Evening star., 1941-07-30

act cIOtneS, neF lace Hiaue up, nci
hands lifted to the sleek hair
smoothing 1t closer over her ears
II Just :" Then she saw Carol
The smile faded from her lips, her
whole body went dead and stiff. She
turned slowly to Tommy. rs she
all right?" Her mouth scarcely
moved when she spoke.
Tommy nodded. "She's going to
play. What happened to you?"
Alice made no answer. Putting
her hands to the lapels Of the shark
skin jacket she slipped it from her
shoulders. We stood watching her
not knowing what to say or do
Tommy grunted something unin-
telligible as he stamped out Of the
room. Carol said timidly, I'm
sorry, Alice"
Alice's eyes, full Of bitterness
grazed Carol and she turned her
back. The clothes came of me-
chanically and were hung over the
chair. She threw a dressing gown
on her shoulders and, without a
word, was gone.
Almost before we had found time
to move, Tommy was back, banging
at our door and yelling, Five
minutes"
I managed to dress. don't re-
member quite how. I know that
Phoebe Thompson. tiny, pert-faced
girl who was Tommy's assistant,
stood behind me buttoning up my
back and curling the ends Of my
hair. Beside me, Carol, whose first
entrance didn't come until the mid
die OF the act, tried to help me and
dress herself at the same time.
stood up and was surprised to find
that I was all together and that my
makeup job presented a fairly
human face. Tommy opened the
door.
Places" he said. Ready, Haila."
OF Beautiful Set.
7 nodded, Snatched one last
glimpse In the mirror and followed
him to the wings. Against the wall
the third act scenery was stacked
and I stood back near it, looking
out over the stage.
Even with a ladder straddling
one of the satinwood chairs and
an overalled electrician straddling
the ladder, 1t was still lovely Eng
lish morning room.
A warm, sunny light filtered
| through the French windows at
stage right and landed on the squat
bowls of flowers and the white
shaded lamps and made them glitter
In stage center stood lemon
| colored divan. on either side 9
chartreuse chair and in one cor
ner under window was great
desk of blond mahogany. A few
other pieces. priceless things thai
had come from Clint Bowers home
completed the room. There was 6
hint of red in the draperies and
the thick ,plushy rug, and the whole
effect was gay and charming.
| Whatever the critics did to us
I thought, they must give our SCI
a rave.
| Suddenly Tommys hand was d
the back of my neck, showing me-
forward and not very gently
"Hailal Look out"
| Whats the matter?"
He pointed at the fats behinc
me, dull green slabs of canvas thai
would be lashed together to max.
the third act dining room set. g
told Phoebe to warn every one HI
growled The damn painters didn'
get enough glue in their paint. It'll
come off on you"
| I jumped away with alacrity, Gran
ing my neck over my shoulder Il
spot any damage. I'm all right
aren't I, Tommy"
Yeah, so far. But be careful
He looked out over the stage, ther
up at the light board and back a
me. "Okay, Haila, let's 60. Goot
luck!"
1t was right then. without an,
warning pangs at all. that stag
fright hit me. I knew it from th'
wet clammy feeling of my hand
and the rockings in the pit of my
stomach. Frantically I searched