Show David Belasco Betas Adventurer r 1 MY PARENTS' PARENTS LOVE STORY Old love stories always are filled with sweet interest but of them all allI I believe none could be more vivid than han the love Of ot my thy harlequin father fath fath- er Cr and my Gy Gypsy y mother moth moth- er a tr-a a tale my mo lady moner ner told me many times during the days lays of my iny youth Theirs was wall a real and enduring love which scorned corned opposition privation atH n and the hardships of ot pioneering pioneering pio plo in a strange land It brought me their year first-year love child into the w world and sustained at them in an unfaltering understand understanding In ing until Death came to claim m my m moth mother r Mothers Mother's parents were wealthy I Portuguese who had emigrated to 0 London during the late years ot of or 1700 to escape escale the persecution that had be begun during the reign of ot King Emanuel Fiercely proud they lived apart content in association with witha a few from their native land who like tike themselves were vere emigres The family name was Martino and their daughter my mother wa was named Edna Helna Queen She was delicately reared was given then every advantage an and was destined In their thoughts to b be a central figure In hi one of ot those old world marriages uniting two t families families tanH lies of equal station Father w was s a harlequin al alo alCo o of Gypsy lineage His Sits wealth of ot blue- blue black hair hi his liquid black eyes pale face with beautifully chiseled t features all features all made him a n noteworthy noteworthy noteworthy note note- worthy figure everywhere Thrown early on his own resources he became became be be- became came a a. harlequin Those were the vagabond years of ot the theatre and actors and circus attaches stood tar far fardown down on the social roIl rolls Yet mother belle of ot the foreign colony olony daughter of ot wealthy parents and sought by rich suitors saw and loved JO my harlequin father tather with an intensity only those of ot her strange emotIonal ra race may understand How lIol they met I do not know l Probably rob rob- dbl ably In accordance with the adage Love Loe finds the way The handsome handsome hand hand- some clown wooed and won h her r in ina a 1 courtship that brooked no They pledged their love r mother promising to Walt wait fath father r setting out to better his station There wa was no com compromise romle in itt mothers mother's love loe When her mind had decided that rey BelasCo DelasCo was the mate-man mate the I Deity had provided for her she de declined delIne de- de lIne d resolutely to receive e other suitors As a result she was forced to endure much domestic sUe persecution tion lion I I I She and father fl met clandestinely until one day a prying neighbor saw them Taxed with the truth she he admitted d It proudly and de declared tie tie- her intention of ot marrying father as BO soon n as s he could care for her As a result she the was made a virtual prisoner going out only when accompanied by relatives or trustworthy friends Despite this surveillance pur they the contrived to communicate con com by smuggled mug notes Then the great Ineat smallpox plague settled on London Men Ien died like files everywhere the streets were filled with rough rouKh boxes containing bodies Awaiting burial Soon It be became became became be- be came n necessary c s to build great crematory pyre as burials practically cally were Im Impossible For or days dayt mother he heard ard nothing from her bel tw sweetheart theart lie He was as living in a little room Under the stage of or orthe the Dru Drury Lane theatre and had hadt set t himself to a course course of or stern privation This did not make for treat great t powers of r resistance and mother w. w was wac little surprised there there- fore tore when she ph he learned he be had Le been n mon among the first nt to be stricken S Secretly eUy the she Prepared to too go so to him She made de a a. package Jacka of ot afew a few tew ot of her treasured el nl tome same bits bUs of jewelry Jery and Cad a supply of money slipped ed quietly from the house boOed and Into th the awesome me streets where re death eath lurked at ever every turn She She- has hall told me often otten of the terrors ter ter- ter- ter rora 1011 of that grisly foot Journey croM aeron London In the blackness blackn of the night Men I n newly nelt stricken lay writhing In the streets Here lIere and there uro rough