The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1933-08-04
The Actress
Incosnito
BY H. IRVING KING
O by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU gsrvics

pronouncement. It was q hotel on
Florida beach; q moderate-priced, re-
firing, restful sort Of place, just
suited to Its patrons who came year
after year.
OF course, every year there were
q few new faces. This season the
new faces were those Of Rosalie
Maltravers and Charles Burdick.
Rosslie was the girl with the the
atrical touch about her and Charles
was the young man who sat watch
ing her intently as she strode through
the hotel lobby.
1t was whispered that she was q
celebrated actress down there incog-
nito, just for rest.
As for Charles Burdick his manner
and clothes were so perfect that 1t
had been decided that he was q
young man of wealth and fashion"
On the third evening after the
arrival Of the perfectly equipped and
perfectly hammered Mr.. Burdick, he
and the celebrated actress incognito
sat on the veranda Of the hotel look,
ing out over the moonlit waters.
Somehow, do you know, Miss NAL
travers," said Charles, "your face
seems familiar to me. Now where
could 1 have seen you before7"
Rosalie gave a little gasp and re-
piled, "Oh dear. It's no use for me
to try and hide away-and just rest.
People will recognize me. I may az
well admit that / am merely an
actress, seeking quiet retirement in
this delightful and obscure place to
recover from the nervous strain
caused by my exacting work"
Acting must be hard work" re-
piled Charles. "No wonder 80 many
actors and actresses suffer from
nervous breakdowns. May go 30
far as to ask your stage name?"
"Ah," laughed Rosalie, "that / may
motor will not-tell you. 1t would
be all over the hotel in half an hour
and l should have no peace. And
may / add that you yourself, Mr..
Burdick, appear to be somewhat OF
a mystery according to the gossip OF
the hoteli Tell me your real name"
Really" replied Charles, II must
have my secrets as well as yourself.
l, too. seek peace and not publicity" !"
After that Charles and Rosalie
were together 30 much that every
body at the resort considered the
affair as settled. The millionaire
was going to marry the actress.
Wasn't II delightful?
Never, never had the guests at the
little hotel enjoyed their sojourn
there so much. They wrote of reams
of letters to their friends in the
North about 1t. The lovemaking OF
Rosalie and Charles progressed rap
idly, but after that first talk OF theirs
they let the mystery Of their real
identities stand as 1t was-as II there
was no mystery. Or was 1t that all
other mysteries were swallowed up
In the mystery of lover Sometimes
ROsalie would have a moody spell /;
sit silent, evidently thinking deeply
and letting Charles do all the talking.
One evening as they sat In the
hotel garden, the moon shining on
the sea and gentle wind waving the
Spanish mass upon the live oak
trees, Rosalis after one OF these fits
of meditation said, Charles, am
almost tempted to tell you my real
name"
"You need not, dearest" replied
Charles. ''unless you want to. II
makes no difference. 1t is you that
care about You are all the world
to me. You know 1t. Now, then,
will you marry me?"
Rosalie turned her head aside and
said softly, "What would your
wealthy family say to your marrying
an actress7 In some quarters there
Is still prejudice against the stage,
you know"
Nonsense" answered Charles,
that sort Of thing vanished long
ago. Again I ask, will you marry me r
when I have told you who I am,
II you still want me, / will" said she.
Don't bother" replied Charles.
II know who you are. You are that
dsmure little stsnographer who
works for Hayden and Blankford in
the Magathum building and are down
here taking a vacation, the nrst In
years. have often seen you In the
elevator, or passed you In the hall,
but you never would look at me until
I CHANGED to run across you here"
you horrid thing" sobbsd Rosalie.
"Why didn't you tell me you knew
me at once and not let me make q
fool Of myself posing as an actress.
But you needn't think yourself so
smart. You are that young lawyer
who has an Office on the top floor
and have known you all along. But
! didn't imagine that you knew mn.
And, oh, always did 30 long to be
an actress"
'You are a perfect actress. darling"
replied Charles soothingly. 'but, az
| you remarked when we first met
down here, good acting is a great
strain on the nervous system. What
say, Miss Ruth Mathews-shan we
| 90 back to New York and get mar
ried? Business is pretty good with
| me; you won't have to work any
| more"
OF course, Ruth, alias Rosaie,
eventually said yes. Bpt at the same
time she told Charles that she doubt
ed IL she ever could really forgive
him for the way he had deceived her
I'm Florida