Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15


affection for the rather large lady who owned
and controlled their act. But Harry was
trouper and was Kitty, and they quite
naturally resented the background to which
they seemed hopeiessly relegated
In the first place Elinor Wayne was Madame
in name only Tie Madame was quite i'm
plessive on the billing and helped delude the
vaudeville loving public into the belief that
it listening to genuine grand opera star.
Actually El.nor was very much of mademol-
selle or just plain American miss-although
certain Jim Murcison had struggled for more
than 10 years of Einol's 40 to win her away
from a musical career.
It had been reference to Jim which riveted
Einors attention.
II don't Sec snapped Harry to Kitty, why
the Lady Hippo don't quit kidding herself that
she's a singer and marry old 'Murch.' Shed
probably be as good a wife as she is rotten as
a trouper.
Kitty Dale VINO very young. very pretty
end very ambitious. sighed.
Wasn't she terrible tonight? Honest, with
out us she'd turn any vauCe house into
morgue."
A FTER that Madame Wayne listened. Her
fare took unto itself stricken expression.
She had thought the two kids liked her. She
was very fond Of them. They were nice young
Sters and she had picked them up from the
smallest of small-time circuits and showed them
into the glories of the two-a- day, known as
big time" in vaudeville circles. True, their
names weren't billed. The act appeared in all
advertisements merely as Madame Elinor
Wayne and Co. in From Opera to jazz"
Madame Wayne furnished a very poor mta-
ton of opera while Kitty Dale and Harry
Hardness supplied the jazz.
1T just shows YOU, Madame heard Kitty
declare, what little money will do. Here's
you and me, Harry-weve got the stuff, and
we've proved it. We get across swell. But we
in
couldn't get the coin to stage flash. But
the Lady Hippo comes along with bum voice
anil big bank roll and crashes through"
"Yeh! And gives us nothing. She's no good
fer vaude Kitty. She don't know anything
shout it. I bet she thinks she's riot with that
calliope voice of hers If she ever got the
low-down herself she's know that the boob
erinos always feel they got to applaud highbrow
singing. specially when it winds up on high
note. It's like waving the flag. 1t gets hand
even when they want to murder you
"And for all we do" mourned Miss Dale, I'VE
get two hundred week, with the act drawing
seven
"Aint it the truth?" The boys voice grew
wistful, Gosh, Sugarfoots! Wouldn't it be
great if we had the cash? We could stage a
swell act and crash the big time. Then we
could afford to get married.
Il wouldn't mind he continued IF the
Lady Hippo was any good. wouldn't mind
if she even belonged. But she don't. She's
just another of those crazy DANES who's got
money and thinks she ought to have a career.
She should have married old Murchison 10
years ago. But no-just because she's loaded
down with jack and has a brass-lined larynx
she had to go abroad and study singing
thinking she can bust into the Metropolitan.
Who in thunder ever Steered her up against
this game. anyway"
Mike Frame" answered the girl She tried
grand opera and couldn't make the grade. They
booked her out on concert tour and she
busted. Then somebody introduced her to Mike
and he took her on"
And a swell job he did" grouched Harry.
I'm not saying Mike isn't the best little Oh
vaude agent in the country, because he is-and
I'm also not saying that he didn't have our
good at heart when he suggested that she pick
up to bolster her bum act. But golly! it
seems like he ought to suggest to her that we
come in for little something. More money
or billing"
ayes" The girl pensive. "Of course,
Wayne is nice old lady"
In the next room Madame Elinor shrank
under that cruel cut. She wasn't a nice
old lady" She didn't want to be one. True,
she was 40 years of age, and equally true, she
was stout but she didn't like to be called
nice old lady" Jim Murchison didn't think
she an old lady.
And now, cowed by the unconscious cruelty
Of exertme youth-of youth which did not
suspect that it overheard-Elinor Weyne
knew that her life very empty indeed 1t
wasn't what the youngsters said that hurt her
so much as the knowledge that they were
speaking the truth. She didn't belong in
vaudeville. She didn't belong on the concert
platform. She knew that her voice had
nothing to recommend it but power. But she
had studied long and worked hard . .
music had meant much to her and had
impelled her to such arduous work when she
might have been comfortably enjoying life.
4. 1t was hard TO abandon her work now.
would OF tO
and say have failed Jim. 1 haven't a
career. III never have one because I haven't