Evening star., 1922-06-25
Ambition Real Lone, Se-Sac7ce-By HOlWorthV Hall

given you-my whole heart-my
| whole thought--and all I've dreamed
| about you-and the pedestal 1 put
you on" She was shaking uncon-
trollably. II want you to go. Maui
rice. Do you hear me? Co."
kennard was holding to the back
Of a chair.
violet" he said, "why don't you
play your big scene something like
that?"
| The expression on her face changed
suddenly, for she saw that he was
very white and unsteady. She drew
back, gasping.
You see." said Kennard, "Hartney
said tonight that 1t would take dyna-
mite to rouse you-and-he was right.
Play the scene in that key, Violet.
and you'll be on Broadway the rest
Of your life. You see-I did this-rd
do anything to help you-because 1
love you"
EVEN on the next afternoon she was
still unnerved and supersensitive,
and all at once she put her hand on
his arm.
| Dearest. you can call me anything
you like-silly. or unreasonable. or
temperamentaL or anything-but I
just can't go on tonight II Hartney's
there. 1 can't do 1T! Oh, I'll be all
right in few days, but tonight just
can't-when it's SO new-and bewil.
dering-and hate him so! I'd screans
if he touched me-"
Instantly Kennard was apprehenk
sive
"Violet! Do you know what you're
saying? When we haven't any un.
derstudies yet? when"
She clung to him appealingly.
PLAY the part yourself, Maurice.
You're up in it-and It's something
you can do. Please! II you don't.
I'll have Mysteries the minute he
touches me. It's only for tonight-v
and maybe tomorrow. After that
won't notice him."
He soothed her and pleaded with
her for an hour. but at the end OF II
he went to interview the producer.
1t was a difficult situation to explain.
but the producer was old and wise in
the capriciousness of women.
Sure" he said. that's all right II
she feels like that, you go on tonight
and tomorrow. Tell Hartney 1 said
for you to do So"
With many misgivings, he went to
Hartney, but the older man, who had
no fear of Kennard as a rival actor,
was unexpectedly complacent.
Suit yourself. my boy" he said;
suit yourself. I've got an open con-
tract for forty weeks anyhow. so you
|, do the work for a couple of days. and
I'll draw the salary"
So Kennard went on that night in
the first part, which had ever suited
him, and after the final curtain the
producer, who had carefully watched
the play from In front. came back
stage to speak to him. A few min
utes later Hartney. looking somewhat
dazed, also made his appearance.
"Oh. Hartney. were you in front,
too? asked the producer.
Yes, and I just came back to tell
you that If that fellow goes on again
tomorrow-'
Hold on, I've just hired kennard
, for the run of the play Your con-
tracts something else again. So I'm
going to put you in another piece"
THE play came to New York, and
. after the opening night the critics
rose up in a body and heralded the
arrival of twin geniuses.
1.-The curtain FELL" said the dean Of
the experts. ION the conclusion Of one
of the most impressive interpreta-
tions that any actor has given in New
| n
nothing more exquisitely wrought out
than her performance, nothing more
impressive and piteous than her act
ing in her most important scene with
Mr. Kennard, has been seen in recent
years"
And SO on. for column after column.
, throughout the metropolitan press
, 1t was all the more incomprehensi-
BILE to the management. then. when
, Violet in the middle of the second
week and with seats selling four
, months in advance, handed in her
. notice.
"Oh, no." she said to the dumb
founded producer. "nothing's wrong
at all. I'm simply going to leave the
stage"
Leave the stage" he gasped. You
leave the stage. Leave the stage
now! Are you crazy?" .-.
She shook her head.
NO, I'm going to be married
But look here-what would mar
, riage have to do with it?"
, i've been on the stage for seven
years" she said: ever since was
, sixteen I've seen a lot of marriages
! among stage people. and I've watched
, them to see how they work. And 1t
seems to me that il both the man and
). the girl are poor and unknown they
have a good chance of being happy
together and of staying married. IL
O one of them is important and tho
. other isn't, their chance isn't as good.
, But If both Of them are stars. they've
, hardly any chance at all. There's too
much to disagree about. The best
combination I've ever seen is when
only one of the two is on the stage
, and the other one understands. and
helps, and encourages, and makes a
real home to come back to. So I
Just decided to-retire."
The producer played his last card.
And give up five hundred dollars
a week?"
Your contract calls for a hundred.
I'll make a new one-five hundred a
week"
, Her eyes were very wide.