The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-30

carrying = dog compartment" in
one hand and leading its occupant
on a leash with the other. The
compartment" wasn't very good
one. 1t looked something like a
suitcase except that its top was
gabled. 1t had two little wire WIN
dows in it. 1t had sprung open and
the lady couldn't stop 10 close II
until she had worked herself into
some eddy out of the traffic swirl
Once she had been natural,
but age and the viscisitudes and de-
mands of show business had forced
her to the bottle, the dye bottle
The hair was a little stringy be-
cause she had just climbed out OF
bed at this unearthly hour of 1890
because she had date with a
booker.
TIME occupant Of the "compart-
i ment," now moving along on his
leash with all the boredom of
Broadway ham" actor, was a tox-
terrier in middle life. He had a
long white body, because his
mother had at one time encouraged
the attentions of a beagle hound
There were three large black spots
on him, one near his bobbed tail
one in the form of a saddle, anc
the third masking his face and one
ear in darkness.
These two were Dolores Fenton
and Toby, her vaudeville partner
Once, three years before, they had
been three. Then they were billed
in the "six-a-day" as douglas
Fenton g. Co., Refined Entertainers
but now Douglas was not with them
He had disappeared three years
before and the act was now known
in what there was left of the vaude-
Vile world as Lady With Dog"
Come on, Toby!" She insisted
and gave slight tug on the leash
Were aate."
They walked along noiseless cor
ridor past open doors through which
could be seen ladies, mostly blonde,
sitting in chairs, on couches and on
tables, all with a carefully careless
display of hosiery which often went
above the hosiery line. These were
all actresses. Neither Dolores MOI
Toby paid these any attention. They
stopped before door marked LES
sewich Theatrical Enterprises" ano
entered.
THIS Office was a replica OF all
Il the others. 1t was filled with
ladies, all wearing silk stockings and
all showing them, and gentlemen
who looked as If they never hao
been prosperous nor ever would. A
short, dumpy girl who had turned
red-headed after starting out IN
life as a brunei, raised cold eyes at
the opening of the door, plugged IN
on the small switchboard and MUIR
INJURED:
Lady with dog is in, Mr.. Lesse-
wich." She listened second, then
took out the plug, looked up at the
lady and said, MIR. Lessewichu see
you now, Miss Fenton. You're late
H'y, Toby"
Toby ignored her as he, Dolores
and his travelling house passed into
an inner office. There they saw a
short, dark, fat man sitting straight
up, his legs spread to give a rather
large abdomen freedom to rest on
the dege of the chair.
"H'y Dolo," he greeted. "Hey
Toby" Toby wagged his tail just
enough to acknowledge the greet
ing. You couldn't high-hat this guy
because he was a booker. Listen
Dolo. I got you a split week in
Franklin Furnace. You and two
other acts go in with the picture
ERIN Wives It's six-a-day and
I got you six bits"
MY God! Dolores raised her
eyes to the ceiling and brought them
down again. Franklin Furnacel If
Douglas was only here! He'd rath-
er have starved than see his wife
and dog go into that burg"
"Yeh?" Jake smiled. We'll, even
as good as you three was, you'd still
be lucky to get into Franklin Fur
mace or any place else today. Count
all the vaudeville houses dom capa-
city business on Broadway. What's
the Palace dom? It's practically
dark. It's in pictures. You got two
units playin' movie houses all the
way down the Main Stem. Two
Get me? Listen, Dolo." His face
darkeneG under a flood of irritation
If you don't want the bookin', ]
got nine million acts that I can
throw in there for half a yard and
get my GU besides. There's no GU
on YOU"
"nH, JakeI" Dolores eyes swan
~ in sudden rush of unshed
tears. You're swelll I'm acting like
a ham. I'm sorry. Only I'm so
damn tired I'm getting a tempera-
ment like a primma DONNA"
'Yeh, I know" Jake agreed sooth-
ingly. "You get tired worryin'.
Don't you think I know? Look at
this office and remember the one
used to have. Listen. The reason
I booked you into Franklin Furnace
is because that's where Douglas
came from. Remember? Remember
how he used to get sore when we
used to kid him about comm out of
small burg? He always wanted
people TO think he was born on
Park Avenue, New York"
That's right" Dolores agreed. 81
forget. Jake do you-do you think
I might run into Doug up there?
Gee, its been so long since he bea-
disappeared. And even if I saw him
w there. maybe he wouldn't want
me. God, Jake. I'm tired. I'm tired
and I'm licked. Tired and licked.
Care If ] sit DOWN..