Evening star., 1925-10-11


dare the distributors to tel
him to his face few of the crude
criticisms they'd managed to get
through the mails. he brought along
with him Tom Kush, the director, and
me and my camera.
| hadn't been In the Big Burg for
six years, but taking a chance gave
the taxi driver the address of Sally
Wynne's boarding house in one of the
Forties near Eighth avenue. Sally.
YOU must know was an old friend of
mine from the days when we were
both in vaudeville, and for 20 years
we hadn't missed a postal card at
Christmas and on birthdays.
Once during a lay-off in those old
days Sailys youth or something went
TO her head and she married a non
professional Enelishman. Two years
after they had decided-on their
honeymoon-that by her trouping
around in vaudeville and him living
stationary in Toronto they might both
stay out Of jail. he crossed the old
River Jordan leaving will in which
he bequeathed all and sundry to his
wandering wife.
The all consisted of gold coat-of-
arms ring, and n ruby-set cigarette
case, and the sundry included papers
which showed that Sally was not the
only one that loved him better couple
of thousand miles distant. For there
was one document which indicated
that his father in England, after Il
stroke of apoplexy, had concluded that
he required a change of climate and
constant travel--on the boys part.
Sally sent the ring and the cigarette
case and all the papers, Including their
marriage certificate, to the old gentle
man and started out again looking for
work; and not finding much.
A long time after her 36th birth
day Sally realized that her stage
future was behind her. So one day
she smiled a lease out of a renting
agent and opened up boarding
house for the profession, hoping that
by demanding a week s board in ad-
vance from the first applicant she'd AT
least get something to eat for herself
That was the break in Sally's bad
luck. Her recipe for hash and prunes
was so economical and yet filling that
the following year she rented the ad-
joining house. And the next year.
with Sally approaching 40. her Eng
lish father-in-law suddenly decided
that he'd seen everything anyway. and
closed his eyes for keeps, leaving his
residue to Sally.
Nobody knew how much Sally re-
ceived. She never told any one.
Turning aside few leading questions
she went right on running her board
ing house, hiring and firing cooks and
maids with the same old enthusiasm.
and serving up cold meats and drinks
on Sunday nights as gratis as before.
So the bunch concluded that the old
gentleman had done a Carnegie and
had enjoyed the pleasure of spending
his money himself.
Well, anyway, getting off the train
] went straight to Sally's, mostly be-
cause | wanted to see her and partly
because il was only the right thing to
do. From past personal experience
l knew that Sally operated her bust
ness on the theory that because a per
former is broke i'll August is no reason
he won't be dirty with money in Janu
airy; and furthermore that an actor
who looks as though he ate regularly
and has another shirt in the bureau
drawer always stands a better chance
in salary argument with a manager
than the fellow who looks as though
he hasn't worked since the last time
he did K. p. with the A L. F.
Pete Stevens" Sally greeted me
throwing in kiss for old times sake
Then We stood looking at each other
Six years, even the six she's added to
the 40 she'd owned to when last I'd
seen her. hadn't changed Sally Wynne
much. Her small, rolypoly figure was
maybe 4 little pltnper and her dark
hair showed few more gray sisters.
perhaps, but her brown eyes were Just
s snappy, her clear voice Just as
chirpy and her movements were just
IS quick and chipper as ever.
You haven't changed a wrinkle ~
she told me.
And you'--I started
Z" lznnZy- I don't l,,I-
So.
For five minutes il was nothing but
questions and answers, covering
everything important that had hap
pened in six years. [ told her why
WAS in town and also that unless the
boss could put over something pretty
soon | would he interestedly investi
eating the supply and demand ma rllet
for mottonpi picture camera operators
However, I'm not worrying. except
on the boss account" / told her
And from the looks Of things you
hevent much to worry about, either
The boarding house business has treat
ed you well, hasn't it,
Sally sighed. Yes, but It's lot OF
trouble. Pete. Seems to me actors
these days are different than we were
at their age. They've not So inde
pendent Or--Or scrappy."
why let actors worries annoy
you?" ! said. Which reminds me
have YOU got a room for me-
Sally Shook her head. Sorry, Pete
every room In the house is filed
1T would be-in the Summer-with
you running it, said.
Sally cUlored. Pete, I'm ashamed
TO say I've never lost nickel by car
ryfng an actor through n lay-off
Sooner or later he always sends me
what he owes. Half the time I fee
like It's food--and-sleep loan office
In running instead of boarding
house. There's only one man"
She checked herself. Her mouth
Strengthened out in as straight n lin,
as 1t was capable of. Her chin los
one Of its doubles as II protruded bel
lgerently. Then, suddenly, as an ide:
popped into her boiling brain. sh,
bounced to her feet.
I'm give you Monty's ROOM. sh,
said
who's Monts7"
MontmorenCy du BoiS-with {
small d. His room is on the next floor
rear, two windows, the best room II
the house. You'll like 1t, Pete"
How will Monty like beint
evicted?"
He isn't being evicted." Sally snap
ped. He left-of his own fool wish
last December
you've been holding his room fo
six months?" 1 asked surprised.
Il thought he'd be back. Ever,
day I've kept thinking he'd come bacl
the next day or the next week, jus
as he always has come back after
she stopped, steamfng up again.
after what?" l grinned Sail,
always has struck me funny when sh,
gets excited.
After one of his get-rich-Quicl