The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-11-27
CHAPTER ELEVEN

IT WAS Toby and Sue who took
Halle to dinner the night Eric's
play opened, because Eric was hav-
ing a bite in his dressing room.
Toby had seen to 1t that 1t was a
gala dinner, reserving q table at q
fashionable restaurant, arriving in
top hat and tails to call for the
girls at Hallie's apartment
Beans or trufies," Halle said
breathlessly. II wouldn't know the
difference, I'm that excited. Just
think, IL I'd married one Of the
boys In Worburn,N I'd never know
this breathless thrill. To be dining
with my best friends, dressed In
my party clothes, going to see my
husband in his first important
broadway role! And after the play,
we're all to go backstage and meet
the cast. Imagine my meeting Sara
Cornell in person!"
Toby lifted his glass: ITO a life
of breathless thrill which will, I
hope, prove as good as what the
boys in Worburn have to offer"
Halle drank the toast, with
laughter mingled with the bubbles
In her glass. She didn't know how
sincere that toast was.
1t was Hallie's first experience
attending a First Night on Broad
way and 1t was an experience as
heady as the champagne in which
the three had toasted its success.
It was a warm, early October
night, but there were as many
sables and ermines and silver fox
as II it had been winter. Halle was
blinded with the glitter Of rubies
and diamonds and emeralds, and
she thought there couldn't have
been an orchid left In flower shop
In all New York.
In the crowd, as they wended
their way through the noisy. per-
fumed lobby. she recognized three
movie stars, and Toby pointed out
celebrity after celebrity to her. All
the first-string critics were there.
To see Eric, she thought proudly.
She could hardly bear the mo-
ment of waiting as the house lights
dimmed and the curtain rose slow
i1y. It was some few minutes before
Eric made his entrance. When he
did, he became-for her-not the
second least important member of
the cast, but the center Of her very
being.
Eric WIS q guest on the house
party which was the background
of the play. He had several lines
"sides," he called them--which,
though of little Importance, he did
with poise and adequacy. He did all
there was to be done with them,
but there Just wasn't enough to
have the critics mention him. This
didn't really matter; what mat
tered was that the play would be
success. This, Toby assured her as
they went backstage, through the
boxes when the play was oyer, was
certainly a success. He'd heard the
critics opinions In the lobby be-
tween acts.
Halle had become acquainted
with backstage scenes during the
rehearsal and she'd met most of
the members Of the cast, but not
the great Sara Cornell. And Cor
nell was talking to Eric when Toby |
and Sue and Halle found them.
Eric drew her forward difidently |
and said. Miss Cornell, may I pre-
sent my wife?"
Halle was conscious Of two pairs |
of eyes ON her--the great dark eyes |
OF the sctress-swiftly encompass
ing her In her simple little gray
chiffon evening frock, and Of Eric's
eyes, q trifie anxious.
The actress said, did you like
TT"
Halle answered, The playf !
don't know. The woman that Gerta
was"-Certa was the Cornell role
lis completely foreign TO me, but
II I'd known her In real life and she
was a. you played her, I should
have been swept away, completely
enthralied by her. a. I was by your
performance"
Sara Cornell patted her hand