Evening star., 1924-06-15
.EEEEE EEL" SAID MADEMOISSELLE SYLVIA.
"WOOF!" SAID THE BEAR.

something you haven't told me, Pat,
and maybe you have just got a good
hunch. Anyhow, you're so sure that
it will be worth my while that I'll
wait over. You know I'm a busy man
and / should be back in town, but you
never double-crossed me yet, Pat, and
so I'll take your tip and stay"
Alta boy, Harry" said Pat beam
ing.
I'm the morning then, Miss" said
Buscovar. rising.
"Oh. watt" said Mile. Sylvia. laying
OBTAINING hand on Buscovar's arm
nd staring distractedly at Pat.
Wait"
''Yes?" said Buscovar.
Mile. Sylvias eyes filled with tears
She covered her face with her hands
Il can't she sobbed II can't do it,"
A Enthusiastically skeptical grin
appeared on Buscovar's fat face. Pat
expressed only amazed alarm.
why, what's the NATTER" he ex-
claimed.
II thought maybe I could think up
some kind Of good lie to tell Mr
Buscovar and make him believe it and
get some booking on the big time
she said broken1y. But I can't do it
when you believe in me SO. l am just
nobody, Pat. Just nobody at all
When l was nine years old a farmer
in New Hampshire took me out of an
orphan asylum and adopted me, and
them"
"Orphan asylum exclaimed Pat.
Yes" said Mile. Sylvia abjectedly.
Il told you / was nobody. That's true.
I'm just nobody. / worked on the farm
until / was sixteen without even the
hope of ever doing anything else. And
then Priscilla Parsons came to stay
with U.S."
priscilla Parsons said Buscovar.
"The old classic dancer"
Mile Sylvia nodded. "She had
had a nervous breakdown, and she
came to our place to rest. She
taught me a little about classic dane
ing and gave me the idea that i might
get away from the farm drudgery
and make a living for myself. After
she went away l practiced and prac-
ticed and practiced.
.It was harder because everybody
laughed at me. My room was TOO
small to work in, so l always nad 10
go out somewhere, and wherever
went somebody would always fol-
low me and laugh at me. l got so
finally didn't mind much. l used TO
practice out in the orchard ana just
let them laugh all they wanted TO.
Laugh" said Buscovar. with
CLEAN of interest in his eyes.
Laugh? People watching you would
laugh while you was practicing this
dancing?"
"All the time" said Mile. Sylvia
sadly. Always. The family, the
neighbors, everybody! But l kept at
it and finally 1 got away and got
small engagement and then 1 -
And they would laugh. hey" said
Buscovar. "They would sit and laugh
at you?"
yes" said Mile. Sylvia, beginning
to sob again. "Oh, I'm through! I'm
failure! People have always
laughed at me, and they still do. 1
can hear them out in the audience
snickering. 1 guess you're laughing
at me, now. Oh, l don't care. I'm
through.
She rushed from the dining room,
weeping furiously, and hurried up
stairs to her room.
DAT rose from the chair as though
= to follow. why, the poor kid"
he said huskily. THE poor kid"'
Buscovar caught him by the arm.
Did you hear what she said, Pat?'
he asked eagerly. They laughed at
her"
Sure" said Pat grimly. II heard. I
wish 1 had 'em all here, those boobs
that laughed at her. I'd like to take
'em on one by one. darn 'em. I'd make
'em laugh! The poor kidr'
Don't be a sap" said Buscovar.
you should not want to smash the
people that laughed at her. You
should want to make them pay money
to laugh at her again. Now. listen
I got a hunch! That new partner Of
yours is a bum. He won't do. You
need somebody! Now. listen! A satire
on these two-legged male gazelles
that pull all this classic bunk. Get
her to do her stun just a little worse
than it is now, to help out, and 1t
will be immense"
"The poor kid said Mahoney,
starting for the door. "I get you,
Harry" he called back over his
shoulder. Great idea, Be a knock
out. Wait for me here"
Three weeks later, in another thea
ter, Harry Buscovar again sat in a
stage box watching Mile. Sylvia doing
her stuff. Tears of mirth were stream
ing down his checks, and his fat sides
ached from the effort Of convulsive
laughter. Looking weakly at the audi
ence through his befoggled eyes, he saw
only people in varying stages Of near
hysteria. On ths stage Mile. Sylvia
was solsmniy eoinE through almost
'thA same nations At-had -hrouEhs