The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-05-21
BETTY TRIES A
STAGE CAREER
By KATHLEEN THOMAS

the Pewter Bowls new-founG prosper
ity none knew better than Charlie
Bridges. its proprietor. His favorite
post was behind the wire cage Of the
cashiers desk, where he would beam
genially and admire the high color that
flushed Betty's cheeks as she few
about her duties.
In time Charlie, good business man
| that he was. sought TO make the ar
rangement permanent. There were
other arrangements besides business
for Charles wanting to marry Betty.
! She planned, in time, 10 have a career,
and Charlie was given the small con-
ISOLATION of knowing that she was serv-
ing as a waitress only as preliminary
to great things.
Just what definite form these high
ambitions Of Betty's took she had
never confded to Charlie. But any
body with half an eye could see that
she was extremely solicitous about the
needs Of the stage folk that came 70
the Pewter Bowl, and might have con-
Guided that Betty was stage-struck-
winch was true.
For her the romance of the day be-
gan shortly after noon, when the pro
fessiOn begins TO bestir itself abroad.
Chorus ladies, frankly made up for
matinee, would drift In then for
combination breakfast-lunch, and Betty
would serve it much as Greek hand
maiden might have offered sacrifice to
the gods. There was theater gossip
tossed from table to table, and Betty
would listen breathlessly. And some
times, In lieu Of a tip, a customer
might leave a complimentary ticket TO
a performance at his theater. And
once-the thought Of 1t still thrilled
her nspeakably-Once Joy Barry
sneaked her behind scenes TO a corner
where she could watch things unno-
ticed.
Joy was a super at the theater
across from the Pewter Bowl She
was blond, pretty and, Betty privately
thought, deserving of more recognition
than an undiscerning public had yet
accorded her. She was possessed Of
the mercurial temperament common TO
the successful and unsuccessful Of her
profession, which, as It happened, was
Of vital Importance to Betty, whose
whole career had been altered because
one day Miss Barry entered the tea
room completely out Of sorts.
Stage life, it appeared, was every
thing that was detestable, she was
through for good; she was going to cut
today's performance she would get
good Job with easy hours, waiting on
tables or selling toilet articles.
Betty listened TO this high treason
with a heart that beat in painful ex-
element. She knew Joy Barry's part
she had to skip lightly across the
stage with a group of village girls N
the third act. and to decorate the back
ground, smiling naturally. in the fourth
act. Easy enough. Would she
would Joy. dear Joy, let her take her
place Just this once Joy smiled
cynically at Betty's excitement, but
she agreed willingly enough. She
would write a note TO one of the girls
in the act, so that there wouldn't be
any trouble about It. Nobody else
would notice her.
And so it happened that Betty Best
found herself. for one night at least,
a part of the life she had so long
dreamed about. In the pigtails and
abbreviated skirts Of a village girl she
waited in the wings for the cue. Her
throat was dlstressingly dry and her
tongue Glove to the roof Of her mouth.
She was terrified. for no reason at all.
Her knees trembled and she smiled a
sickly response TO the girl who tried
to cheer her up.
All too quickly came the cue for the |
entrance. The other village girls |
skipped by her and left her behind in |
her hesitation. She copied their mo-
lions as best she could and forced her
self upon the stage. The audience, |
that vast sea of faces out there, rose
and receded dlzzily before her. She
swung her arms stiffiy beside her and
hurried as fast as she could TO the
haven of the wings.
The other girls were sympathetic.
Everybody felt that way-why, some
people never got over it In that mo-
ment Betty's career was sealed, and
Charlie might take heart
The fourth act came all too soon-
In tights and ballet skirt that made
her feel more miserably self-conscious
than ever, Betty waited in the wings
Is though for her doom. Her cue
I was time to go on againi She set
Ter stiff lips into a determined smile
md walked upon the stage. The
anne dizziness. the same freezing of
IL her powers She managed TO get
nto her place in the background-and
hen tainted dead away. JOY Barry
lad played the part for months with
ut being able to attract notice. Not
o Betty Bestl
We don't have TO say much about
he furore it caused, because Betty
-asn't there to hear IL. either. She
Tipped into the Pewter Bowl little
her natural color put