The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-09

more reprehensible forms Of self-expres-
sion and recreation.
| Alma timidly called upon Miss Lam
bert in her dressing room after the per-
formance that night to thank her and
say the play was divine, and was given
| a big-sisterly welcome.
/ Every afternoon that week Miss Lam
bert took her luncheon at Alma's table
in the Trianon tearoom.
The great idea that had been IN Ine
actress mind was formed swiftly, pro-
posed, and accepted.
The following Saturday night, dancing
and refreshing herself upon complicated
sundaes in the Blue Bird pavilion with
Jimmy Nelson, who drove a taz1cap 10
| work his way through the state un1Ver-
sity, Alma Hastings 1oyously described
the intentions Of her fairy godmother.
"She is going to take me east with her
/ and put me on the stage! She says sne
will pay all my expenses until get
started!''
Jimmy was incredulous.
"Aw, snap out of it, Alma. You can't
act"
know how to act. I am going TO ne
chorus girl in one Of the big Broadway
musical shows. Some Of them get $40
. to 800 a week for doing nothing but
walking around and wearing gorgeous
dresses"
| ''WelI. what about me? I guess it looks
i
Maybe you can save your money and
come to New York to see me on your
vacations" the happy Alma suggested
l consolingly.
; the most unlikely thing in the world
and the rest of the evening was not par
ticularly gay for either OF them
Alma was an orphan, Faith Lambert
I had learned. Her mother had been a
school teacher, her father a chemical en-
gineer; college educated both OF them,
b and of early American stock. Inc Souno
{ influences of quiet, Virtuous middle class
t culture had marked her home life. Both
S of her parents had died in the same
e year, when she was fifteen, the father IN
an influenza epidemic, the mother aICer
= a long illness which had swept away the
e family savings and mortgaged the lie
e insurance policies. There had been JUST
q enough money in the little estate to en-
J, able Alma to complete course In the
4 normal school, after which she hao
e taught the primary grade in rural dis
:, trict for a year. But she. had urban
tastes, and when she discovered that
n waitress in the TrianOn tearoom coulC
q earn as much or more than country
{. school teacher, tips included, she mac
: hers for the asking. These were the
# brief and simple annals Of the girl, ther
@ nearing her nineteenth birthday.
j. "Hirschbaum will put her into his new
IS revue at a word from me, without know
r, ing what she looks like" Faith told Re-
7. gina, "and after he sees her he Will sa!
n have done him favor. He Will pa!
e her a topnotch chorus salary at th'
], start too, for girls like Alma are pearls
Of great price in his business. 1 vii
Il teach her to dress for New York, advis
! her about watching her step, and in
IF few weeks she will blossom out into
~ Broadway pet"
6 And then whatP" Regina wanted t.
le know. "a dramatic school, to make al
it actress out of your protegee?"
2. "That depends. do not think she ha
is the flair for it. If she gets the fever, yes
2 of course, but hope she won't. There
lie an easier way for Alma"
n Faith Lambert, you don't mean to sa
that you want to make gaudy Broad
t. way gold digger out OF your foster chllo!
a Nonsense! mean to marry her vel
D. that's all. Look at her! she is 1anc
D. picture of the American mans dream {
"a a happy home. Hundreds of romanti
ne bread winners, scores of hourishing bus
ne ness men, dozens Of heirs to handsom
IN fortunes, will want to marry her as 500
a as she has been glorihed in Hirschbaum
t. revue. You and will look over the car
ad didates and pick out the incest, and OF
m Alma will have nothing to dc Tor Cf
ch rest of her life but bear few childre1
re insure her jewels, and get her name ini
ST the society columns. I'm not trying
a
he either. I hope to improve the bree
til Alma has better manners and a bett
to education right now than the averai
Die New York debutante."
lg. "It sounds good,'' Regina admitte
Tor but there must be a catch in it SOM
ere where"
ew 'There is only one thing that worri
nd me-" Faith continued. Before my drea
Se- comes true the child may fall in 10
lat with an actor. For protection again
I'VE such a calamity prayers will be offered I
I'VE every night by Mamma Lambert"
gh So it came about that Alma Hastins
rty orphan and waitress, started of und
nd ideal auspices for an adventure amol
Ut the lights, lusts, and laughter Of t
pie great bazaar called Broadway. Her love
be- face, her lyric figure, were to be her fc
re- tune, Faith had decreed; and althOu
sip she had not been informed that w
;to, endowed marriage into the industr
MT aristocracy was the end in view for b
of she was greatly stirred and eager to me
a her destiny.
md SmartIy outftted under Faith La1
sed berts supervision and at her expen
not with all traces of her humble origin c
her cept her complexion, her voice, and
innocence concealed under a New Yc
in exterior, Alma went to see Hirschbau
adj chief Justice of the high court Of Broa
her way beauty, and was received with VIII
18th in that glacial and cynical caliph Of t
lite reVueS, amounted to enthusiasm. S
rms Immediately received a contract for
self salary of $50 a week and was ordered
of report at rehearsals Of his new SUNNI
of show.
and "I'll make it S75 when you have learn
Ond to dance" said Hirschbaum, "and la
on, if you stick with me and behs
en- yourself, it will be $780,"
the So Alma became HirSchbaum girl, a
. plate to encourage Alma in her career
waitress, she said with a broad fra
smile:
Wouldn't you like to come to see
play young lady? Good. I'll leave ti'
- cts at the box office tonight. p;
al Just ask for them in my name, in C
= I forget to tell the box Office man yoJ
I'll It's Alma, isn't it? Well, Alma, CO
81 round to my dressing room after
E9 show, if you like, and tell me what J