lOub boxes o at stood awaiting Ut Ute the Uti of 0 the Ute ded deat J e eI tf I I covery She became confused confuted walked miles but eventually I found I the right course and Just before dawn lawn arrived at the tho theatre There she stole stul onto the tile great stage and guided by a light from below came to the tile door behind which lay her het harlequin Humphrey Be- Be A brother clown was caring for or him He lie it it was who answered her knock and tried to Induce herto herto her herto to return before she was vaa discovered ted and nd pia placed dd d under quarantine Finally he Jle tried to hold her hel by main mn-In tor l but ut she sho broke away and rushed to ro the cot where father tather lay half halt delirious and with Oll- Oll cooked bandages covering ing his face anu hands Humphrey my rny dear Sll sh she sobbed I 1 could not let you suffer alone I will not let you die duel Aflame though U he was with the lever fever ev r of ot his malady ady father fattler pleaded with her to return and lea leave leae e him to hi his fate tate I i 1 may be blinded he urged Certainly if I live e I 1 wilt will be a ft loathsome thing to look upon I fear rear the tile Fated lates have frowned ort oil on our love and that I am destined to go through life with only my memories memories mem mem- ories cries to support me meW But Dut Hum Humphrey hrey said mother your our Sours scars will viii be beautiful to me It is your soul I 1 love Always will willI I wait and be faithful to you Then the doctor tor came harassed and exhausted but delighted when hen henhe he lie discovered the tile fever feer had broken during the excitement of my tny mothers mother's mothers mother's moth moth- ers er's visit f He lie will wm recover the doctor said but m my poor child chUd you OU cannot leave Until the epidemic is over you OU must make your OUr home hom in tiltS this building If you ou become ill the fault is yours ours That was the turning point Came Cam th the day when father was able to sit sitU U up t then en the eventful moment when whIm the last lust bandages were removed Wonder onder of wonders hut but t. t few tea pits remained on his hlA cheeks cheCks All AU ot of the others had disappeared and wonderful won von new skin had formed When m mother lher entel entered d he sat with his hid hands hanOs before hI his face lace sobbing softly afraid to look In the mirror Let me see aCe see Humphrey she pleaded But Dut I cannot he demurred I Have not looked myself mel Gently she forced hl hi hands from his face and uttered a glad cry ry of ot oth h happiness nt L u 0 I u 0 un on jn it is wonderful you OU are lIre more handsome thap ever ov rl she he exclaimed dancing across the room to 10 return with a II mirror to prove her words Their marriage followed rollo quickly Throughout her da day of waiting she he had lived 11 on the mone money she had brought with her and the Pro proceeds ed from her Jewelry Her parents hall had sought her everywhere fearful that she he had perished In the be epidemic Finally both Immune th they v were to leave lea the fever Cheor district A terrible scene followed when they went to the Martino home and ana announced their the Finally t- t both th were driven out With curses Worse follow followed d such Ruch ner persecution as all only a It proud famIly family fam fam- ily may conceive when an n interloper inter Inter- loper enters their family circle Robbed Bobbed of ot a chance of hll happiness u In London and fired by the depa depart depar 1 ure of ot adventurers aa for tor the Califor nia tA father ther and moU mother er boldly resolved despIte their theft por- por erty etty to migrate to America Amerle From rom here and end th there te they thet ratted small final sum of or mon v enough in In total to pay for primitive nee In a small tailing sailing Vessel b tar for A now how Tb There e were re fe feW w n aboard fe feW ho love was Wall sufficiently great to Induce them to brave brae Urra ships shine W Mother suffered t terribly from ill m. neSs neo during the voyage oYe Confined a as AA they were to the poorest tern und undernourished and Surround Surrounded ed ell by bv others equally lit ill they withstood withstood with with- stood s. s storms storm m and the tile terrors of ot the deep until months afterward th they y landed at Aspin- Aspin wail alL At the ahe they found a a. aroud rougH roud eom company of adventurers Ad ig fOr tor the m match march l 10 to Panama u aide Father as a harlequin