The Raymer enterprise., 1923-10-04
GLADDEN. LANE
q. 1874 western Nswspapsr Union.j
y JANE JoRpoM

ughted theater Clotilde danced her
way each night into public favor.
She seemed to float as q bit OF
thlstledown, her fairy toes scarce
touching the door, her white dra.
peries light as filmy cloud.
Her admirers came to call her
Thistledown." and later, when her
sharp tongue discouraged their atten-
IONS they changed II grImly to
thistle"
The dancing girl was devoted to her
art and seemed to lose herself in It
completely. Her young dancing moth.
er before her. had named the baby
daughter Clotilde, after a favorite
heroine Of fiction.
Clotilde did not remember her moth.
er; orphaned and ignored BY her
fathers family, she had been carried
on BY her mothers friends In the the
atrical profession until skillful enough
to earn her own living.
She had been famous" for Just one
year, she told the ardent young man
who at last won Clotilde's affection.
From the first night that his de-
lighted eyes had witnessed "Thistles'
marvellous dancing. Stanley Spencer,
member Of an old and wealthy family.
was to be seen again and again In the
same box at the theater. This faith.
ful admiration at first attracted the
girls Interest, and later. led to Ills
presentation.
And from ardelt admirer Stanley
Spencer became acknowledged lover.
Then came the tragedy Of the accI.
dent. The audience. wild with Its an.
plause Of her graceful flying exit,
could not know that their fayorite lay
at that moment suffering at the foot
OF the steep stair which led to her
dressing room In the theater. ClotiIde
had missed her footing and had fallen
b the hard floor below.
When weeks later the surgeons pro.
nounced her sufficiently recovered to
be discharged from their hospital care,
It was made known that thistle"
would no more delight her audiences,
and because Of the lamed hip, she
must walk forever with the aid Of a
crutch. 30 came to an end the short.
lived glory. And with that glory van
ished Stanley Spencers professed
love.
Clotilde could hardly grasp this
cruel realization Of her second loss.
But when her desertion could no long.
er be doubted she went to her lawyer,
and smiling bravely, asked: "How
much money have Ir
She had been wise In saving; there
would be quite enough for her sup
port. Then she followed the surgeons
advice and went into the country
an unexplored land to the former
dancer. There day by day she grew
into new and peaceful pleasures. The
pleasures came through the chance
direction Of q alphabetically inter.
ested lady who, seeing the lame girl
pass her home each day, made q point
Of becoming acquainted with the lone
" young person. Soon they were con.
fldants.
my DEAR" the lady Of the stone
house said to Clotilde. "you have
known misfortune. but, oh, there are
80 many unfortunates. When I 60
down GLADDEN. lane my heart yearns to
relieve the want there. Ny son and
! have many charities; he gives freely
his labor to GLADDEN. lane, which means
4 great deal to one busy doctor"
Thereafter, idly. Clotilde in her
walking wandered down GLADDEN. lane.
GLADDEN. 1.-THE mockery Of the name |!
Tumbledown farm houses. shabby chill.
dren-if she might only gladden. their
lives.
A darkeyed little girl gased curl.
ously at her crutch. Clotilde smiled
The child came close. "You may lean
on me a. you walk" she invited. y
am strong" An old lady, real old.
fashioned lady Of long aSo, smiled too
a. Clotilde went on, leaning gratefully
against the shoulder Of the "strong lit.
tls uri."
Il found gladness for myself there"
she later told her new friend Of the
stone house. 1T ID 90 pleasant to make
people happy with mere money. There
was q poor old lady and little girl
they call Midge. It will be easy to
settle them In a village home here to-
gether. and when ! wish to claim rela-
tives, why I shall come to my adopted
mother-and my little girl"
To her doctor son that evening Clio
Tides new friend expressed the sentt
msnt Of those theatrical friends Of the
past.
with her strange bringing up" 70
marked Doctor Burns mother, "the
lame girl. who was 4 dancing girl,
b the sweetest, truest creature
You must know her. John"
That John did come to know Clo-
tilds ID evidenced BY the fact Of
Stanley Spencer's chance call upon his
former college companion.
Stanley Spencer, ringing the doc
tors bell, was breathlessly astonished
to be confronted by the same round.
glowing face that had 20 captivated
hla fancy anrnua fho 1iOhta ~ a fha