Show I Dance Little Lady Telegram Ftc Fiction t t 0 By Dr II BARBARA n WEBB SYNOPSIS In Chicago Jan Day a dancer with the unit Dancing Gayeties gets a 1 break With Ted Barry another member r o of the unit they get Iet a R chance to do a waltz number they have rehearsed rehearsed rehearsed re re- re- re and it Is 15 favorably received Hal Phillips dancing comedian of ot the unit is impressed by Jans Jan's ability asa as asa asa a dancer and urges her to leave lea the unit and form an act with him He gets them a il chance In a night club with very good pay Jan tells Doris Stallings St. about the offer and Doris DorL tells telu her to turn turu It Jl down So does docs Ted When Jan deliberates Ted becomes furious and he and Jan nearly quay quay- rel Ted is in love with Jan and like her wants to become a great reat dancer He tells her that she will ruin herself as a dancer in hi a night club Jan t decides to turn Hals Hal's Hal s 's offer down Ted is happy when whon she calls callshim callshim callshim him and tells him what she has done CHAPTER 19 Although Jan definitely turned down Hal Phillips' Phillips offer to leave the Dancing Gayeties unit to form with him an nn act to play night clubs and vaudeville this by no means stopped Hal in his attempts to enlist Jans Jan's aid ald And that was just what It was WM Hal alone was forced to stay with the unit work he didn't like But with Jan he could form an act and easily get bookings Of this he bc was certain and he never ceased his overtures overture When the show left lert Chicago on its last wt swing through the east there began began began be be- gan a series of small incidents that bewildered be be- Jan She thought she knew who was responsible yet she failed to realize why there should be any reason rea ren reason son aon for this persons person's attempts to make her life in the unit not only miserable miserable miser miser- able but of or short duration This Tills person person person per per- son was Elita EUta D'Avril prima ballerina o of the show Several times Uma Jan In the chorus number which supported Ell EHia's Elita's ta s 's dance found herself shoved out of ot position or on the awkward end of ofa ofa a runaround run due t to o the fact that on the run around Elita was In the way This disrupted the unison of the thc dance and to any anyone one who didn't know what w was going on It looked as if Jan wasn't holding up her end Hayes noticed It and spoke about it Doris noticed it it and asked Jan the trouble but Jan herself not sure of why these things were happening refused i to tell Doris her suspicions During the rehearsals there was never a hitch so far tar as Jan was con con- But durin during the performances perform perform- performances I ances as often oUen as twice a week Jan wot would d find herself forced into an awkward awkward awkward awk- awk ward position which would disrupt the entire chorus Finally she decided decided de- de tided to take matters in her own hands and waited outside the stage door for Elita to come out Can I 1 talk to you for a moment Jan asked as Elita came out Elita EUta looked at her I hav haven't nt an any l Idea why it should be nece necessary sary she answered I I think you ou do Jan said Im T sure you do and I 1 want to get it straightened out Elita EUta didn't say anything and aDd Jan p continued Come on lets let's go somewhere somewhere some some- where where we can talk They i walked along the street t in silence and turned into a small restaurant Just what would show girls on the road do without resta restaurants rants to turn to wh when n some place to go for a talk is needed I Well what is it Elita inquired when they were se seated ted and had ordered ordered ordered or or- dered coffee coUce Jan Ian Does the Talking I NI dont don't know for sure I may maybe maybe maybe be wrong Jan began but I dont don't think you like me ver very well At Attunes tunes times Ive I've even thought you hated haled me me although for the life lite a of me I cant can't cantsee cantsee cantsee see why you should lv Ive I've never done anything to you I dont don't even know you very well What is it Elita didn't answer I saw you looking lookin at me one day It was in Chicago I think and Im I'm sure that you ou hated me that d day y Why Still Elita didn't say anything If you want to dislike me Jan continued your affair But l if fI you are going to take that dislike for for which I cant can't account out account out in making trouble for me in the theater well then its it's time for me to do some some- thing What do you mean Elita Euta in in- You know khow what I mean The way the number th the chorus does with you goes wrong every so often orten It goes gocs wr wrong ng because Im I'm kept out of line and youre you're the one who keeps me ou out o of line Une You manage to be in my way on the run around and that tha throws the whole works out of order or or- der Say youve you've got a nerve Elita said trying to blame me for mist mistakes mis mis- t 1 tak takes you make Is 15 it my my fault that you dont don't know how to d dance nce Is i imy it itI I my fault that youre you're awkward Where do you get that stuff that Im I'm to blame I Wait a minute minute Jan Interrupted i why dont don't you tell teU me what's th the i trouble You know that I have no reason for making