The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-18
CHAPTER
WRITE, FOR AID RELEASED BY
CENTRAL PRESS ASSOCIATION

full-fledged star. Because you are
a star only in name You know
that. That's why we're working.
IT didn't mean that, Vance. Only
the Alhambra is
Its a dirty old theater, patron
lied by the toughest patrons known
to the toughest neighborhood II
New York. Of course, know that
But if you get by there you'll prove
that you can get by anywhere, I'm
pretty sure. If you don't, You'll get
insults and jeers and peanut shells
and the kind of cheers no lady
should know about. How about it?'
Kit considered the proposition
with misgivings. She smiled after
a while and held out her hand
"Put it there, partner" she in
vited. THE Reillys never quit any
good fight. How soon do you think
I'll be good enough to take my
exam"
Maybe in a couple of months,
if your diversified audience takes
to you"
1t was late in September when
Vance told her he'd got Mary
Moore's name on the list for that
nights amateur program at the
Alhambra.
"Scared?" he asked on the tele-
phone.
NO. she answered promptly
'Tve got W. worrying about
things that never happen
Did you ever?"
Did 1! Remember how I ex'
pected the club women to look like
New Yorker cartoons? And how
sweet they were? And remember
how I anticipated rough going at
the plumbers dinner, and the Elks
picnic and the smoker? And they
all turned out to be grand to me.
By the way, the railroad m e n
wrote me up-that is, they wrote UP
Margin their magazine"
Nice going, Kit. I'll pick you
up at eight"
For the love of Pete" Vance
SdlQ WllG1l' ilG SdW IlGl, WllClC !
you get that OUTFIT"
Kit gigg1ed AID turned slowly TO
him to take in the details of he
form-fitting black satin, the whit
kid sandles with cheap round toe
and spike heels. A bracelet gleame'
on her bare ankle and there wa
another under the wrist of he
black lace glove. A small, sill
flower-trimmed hat that rode o.
her frizzed hair was tied beneat
her chin. This is Mary Moore
get-up, Vance," she told him.
Vance grinned his appreciation
"It's poifect! Now hurry up. Nv
a cab waiting downstairs" Anc
when they had been riding for som
time, You're really enjoying thi:
aren't you, Kit?"
Every minute of it, Vance
Hard work and all. I feel as if I
just awakened from a long sleep.
ITS usually a fairy prince VIII
wakes the sleeping beauty. Imagin
Armenia turning out to be a fair
p%rince!" Vance slapped his kne
with delight at the fantasy, but K
murmured, "Armendi, indeed!
and her eyes were on Vance's pro
file and her heart was in them.
She had told Vance that sh
wasn't afraid to face the crowd (
the Alhambra. But when she foun
herself n of the row of amateur
(she always felt she was one dul
ing that time) on the big stage
and saw and heard what happeue
to the unfortunates who precede
her and who did not meet with tn
favor of the audience, she was tel
rified. Out there, facing her, We1
hundreds of faces that SCENE
more cruel than fun loving.
, The raucous cries, the boots
derision and the ear-splitting viii
ting of the gallery mob turned he
courage to water.
She had intended to sing a popl
lar number that one heard ever,
where, but there were three othel
who sang it before she got
chance. One of them was prett
good, and SO Kit abandoned til
idea of singing it.
Hastily she went over her nun
bers in her minds eye and selec
ed n that was sweeping the coul
try. She knew it well, and ha
sung it countless times over III
microphone. Nevertheless, whe
she went up to her place in tn
spotlight, her heart was poundin
against the tightly-drawn satin {
her bosom.
The orchestra struck up tn
opening notes and Kits profession
al skill came to her. Easily, husk
ly and sWeetly she sang:
ut seems we've stood and talke
like this before .
We looked at each other in
the same way then . .
But I can't remember
where or when
The gallery was almost still.
Some things that happen for
the first time
Seem to be happening
She knew that she was goin
over She'd been tried in the har,
est school and passed on mettl
Pride swept her voice up to a II
umphant finish And so it seems W
Wept before -.
And laughed before ...."
Kit cleared the last high no
and bowed briefly. Thunder brol
around her. Whistles and chez
and stamping feet shook the tn
alter.