New Britain herald., 1929-08-14
THIS HAS HAPPENED
ELF AMOR EARLY

from Italy to care for little Rita Newton, the child of her dead room- mate. receives a call from a young woman named Elsie Smith, who scenes to be something of black mailer.
 Elsie is determined to marry Bob Newton, Rita's father, although he has been widowed less than a month. She asks Molly to use her influence with Bob, and does a little threat ening. Molly, disgusted, protests that the affair is none of her business.
 Meantime, her second play-"Sac- rifice"-opens in New York. And, in the front row, sits Jack Wells, Mol ly's sweetheart, with middle-aged womanl
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER XXXI
 Of course it spoiled the evening for her-Jack's being with wom- an. And sitting. as they were, in the front row, where Molly could hard ly keep her eyes off them all eve ring. Z -ch a woman, too!
 If she were young and pretty, I wouldn't mind half so much!" fumed Molly.
 But that, of course, was wrong. She would have minded great deal more.
 The wretched creature!" she fretted. Done up like a circus rider, and fat enough to burst! A woman like that would wear red it's exactly the color of her face.'
 There was no doubt about it. It was Mrs. Bulwer- Eaton all right. "A charming matron," the papers called her! We'll Molly knew what she'd call her-only the papers wouldn't print it The big fat OK, Hadn't she sense enough to know that coquetry in woman Of her age was simply disgusting? The way she was hanging on to Jacks arm And Jack red as beet. Molly was glad he had the decency to be embarrassed.
 At last it was over. The curtain came down on the last act. And the lights went up over the theater. Mrs. Bulwer- Eaton was clappins her puffy hands. And her diamonds were cleaning like mad.
 Author! Author.' cried the audience.
 And, once again; Molly found her. self on the stage, breathless and lowing.
 She was wearing yellow tonight. Yellow taffeta, with an enormous bow in back, like the bustles of long ago. Over her shoulders she wore a spangled scarf of chiffon the color of water-lily leaves.
 Mrs. Bulwer- Eaton, against her crimson front, clasped a corsage of white orchids With a quick move ment, she snatched them from her gown, and threw them at Molly's feet.
 Molly had meant to ignore Jack. But now she stopped for the or- chids, and accepted them with smiling nod.
 Jacks face was as scarlet as his lady's gown. Molly was glad if he was embarrassed. She wished he would burst a blood vessel It would serve him right!
 Afterward she had supper at the Exclusive Club with Mir. and Mrs. Durbin. And there they saw the morning papers.
 On the front pages were the threats of the censors! They meant to close the show. To paddock the theater To arrest the author and the producer and all the actors.
 -Molly's coffee cup clattered from her hand, and, breaking on the table, spilled it's amber contents over the skirt of her lovely yellow frock.
 But MT. Durbin struck his knee with his hand, with a mighty slap.
 Great" he applauded.
 "Great?" echoed Molly faintly.
 She felt as she did that day in Pension White, when she opened the cable that told of Rita's death. Quite as if she were going to faint, and slide right under the table.
 A wainter was trying to mop her lap. A buss boy came running with more serviettes. But she waved them away.
 Please. l doesn't natter
 She reached, instead, for a glass of water. It would be too awful to make scene.
 "Wonderful!" MT. Durbn was saying. "The best break I've had in a long time"
 T think it's tsqsAfll," quavered Molly. Perfectly dfeadful!"
 But think of the advertising!'
 What if they close us?"
 Close us?" he cried. "They can't close us. Maybe they can bring us to court, and maybe they can't. I doubt if they can. But anyhow we win. They cant put a legitimate endeavor out of business. There isn't fair minded judge in the state could find us guilty of pre- senting an obscene spectacle. We'll get a clean bill of health all right. Nobody but bunch of fanatics could object to a play like "Sacri- fice.' But, meantime, while the thing is dragging-whle they're trying to paddock us-think of the publicity we'll have."
 T think it's awful" said Molly. lima zine being accused of writing an obscene play!"
 Then she thought of her mother.