this charge against I you you- unless I really believe that it its it's t just Why dont don't you tell teU me what wha I the trouble is I I Elita Elites was silent for a moment then I much to Jans Jan's surprise she started crying Im a fool I 1 guess sh she f said I III know Im I'm wrong I know I Ive I've been the worst kind of or a per person on t to have done what 1 I have Yes youre you're I right I am responsible for those Jams ams there have been in lIt I our num 6 b ber r. r But but but wen well Im I'm jealous jealous' of you rOUe Not ot only o of wh what t you are do do- ing mg ingI I 1 know you can dance and you dont don't know this but Hal Phillips I and I have hav been working together for fora a good rood number Dumber o of years Weve We've been in lots of ot shows together Weve We've gone p out with lots o of these units I know y all all' about what he tried to do in Chicago I know he still wants you to leave this unit and go with him Dont Don't do it For Gods God's sake dont don't Of do it Promise me you ou ou wont Why I dont don't intend to I told Hal HalI I that in Chicago Im I'm not going to leave the unit unit- Hal still asks me to but I wont won't But why do you ask It this f EUta Elita considered for a moment n CI Listen Im I'm going to tell you something some some- I thing no one in this unit knows Not ot even Hayes Hayes dial Hal ial and I are arc mar roar ried red Jan was startled She had never It suspected d it No one had There was no reason to suspect it Weve been married a long time Elita Elites went on Im getting old Oh 1 I dont don't mean in y years ars But I haven't haven If I got many more years in this game Im I'm just about through Hal Ual is too it I but he wont won't admit it Weve We've got a mUD little money I want to give up this thi t J game and settle down somewhere Buhe But Bu Buthe Butt t n It he wont won't see it Still wants to g go o on Ito thinks wed we'd both have hav a better bette better r r t 7 It i r chance of ot continuing Ifs if Jf we vc dont don't let lett it t be known that were married That's why we wc dont don't live together on the he road Well that's the stor story Keep Keepit it t to yourself I will Jan said Come on kid Youre You're all right Ive I've ve been a fool been half crazy for fear car Hal would mn run off oft I Ive I've vo tried to o do you dirt although I knew all along that it wasn't your fault I Im I'm m Can your forgive me sorry orry Jan smiled Forget all nIl about it itI I have lets let's go o back Situation Straightened Out Jan was glad to have straightened the he situation out which had caused her so much worry and trouble dur- dur log ing ng the last few weeks but Elita EUta's s revelation of at her marriage to Hal Hat and her admission that she considered herself herselt through as a dancer left Jan Jana a pretty serious young oung lady She had read about h had d seen in the movies people particularly eople particularly show people people- who hung on People who refused to toive give ive up even when they themselves knew knew enow that they were through It made Jan Tan wonder about herself About just what she would be doing five ive years hence Five years cars she had about the lifetime life life- been told was just time ime of a girl doing the kind of at work she he was in After the five years ears one started down the scale either cither forsaking forsaking for- for the stage and dancing entirely entire entire- ly 1 y or going into cheaper and cheaper cheap cheap- er r productions Not a il very pleasant prospect to look forward to Elita Elila was an example of the girl airl who vho started out to set the world on fire Ire but who after atter several years had lad reached the pinnacle of ot her success as prima ballerina of or a n premier premier pre pre- mier micr unit So did others Hayes must have known It Il No longer was there the ic least bit of fire in Elita's dancing to o distinguished it from an any of ot a 1 hundred dancers Doris for instance was a much better dancer than Elita But Jut Doris Dorb didn't care enough about it ito to o push herself ahead Or perhaps 5 Doris X ris realized her own limitations Anyway to Doris the work was just another nother job a job in which she could earn arn her living in a more pleasant fashion than in other avenues of employment em cm- The following day dayan Jan an still somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what under the the- depressing influence which had resulted from her talk with Elita received her first letter from rom Hunter Hunter- She had written him once telling him of ot the success she and nd Ted had achieved She had not heard icard from rom Hunter and the letter which was handed her at al the theater showed bowed by Its many postmarks that It t had followed the unit staying slaying about bout one town behind for over three weeks My dear Jan the letter read I Ivas Iwas Iwas was vas awfully glad to hear from you and nd vcr very happy to learn that you are arc getting citing along so well I should cei certainly like to s see you ou in the thc dance you described I 1 know it must be bevery bevery bevery very good Ive gone to work Had to do something after you left I was so darn l lonely nel I dont don't know whether or r not I told you but Dad is in hi the construction game so If It you ou