about it that made hef
finally reach for the little PAD ana
mcneil in her suitcase and write her
mother a long letteC-
The next three days passed like all
the others with the exception tnat
everv one was cross and gloomy. The
fateful third day itself landed them IN
a town called ''Heartsease and they
laughed at the irony of it.
1t was at dinnertime that JAKE SUI
Ivan. rnarager suddenly appeared at
/ ne long table where they were SIT
ting. cleared his throat and made this
announcemen t:
"A gentleman Interested in the
show business has suddenly appeared
who saws he will back this SHOW tenn
orariIy in case the receipts are no
better tonight than the other nights
He has faith in the company, he SAYS,
and wants to see it win out. Inc snow
will not close therefore The gentle
man prefers to keep his identity un-
known for the present
Perhaps it was the excitement OF
the whole affair, perhaps it was case
of no lunch. At any rate just as
I<athIeen reached the top of the stairs |
after dinner she tainted. The other
women in the company ran this way
and that for water and finally sum
moned a doctor who happened to be
staying in the hotel
When kathleen, lying on couch !
in a little parlor, came to fifteen MN |
utes later, she was looking into the |
eyes of Bob Granville.
Bob" she cried, and for some rea-
son the character woman standing |
near stole quietly out of the room
Bob" she cried again, suddenly |
sitting bolt upright and Selling his |
two hands, whatever are you doing |
here? %
The old boyish grin spread over his |
face I'm backing the show
Then you're the man p
Bob nodded. II didn't mean to tell /
YOU. Er-er Pm interested in shows |
and your mother happened to tell me
this one was in trouble-so thought /
I'd come out and help
Now Kathleen might have had the !
appearance of a fluffy little doll baby. |
but deep in her heart she had that in
tuition that determines the course OF
every woman's life. Bob. dear" she
said slowly, you're not telling me the /
.r,,tt, Xn1, didn't CONG out here be