The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-01-30
now co on Win THE STORY
CHAPTER TWENTY-TOUR


CHAPTER TWENTY-HOUR
TIME road tour of the "Heigh-Ho
i company was proving success
ful. They visited small towns and
larger ones. They found apprecia-
tive audiences and dull ones.
All things considered, however, the
tour had been doing well The show
was making money. Few other road
companies had as good a record.
Sheila's speciality dances there
were four from first curtain until
closing always won repeated en-
cores. She was a favorite with every
audience and Fletcher, the company
manager. had allowed her to order
new costumes for the May Day
number and the little dance in
which the spotlight that shone on
her varied from red to green to blue.
In one of the larger cities Mckee,
the comedian, surprised her.
Il know a lot of people here, he
said. PLAYED here in stock years
ago. There's a Mrs Raymond-one
of the social celebrities-Who is
giving a charity dance.
"She asked me to come and bring
along some one else from the COM
pany. l wonder if you'd be willing
to 90 and do your May Day num-
ber?"
why. of course. I'll be glad TO-.
Good. It's S25 in your pocket,
Mckee explained. Mrs Raymond's
a good sort and it's her charity
not ours"
sheila nodded. 81 can use the
SOS" she said.
For two days she looked forward
eagerly to the night Of the charity
dance It was to be a glimpse, close
at hand. of the life that to her
seemed the most attractive in the
world.
THE night came but it didn't
/ somehow, quite reach Sheila's
expectations. In Mrs. Raymonds
home she found herself in q diff
ferent world. She was the same
age as many Of the girls she met
there. She looked much as they
did. dressed similarly.
She shared the same youthful
dreams of romance, gaiety, adven-
ture. But Shelia was an outsider
in spite of all this. For some rea-
son a barrier existed, shutting her
of from these young people.
She didn't know how to get
around it or climb oyer it. Shel1a
remained apart.
AS she danced the MAY Day"
number, her feet weaving in and
out in the complicated steps. she
could hear whispered approval.
A polite patter of applause at the
end clearly showed that the dance
had been appreciated.
Good work." Mckee whispered
as Shelia took a seat again at his
side. He was not performing.
Shelia noticed with interest that
here he was accepted as guest.
Many people seemed to know
him. He moved, easy and assured,
among the others. Some of them
called him Ralph" shook hands
and spoke of the days years before
when he had played weekly at the
local theater.
"Wel, how'd you like it?" Nc
Kee asked the girl as together they
drove back to the hotel. Would
you like to change places with any
of those girls?"
Sheila hesitated. Its an attrac-
tive life" she said. Il don't suppose
Eley have many responsibilities. 1
guess they do just about as they
please every day and never have to
work"
You should see them after a
hard set of tennis"
That's not what I mean"
Mckee patted her arm. II know
It isn't" he said. But you must
remember there are two sides of the
picture. Most of them would give
their right eye to be behind the
footlights. They envy you, Sheila. -
The season rolled on. The play
was a success and Sheila was win
ming recognition as a dancer. News
paper criticisms of the play always
mentioned her name.
Sometimes this praise was extrav-
egant. 1t didn't make her more
popular with other principals in the
company, but the manager appre-
ciated it,
Mckee liked to see her receive
good notices. He continued to in
vite her to supperS after the show,
to show her little favorS and give
her advice from his long experience.
These attentions were always i'm
personal. Often he talked about
his wife and family. He never tried
to make love to Shelia.
DRESENTLY the Samper Sisters
Il arrived to join the troupe
Parts had been written into the
show for them. 1t was felt that
"Heigh-ho" needed some new ma
terial and the Sampers' act provided
that.
The girls dressed exactly alike.
They came on the stage with little
shutting steps grooming a song in
= close harmony that was unlike any
other singing Sheila ever had heard.
The Samplers were not particular
ly pretty girls, but they were rated
clever. They danced and sang in
unison, their voices blending like
notes of a violin, their agile steps
matching perfectly.
They had a dressing room which
they all used. They ate together
after the show. On pay days one of
them always was to be seen Scurry-
ing to the postoffice to send money
home. holding out only what the
sisters would need for living ex-
penSeS.
"How's your beau?" Tillie Sampler
asked Sheila one evening as they