happened happened happened hap hap- to be passing through Wichita some ome da day and saw a very earnest young man in v very ry dirty overalls working industriously at carrying bricks ricks or mixing cement that would be e one Hunter Barclay And much mucho to o my surprise Im I'm enjoying the work I had one devil o of a time to keep from rom following you I shouldn't say this his perhaps but I just jus cant can't help itI it I still wont want you you want want you as badly as I ever e did Youve You've had a success now Its It's no longer a question of admitting admitting ad ad- defeat by leaving the stage Why dont don't you reconsider Why dont don't you say sa- farewell to that life Ufe Come ome back here We could be maried mar mar- mar mar- and be very happy I 1 want you to so much Jan Believe me Perhaps I shouldn't have brought this his matter up again I certainly dont don't want to do anything that might make you feel sad even i if only for a few moments But I had to Jan I simply simply sim sim- ply had to Write me me wont won't you and if it by any great stroke of ot good fortune for forme forme forme me you should change your mind and want to come back wire me With best w wishes I am as ever HUNTER last Just Holds Bolds Letter Jan sat holding that letter in her Kind hand for some time without moving She was sitting before her dressing table waiting wafting for tor the show to go onA on A series of at pictures happy ones of ol the days she had spent with Hunter I came rushing through her mind She remembered small incidents she remembered remembered re re- little things at which thc they had laughed their ability to lau laugh h ot at U things had been one of or the happiest parts of their relationship Jan had Md never quite completely gotten gotten gotten got got- ten over the small ache within her whenever cr Hunter came into her thoughts She wondered now just why it was that fate should have so decreed It that wanting to go on and nd become a dancer as she did fate should have been so unkind as M to put In n her path the nicest young Oung man she he I had lad ever met In connection with that last lost thought there came into her mind the picture of Ted Happy Happ boyish boyish boy boy- ish Ted Yet there was a vast d difference difference differ differ- er ence between Ted Barry and Hunter Barclay They were as different as two wo people could possibly be Jan found it impossible to think of them themas as two young men standing pretty much for tor the same ame thing where she sheW W was s concerned True Ted had never made nude any open declaration of ot his feelings feel feel- Ings concerning h her r but Jan due to Doris and her own observations knew pretty well that Ted cared alot a alot lot ot for tor her Her thoughts as usual when they were directed toward Hunter and Ted got her nowhere She welcomed the lashing flashing lights and the buzz of ot the buzzer buizer calling her on stage for lor the opening Carefully she placed Hunters Hunter's letter in her pocketbook stood up for tor a final look at herself in n the full length mirror and went down to the stage The weeks since the unit had played Chicago had seemed to fly by No very vivid picture of ot any anyone one place where the unit had played remained In Jans Jan's mind There had been a month In Ohio playing Cleveland Columbus Dayton and Cincinnati There had been the two w weeks ks In Pittsburgh The unit had stayed some sometime time ime In Pennsylvania It had played Johnstown Altoona Harrisburg Lan Lan- caster It had gone north through Reading Allentown to Wilkes Barre and Scranton then coming back to Philadelphia it had moved into Trenton Trenton Tren ton N. N J J. J for tor a week and was now in Philadelphia The unit was to play Philadelphia for three weeks and again J Jan ln and Doris and a couple others took an apartment together to cut down living ex expenses Staying three w weeks in a hotel was far too expensive See Historic Sf Sights With Dor Doris Jan saw many of at the historic sites of Philadelphia There were many mornings when she and Doris climbed out of ot their soft comfortable comfortable comfortable com com- beds to prowl around But It had h d been fun very much so particularly particularly par par- to one who had been raised on the Pacific coast To see the very things one had studied about bout in histories histories hIstories his hIs- tories at school to see the places where this history had been n made afforded quite a thrill Ev Even n Doris who had been to Philadelphia Phila delphia a number of times and who pretended to be ex extremely mely bored while going about was Interested forshe forshe for forshe she confessed to Jan that despite the fact that she had visited the city before before before be be- fore even opened a il show in m it it she had never done any sightseeing Ill bet you'll want me to drag you up the Statue of ot Li Liberty and the thc aquarium aqua and the Empire State building and the Bronx zoo all those places when we get to New York she said to Jan Jan nodded her head New York Actually but a few hours away The unit was going there soon To Jan there came the feeling that she was reaching some de definite conclusion In her life New York represented represent d to her the first goal oal post of her career upward She felt that Dancing Gayeties Gay |