which brought cheers of ot appreciation and I earned him th the friendship of the th marchers rs f There was but o one obstacle Th tb the were forced to trl travel l in large bands as the Isthmus In Indians IndIAns In- In IndiAna diAna and white desperadoes aready ai- ai ready had d the trick of killIng killing killing kill kill- ing and robbing mall email bands of pilgrims pil pil- grims The rul rule therefore WM was No women Mother r. r however hoWe Wits Wile undisturbed and tbd tod father r not to to worry Before th the tho march began egan near bre break k the tile following morning mother mothel disappeared for tor a few mo o. ments When she stole bacH sh elle he was Wail attired t in rough shirt trousers and J boots and a mans man's battered felt hat hal Come quietly Humphrey Humphre she whispered we must be far tal on the Journey before they discover er I am with you Oh Onward rd th they y tolled toiled the company for tor or the first t few miles making I little effort to formation The Therun Therun run ruh roS rOl rose and a top stop was made at ata ata a 1 small email lake Jake ake There ft It rough b bearded beard ed adventurer ludd suddenly mouthed A treat great reat oath snatched l mothers mother's hilt I from her head hend and shouted Heres trouble for everybody a damned woman stowaway l is g 1 aboard I Father leaped At nt his throat and they were Ivere tte foiling about in mad IlIAd combat when others rs returned and separated them Leaders had been selected before the start and the theman theman man designated as ns captain rode up upOn upon upon on a mule ills His face stern his attitude attitude atti atti- tude uncompromising You HYou will have to return to As As- all he said att after comprehend comprehending ing the situation We cannot care cal for a a. woman on this Journey journe Then replied mother resolutely resolute resolute- ly pro proceed eed My Sly husband and I will follow v you OU at a distance roll roil ejaculated tile the ca captain you Would b be killed before morning You mUs must return to As- As I 1 will trill not return retorted i mother stompIng stamping her foot toot Imp Imperi imperi- rl- rl Ve We were go gong going Ins to the CO coast U Uland land and you have no right to stop us But Dut my dear wom woman n th the captain ear cap tam tain pleaded when you OU OUt get feet there loU jou will be no better oft off You cannot cannot cannot can can- not ship with men one men one wom worn an Mother Molher fought back her tears lean bravely and turning pleadingly to the tM rough group said We VO are hom homeless we U penniless we MUST MUST-go on There is III no place for forus forus forus us liere lere Ev Everything we possess ss Is invested In this J Journey urMy hut But th there re is 18 more My Sly J husband goes to make a vl place e for tor our future It 1 a place ilace in which m my bab baby will be born t cannot We cannot be bl Be separated we cannot stay here hOre Go 00 on oil If you ou rl wish h We IVe will not embarrass you If ou It If we wedie wedie wedie die it will be the t fate tate But we must go on we have no ito choice Imagine th the seen Scene Icene Score Scores of ot rough bearded beard d men men Some men some om of ot them doubtless scoundrels going to th the gold fields to pillage e lend and rob some pf ot them with human blood already on their hands In the center center cen cen- ter of the circle O the youthful couple the the compelled compell d by h circumstances cir dr to make her Confession of ot approaching motherhood under euch oh a condition ns nil Ie few women of ot her bel delicate rearing ever h had d to face But In the group was WaR one man who was wAA compassionate a a former curate from one of ot the tile south English lJ Ct spoken a gentleman Step to mothers mother's side h life lIe r re removed rC- rC moved his lat knelt and offered this a. a prayer a petition my n mother loved fo to tt repeat Mt In Atteo atte years e u Our H Heavenly t ath Father r r. r we com come before Thee In this wild place where her only Thou Cant rule to ask for this wom woman nd md this man Inan Thy intercession Thy grace race Soften the heart hart of ot all we pray Thee grant them safe passage aul to the Land of Promise and In the end Our rather ra Pa- ther protect this woman in her or 01 ordeal ordeal or- or deal and pour out Th Thy choicest blessings In her child We Ve ask it it In hI TH THy n narrie n p Our r. r G God d t a. a J. J Father ath r Amel 1 t t. t f W O f ed |