| Show I I f 5 1926 f By eWHEN A I NEA ServICe Inc S LOVE fO I I I TIllS THIS hAS MAS HAPPENED Fate rate Introduces Jerry Hay flay to Alester Carstairs when he his airplane into the camp she Js is 19 sharIng charing with her te Myrtle she Sha likes his pilot Dan Van Harvey but Alester Ales r admires her beauty and shows her attention Unable to buy a gown for a party a he h has invited le her to Jerry yields d to t the temptation Pi to O s slip one ett from mt the ts store forthe for forthe the il evening It When they taunt her for being dry at the party Jerry drinks too much A rowdy dancing partner throws her into the pool to revive her Dan Van appears to help her but Alester Aleater takes lakes her home She Is discharged from the tire store when she confesses about the dress Terry seeks another job and Is surprised one evening when Dan calls He Ike proposes and she site tells him she does not sot believe In love but hopes to marry for money moner lIe He leaves after trying to warn her iier Alester makes advances which Jerry repulses But when WIlen he Ire learns that she sho has lost her job on his account he be becomes becomes becomes be- be comes contrite and us uses s his Influence to get her a 1 place laco In n. n chorus Rehearsals are hard but she Is beI be- be befriended by Evelyn Starr who Is In love I wIth Jael Thane Evelyn gives a a. party paTty at which Jael takes exception to Jerrys Jerry's presence A scene ensues and Dan forces Corces an apology from Jael Realizing that Alester Is jealous Dan tells Jerry Terry sho she is bringing him to her feet teet but to be careful about her reputation cpu i-cpu- tation hiPster Alester drives jerry lerry erry to Atlantic City for t the o opening but she r refuses tYnt f to attend d a midnight party he wants to give the chorus because she wants to keep in trim Angered he give a a wild party part anyway anyway any any- ti the way f but ie Jerry with the ignores determination him nt at going l t that on 1 sh sire i I. I I.- I. not a a. flat fiat tire fire SOW NOW ow GO ON WITH THE TIlE STORY CHAPTER Jerry kept her e eyes eS off the au audience audience audience au- au as long as she could but finally succumbed to the temptation temptation temptation tion to look 1001 over the footlights She was wa-s dancing In the first row of girls near the end She glanced quickly at the box justa Just a few feet away from her thinking that Alester might be bein in it She did not locate him there He lIe had said he was going out front when he lie left her and Evelyn atthe atthe at atthe the stage door Jerry felt a little chill of apprehension apprehension apprehension hension come over her It dis dig dispelled dispelled a degree of her stage fright Had she been too severe too severe too independent independent inde hide pendent blam blam blam The music was growing faster taster Jerrys Jerry's body began to free itself free itself of taut taut- ness She looked straight out over the footlights and tried to smile remembering that Mr Hule- Hule had told them not to let Iet their laces aces set She saw rows and androws rows of people peo peo- pIe who melted into an Indistinguishable indistinguishable indistinguishable composite picture A picture that carried to Jerry Tery an impression of opulence of ol carefree interest Indistinctly she saw t tire the e ewhite white shirt fronts of men in eVe eVe- fling ning dress the richer accents accents- of women's gowns In the first row a woman lifted her hands to applaud Jerry caught the flash of jewels on on l her lier er wr wrist st st. The womans woman's companion was as watching Jerry Jerr trying to make her look at him Jerry her eyes over his liis head seeking Alester She found found- herself thrilling now ow to the knowledge that her stage fright had passed that actually i she and enjoying was ivas before the public spell of f the theatre began to td weave itself about her herr The music musIc music mu mu- sic crept into her blood the the- applause applause ap applause ap- ap showered ed her with tingling gratification tion Curtain A thunder of applause Hysterical people congratulating themselves and each other in the relief of the moment Mr Hula Hub grim Wait he said Kb Xo man man I No It was was' the producer a band hand on his directors director's shoulder Were Vere going over When a first act gets them like that tire C C C Jerry heard no more Encore For the tle t star of course but coure-but but th the audience wanted the chorus too too too- the little girls In bridesmaids' bridesmaids cos cos- Jerry was one of them Delicious shivers shook her when her when she took