Evening star., 1935-05-18
IITENf NlGRtAT RICHES
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and again to the somewhat puzzled
robins and wrens and red birds which
were not in the least interested.
But as the great day grew nearer
and nearer James courage and conf
dence began inching out of him. 1T
isn't that I don't know my speech" +"
he explained to Leslie, ''or that I'm
not certain it's a good speech.
But I'm such darned sensitive
fool that If I catch sight o. one per-
son in the audience yawning or sneer-
ing I'll lose my grip. I remember
once out in Nortonville at Grange
meeting I had corking speech and
I caught sight of son one in
the front row just looking superior
. as if wasn't such much
and I went all to pieces"
Leslie knew all about Nortonville.
It had at one time been common
talk in New Concord 1t was Jane
who sat on the front seat looking su-
perior. Well, Jane, thank God,
was in New York. Leslie assured
James that his audience would prob
ably have dined well and be in good
humor
So James went down to Kansas City
one moment uplifted in an ecstasy of
pride and confidence and the next
sunk in a chill Of despair. Leslie. Of
course, went with him. Leslie was to
hear the speech from The back wings
of Convention Hall, as James was
afraid that even the sight Of her dear
face might upset him.
Leslie ate her dinner alone in a
hotel that night as James was dining
with his comrades. She met him
afterward back stage and found him
in reasonably good spirits. I'm all
right. / think I'm all right" Leslie
pressed his hand and left him.
She slipped into the wings where
she could watch the audience, watch
her beloved in his moment of triumph
or failure. She clenched her hands
and demanded rather than prayed,
Help him. God. He's had such an
unhappy life. You know"
She opened her eyes, choked back
a sob. And could not believe what
her eyes showed her. 1t couldn't be
it just couldn't. 1t was.
There on the aisle in the fourth
row in a beautiful glittering gown of
blue sequins sat Jane Northrup- Slim
son. Where James could not fail to
see her where she could look up
with her superior smile with its
hint of sneer.
And in 10 minutes five min
utes, James was due to walk out on
that stage.
A band began playing. There were
shouts and cheers. Leslie did not
hear them. She had to save James.
God had failed her. He had forgotten
James. He allowed Jane to come
there sit there and hadn't
struck her down.
Leslie never remembered just how
she got around the stage and out at
a side door. But a minute or two
later she found herself on the floor
of the hall clutching the shoulder of
a Boy Scout usher. do you see that
lady in blue in the fourth row?" she
asked breathlessly.
"Yessum."
"If you deliver q message, bring
her to me quickly, just where tell
you I'll give you IS no $40. Will
Will you? Will you2 It's q matter
of life and death almost terribly
important"
The Boy Scout, amazed and pleased,
promised faithfully to deliver the mes
sage. "You say to her." Leslie went
on that Mr.. x" (here Leslie used the
name of the very august parsonage
who was to be the main speaker of
the evening" "Mr. x begs Mrs. North
rup-Stimson to come back stage for
a few moments as he has something
Of the utmost importance to say to
her.
Then bring her to that little cloak
room the third door down the
stairs under the stage" Leslie de-
scribed the location of the cloak room
explicitly. The boy fortunately
knew it.
"Now 60. Here's your $40. Hurry.
Hurry"
"Yessum."
In the small Uttered cloak room
under the stairs lighted by one dim
dirty electric bulb, Leslie waited and
waited. She had time now to notice
that the band was playing "Over
There, Over There" and that thou
sand masculine voices were lifted in
lusty and hilarious song.
Minutes, hours cons went by.
There was the sound Of distant
clapping and cheers that shook the
rafters. And then a sudden clap Of
thunderous silence. James was al
ready on the stage.
Tomorrow, . Boy Scout does his
daily good turn.