Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-29

GENTLEMAN. SpA1S AND ALL.
FLAT on THE SIDEWA AIN.
his acitated hands: his face was pale
and was stamped with despair. II
was Carlton Elton. and II he was
playing the robe Of a broken hearted
lover he was playing it with uncann\
fidelity TO life.
A week. Carlton Elton was
hunched down i'm a leather chair IN
the smoking room Of the LAMBS
Club.
What's wrong. old boy? Beer
playing the ponies?
carlton Elton looked up mourn
fully.
ITS nothing. Scott, old boy" he
said. Nothing"
ITS a woman. bet remarked
Scott:
Rum along. old boy. and finish
vour new comedy" said Carlton
Elton. Write me in a part where |
can take poison in the first act.
Scott grinned
"A woman. l knew it, said Scott
$50 you've fallen. old hoy. was
beginning to think YOU had marble
heart. Tell me the sad tale. 1t may
have the germ of good snappH
farce in it..
Farce" returned Carlton Elton
holloway. "Tragedy.'
oh come out of it. old BOY
Danish the black butterflies. y"
woman can stymie YOU. One look
from under those long eyela shes of
yours and she'll follow YOU to Siam
Not She said Carlton Elton.
She isn't the following kind. Shes
the real thing. Scott old boy.
What's the trouble" asked the
playwright why should any WON
an highha you? Everybody in the
theatrical game knows Your record
is as clean as a iirst-nighters Shlrt-
front"
'She doesn't trust me. Carlton RI
ton told him. 'She doubts my SIN
cerity. She is the straightforward
shoulder kind herself. | proposed Ia
her-and she thought | was acting.
I wasn't, old boy; | meant every word
said
I'm sure you did. old boy. and III
bet you said some beauties.
Il let my heart speak" said Carl
ton Elton dismally. land she said II
sounded like the big scene in the third
act of costume play. What am I"
do"
Don't let your heart speak next
time" advised Scott. Use your
head"
But she values sincerity above
everything" cried Elton.
Then give her sincerity.
Your meaning eludeS me. old boy.
iii bet" remarked the playwright,
that YOU went there all dressed for a
society drama and handed her some
of the stuff Lord Ormsby- Chichester
hands Lady Diana Chitterling when
to- l. utl
servatory--
II meant it-every word of II, per
sisted Carlton Elton.
Sure YOU did" the playwright said
But it wasn't her brand of sincerity
Try again.
IF I only saw ray of light in the
gloom began Carlton Elton. press
ing his hands to his brow.
"Cut that and listen to me- said
the playwright. come up to my
room. I've got an idea.
When Carlton Elton left the room
of the playwright two hours later he
carried in his pocket folded manu-
script. For three days the actor did
not leave his apartment. Yamada. his
Japanese man. did not intrude into
the living room. for from the sounds
that issued from there Yamada gath
cred that his master was In the throes
of practicing a new part.
BRENDA WAYLAND was washing
~ up the dinner dishes and she was
not singing as she did SO. because she
did not feel at all like singing. Her
bell rang.
The iceman." she remarked gIum
ly. But when she opened the door
she saw that it was not the iceman.
but Carlton Elton who was standing
there. She gave a little cry of sur
prise. He was not the dapper. dash
ing figure she had remembered, but a
forlorn looking young man in a. worn
gray suit. with dark circles under his
eyes and no spats. Her quick eye
noted that n coat button was missing
He stood there, nervously lingering
his hat.
May | come in, Brenda" he asked
in a duh voice.
'Why-slire-com in.
He entered slowly. bashfully. the
living room.
Wont you sit down, Cartoon"
NO" he said. and all the declama-
tory quality was gone from his voice.
Il am only going to- stay a. minute.
] came to tell YOU something, Brenda
May 1?''
Yes"
I'm a fool
lie looked at her steadily, then
dropped his eyes.
Yes. I'm fool. he went on, his
voice on u spiritless. level note. II
thought j could kid you. | got up
fiowery speech--that night. You were
right. I was acting. Then
II seemed to cost him an effort to
lift his eyes. but he did so; her eyes
encouraged him to go on.
Then" he went on. you saw
through me. When | got home /
liked what I'd done
lie was looking al his shoes; he was
picture of confusion
I'D lost the girl love-" he said in
low voice.
'Well?" The word came from be
tween Brenda's parted lips. re c:d
not look at her; he fumbled with his
nat. and his words came falteringly.
"Yes-I-well-Bre see-I
we'll love you"
lie stopped as II frightened by his
daring then went TREMENDOUSLY on.
''Yes-Im sorry mean I'm glad
but / do. know you're far above me
I'm Just n ham actor-born Jimmie
Donlin--a trouper raised in a show
shop--a vain. silly kid. Buff IL
mean If you--well. ii YOU could care
for me. just little. I'd he the happiest
man in the world. Could you-just
little?"
lie raised his eyes to hers then. The
answer he saw there made him take
her in his arms.
MY girl" he cried-"oh, loveliest.
and most profoundly and tenderly
adoret Of" He checked himself
oh tsNr, xtrtn ~n~za4nA