The Coolidge examiner., 1935-06-07
Blond Baby"
BY LEE CALVERT
2 Mcclure Naw assalsvg - uG4pate.
W$E Service.

angle at her back and picked up
the open letter on the counterpane
Two warnings In one morning were
sufficient 10 rouse her 10 action
Etta's telephone call had followed
Immediately on the receipt Of "a let
ter from the ingenue o; the com.
pany whose innuendoes had not
been as carefully yelled as she had
hoped
II would be Ike Billy to get
roped by chorus girl Stella was
frankly puulcked.
Il had letter yesterday from
Fay Campbell who is tn Chi with
Pretty Baby" Eta had said In
the .has-caieu- muusctoue "She
SAYS that Billy sure likes 'em
young and suappy. There's blond
baby"
~Oh. yes Stella broke In. conf.
dent. however that Eta would not
believe The hastily invented lie,
"ihut's Margie Rays cousin and
Biuy got her with the show"
II was only the second time In
their twenty years of married lIfe
that Stella had been separated
from Billy. The FIRST had been
when Jane Ann was born eighteen
years before.
Warnings that reached her then.
as now. and just a few weeks after
the infants birth. Stella had lost
no time IN rejolniug the troupe OF
which Billy Taylor was the lead
Ing comedian. The chorus girl who
had undcrsiudied her none too wen
on the sjnge. had endeavored to re-
place her out Of the theater.
Poor Blllyi lie was so susceptible.
There's no fool like an old one"
she muttered AT your age. Billy
Taylor. you should have some
sense"
An inconsIderate appendix had
sent her 10 the hospital just
4 few days before June Francis
opened In Cleyelandh For six
weeks she had ragged and fumed.
for not only a well founded fear OF
Bnly's mIsadyentures prompted her
anxiety. but also an acknowledged
I fact that Billy never played as
well as when she was present
Stella carefully timed her ar
rival IN Chicago. She drove d.
rectly to the hotel where Billy and
she always stayed and had her
bags checked In the parcel room.
Don't you want to go up. Miss
I NortouT the clerk who knew her.
/ inquired.
ITS n surprise for Mr. Taylor" /"
she refused. "rn 20 directly to
the theater. but II I should miss
him. please do not mention that I
am here"
She would drive 20 the theater
and park the taxi opposite the stage
entrance. she would follow Billy.
and II was another nasty mess
/ she feared. but she was not taking
any chances with her happiness or
Jane AIMS Billy. OF course. would
DE penitent. as always.
Stella sat back I'm the corner OF
her cab watching. The matinee
I Jam eyaporated. One by one the
members OF the company emerged,
blinking In the bright light OF the
late afternoon sun. Stella's heart
beat more rapidly. Amy moment
now Billy would come
The echo OF BIlly's effervescent
chuckle reached her and she leaned
as far forward as she dared. with
/ out being seen as the comedians
long slight figure appeared. With
him was Jane Ann cllnging ador-
] lngly 10 her fathers arm.
What was Jane Ann doing here
In Chlcagoi Stella shook her head
10 clear her eyes and then leaned
/ forward, her arms extended, called
10 the pair standing in the shadow
OF the stage door
"Bflly-Jane Ann"
"Stella :"
stella I" Billy Taylor was half
In and half out Of the automobile,
! his arms around her and his lips
on hers. "Steila. old girl. this Is a
surprised / didn't expect you for
\ weeks"
$50 | sec" she lifted her daugh-
I ter's face 20 hers. "Jane Ann, what
are you doing here?"
"Oh. Mommie, darling" Jane Ann
flung herself I'm the waiting arms,
almost strangllng her mother in
her embrace. II knew you would
never let me 90 on the stage; not
for years and years and years.
When Daddy left Cleveland l ran
away and met him at the train and
he Just had TO take me with him,
didn't you, Billy dearT" she ap-
pealed. "And Mommie, darling, no
one knows who | am. / use a stage
name and I'm In the chorus, and !
love 1t So"
Stella Norton sat between them,