tool her first curtain call calI She was part of a hit Part of something something something some some- the tIie public liked thing thing- Back in the dressing room Evelyn Evelyn Ev Ev- elyn eln waited to congratulate her To them the show was Jerrys The star was star was merely an adjunct J Jerry rry had made good Nothing else mat n at Tears sneaked down Jerrys Jerry's cheeks when Evelyn hugge l- l land and kissed her Arent we funny she said Who to saw sats me Mr Hule did Evelyn replied darling danced divinely Oh you Ou Hurry into your our change the wardrobe mistress called and Jerry Jerry Jerry Jer Jer- ry turned obediently to her dressIng dress- dress dressing Ing Irig table Flowers for Miss Ray Kay someone someone someone some some- one yelled from the door Jerry started to run toward it but Evelyn pulled her back Let Mrs Irs Dwight get them she said you haven't time The wardrobe mistress hurried over to the door and soon returned with a long bo boIn box bos bosIn In fn hI her arms ne n J Jerry y couldn't t stop atop to open It SIte Sire had to go scurrying c with the theother theother other oilier girls back to to tho stage climbing th the steps from the dressIng dressing dressIng dress dress- ing room and threading her wa way through the piled up up scenery There was a generous round of ol applause when the curtain went tip up for the second act and then there occurred one of those thos things that make life Ufa in the theatre theatre- so uncertain The show died The promise of ol th the first act was unfulfilled Re Relaxed taxed axed nerves grew tight again smiling faces became strained The audience had llad not applauded tire the big scene In the second act Everyone E knew then that the show would be bea a flop unless new life lICo could bo ho put Into it before the curtain was low low- ered Mr Hule was tearing his hl hair Mr out front with his guests mouthed an Imaginary cIgar ci cigar cigar cI- cI gar between his lips and groaned Inwardly Someone leaned over to him and whispered Too much costume cos cos- cos tume Mr nodded He lIe knew It h hed he'd d told sell lIar his big hig idea was no good You Tou couldn't whet jaded appetites by overdressing the girls just to add a kick to their scanty appearance In the last ac ached act hed he'd said and now he knew it ft was as astrue true S S S SHe He got Sot up and made his way backstage stage In search search- of the man who had led him Into committing this stupid blunder The culprit was found in an argument with the stage director Youve got to do something the he producer P 3 lr nl J Harsell replied right All waitIng waiting waitIng wait- wait well step it up Instead of for the third act well we'll introduce intro intro- Ing duce duco the bathing girls here Get busy Hule Mr Walt Wait a or minute exclaimed What are you going of those girls inthe Inthe in inthe to have in place act 1 the third Up lip Mr Harsell pinched his lower thoughtfully thoughtfully- Lets see put the caps and aprons on tho bathing suits for this act he ho said sardonically sardonically sardonically sardon sardon- then well we'll have the caps for tor the third act Im I'm and aprons cant can't g go any farther afraid Vo wo fr In tn Hell Mr exploded disgust Let it alone He turned to Mr Hule Tell Ted and Leonard Leonard jeonard Leon Leon- old some of their ard to throw In snapped stuff when they go on he ho burlesque burlesque burlesque bur bur- of That dragon fight sort fight sort lesque their old hit and if the tho au audience audience au- au doesn't warm up to your cute little surprise when you OU spring it in the third Hars Harsell ell you'd better bettel better bet bet- bet ter tel go stab yourself on a sword sword- fist fish The oceans ocean's full of em The The audience remained silent and unmoved until near the tho end of or the second act Then Ted Hart and Leonard Glass got them with their theIl funny ui-mv ui stuff ri It was recognized as a favorite favorite bit of a past season being done over but the way the boys made fun of of themselves went over big The empty seats that Mr tr Lr Wein Wein- ertz had expected to to see when the Hie curtain was raised for the last act were not there He wiped a perspiring ing forehead and went back to his ms friends His IUs collar was limp and thelong thelong the thelong long lock locI of hair he lie used to cover his bis baldness hung down the back of his head He knew that success hung inthe inthe in inthe the balance If the audience failed to react favorably to Harsell's big surprise he didn't want to read the tho papers the next morning the producer producer producer pro pro- ducer told himself when he lie took his seat beside his wife No show he added could live on the skeleton of a former hit S S S The audience had remained remained- remained remained- that was encouraging but the gala air all had departed from the theatre There was no longer an expectancy e a up keyed note in in the atmosphere People were waiting to have it over with so the they could get to some more exciting entertainment No Xo one applauded the first scene of the third act the act the hosts and hostess host host- ess of essof of the bride and groom at a fete on a country estate The two were discussing the program they had prepared for their guests It promised promised prom prom- nothing exciting But it proved it-proved to tobe be quite different different differ differ- ent enl The guests were entertained by a group of from a Broadway revue The backdrop curtain curtain cur cur- tam tain had parted to reveal to an as- as audience the audience the real audience audi audi- ence ence-a ence a glass glass' swimming pool And n no no one now made a complaint against the costumes Jerry had never ceased since she first saw that scene to thank her lucky star that shed she'd told Mr 11 Hule the truth when he asked about her swimming She had said she was not very good which was as th the truth She was well satisfied to be a waitress ali ari l carry trays tra of pron drinks to the guests Evelyn and Miss Spear were among them then Jerr Jerrys Jerry's s 's exceptionally well shaped legs had drawn her the abbreviated skirt that theatrical tradition has associated with the Ule French maids of musical comedy since time irn- irn im im- memorial She carried her tray tra with poise but though her nerves were quiet her eyes were not attuned to them She had not succeeded in locating Alester The flowers he sent had softened her heart she wanted to let him know mow it Others in the chorus had received flowers too and telegrams but the tho messages had been received at th their or earlier in the day at the theatre Yet no one had amore amore a amore more gorgeous bouquet than Alester lester sent to Jerry The incomparable American Beauty rose two dozen of them then Ales Alester tel could well afford them them them- or OC two dozen orchids if he wished wished- Jerry Ime knew but she appreciated his wanting to make her proud that someone had considered her little stage debut worthy of being bored Her eyes searched the a audience at every chan chance Where here could he hebe hebe hehe be he The show was nearing the nn final l curtain Jerry had a a. minute offstage off offstage offstage stage to fly down to the dressing dressing- room Yes there was word for her hei a telegram tel gram Mrs i Dwight told h tier her r I but she could not hot give it to her until after alter the show Why Jerry pleaded Its against the the rules In Mr Ir productions But tho the shows show's almost ov over over r Then you QU can wait Mrs Dwight said firmly I never never break breal the rule miss S SC Jerry rushed back to the wings Hurry Evelyn cried as she saw Jerry come running up the st stairs irs What in the world did you do that for she whispered a a. second later lateras as they danced out to tc join the company corn corn com any pany in ensemble for th the closing song Mrs Irs Dwight has a telegram forme for forme me and she wouldn't let me inc have If Jerry whispered backOf backOf backOf back Of course courS not nott Ev lyn replied under h her hr r breath Its Ira a precaution against bad news upsetting a performer performer per per- former during the show The last of her wor words s were lost inI in li-i the the- wild applause that broke bOke out I and swept up over the footlights applause that carrie came like a reprieve toilers to threatened Jerry hadn't news Bad of that And why she thought Alester asked herself now should when he lie was send her a telegram In the house about elation of the people The of her the tho l last st and great greatest st burst orchestra the from the sound clapping audience suddenly sud sud- suddenly suddenly laughing denly meant nothing to her mechanically until until until un un- un- un She danced on til she found herself in the wings But she could not yet et get away away- calling the company company com corn the audience was taken pany back Six curtains were and by that time Jer Jerry Y was sure that some terrible thing had happened happened happened hap hap- would else at her home Who wire to her She had forgotten Ales Alester tel But as s she lie turned to hasten to the Just room dressing she sire saw him him and and with him was Leontine To be continued |
