Show I SHE WENT ENT PLAYING A-PLAYING By Dy MARY ROBERTS RINEHART Everybody said lId It was a n. wonderful chance for me me but mother wasn't so BO sure She didn't mind the stock company compan company com com- pan pany where father could tale take me homo home at ot night and Anne could sit around at rehearsals but this was different dif dU ferent And then I think she sho was afraid of Mr Cunningham C He was supposed to have bave as much temper as asbe asbe ashe be he had professional reputation and of course that was colossal I coaxed mother over at last Tommy Tons Ton m my had the till mumps 11 1 and 1 she was so 80 worn out with him that she gave In Tho The whole family had a hand band In getting getting get get- ting Ung my costumes ready and I borrowed bor bar borrowed rowed Annes Anne's feather reather boa bOt little thinking think lag ing what use It would be put to Tho The rehearsals were pretty badOne bad One morning Mr Cunningham made mado me go through a n six six line lino speech the speech tho ono where I find the revolver and takeout take tako out tho bullets and then snap it at him 17 him 17 times I was pretty tired and when he said Bald Now Now again again I 1 turned on him like lIko a wildcat If Jr you make mako mo me do It again I snapped I I 1 I wont won't tako take out the bullets bullets bul bul- bul lets I Ilie lie Ho laughed laughed can can you believe It lIe He laughed and I fumed and it It was it-was was bedlam bod bed lam all around I went ho home e and wept It ft out on Tommys Tommy's pillow which pillow which made him think he was going to die and his poor comical face faco went all mottled But nut But Mr Cunningham kept mo me That's That where the tragedy comes in lIe He was ery very particular with mo me on the tho road Once or twice he said that some day day I I would learn to net act and I walked on air for Cor days Ho had lead his private car and was very comfortable comfortable comfort comfort- able but tho the ono one stands nearly killed me We followed right along alter aher a monstrosity called Tho The Merry Maids of ot Manchester and the bellboys bellboys bell ben boys thought it funny runny that we wo had no poodles and that wo we didn't gather to sing in the parlor and call ono ono one another by our first names Baldwin tho juvenile was very nice niceto niceto niceto to me and we took long walks In Inthe Inthe inthe the mornings picking up post cards to send home and sometimes running over our scene in the second act where m my guardian guardian Mr Mr Cunningham steps in and says Do you OU love him Hilda H He lie lie-he he Is a splendid fellow And of or course courso every everyone one In tho audience knows tho the guardian is In love with me mo ant and Js Is s going to Africa if It I take lake Baldwin Tho The guardian guar guar- alan dlan Is s married you see see and Miss hiss DArcy D'Arcy played the wife The funny tunny thing was that Baldwin was really crazy about t Miss ills DArcy D'Arcy wind rind talked about her all the time I 11 1 wish you wouldn't I said one day I know beautiful and can can act act like Uke a dream and all aU that but you yOU needn't rub it In in How about you raving over Cunningham Cun Gun all the time ho retorted sulkily which S so absurd that 1 J went back to the hotel botel without speaking speak speak- lug ing to him agal again 1 And then the most awful thing happened happened hap hap- You know the scene at the beginning of the last act when act when we wo aro all at breakfast and th the tho wife sweeps in In a rage Well it starts with grapefruit and I have a line Une when I taste It and say say to to Mr Cun Its as bitter as as-as as as you have havo been to to me this last week Well I put that stuff stutt in my mouth and at once the most dreadful pain began Just In n front of my ears and seemed to go all over me My 1 tongue drew up and my Jaws locked perfectly perfect perfect- ly tight I tried to swallow and couldn't and there I sat while Mr Cunningham looked at me ine and waited for his cue At last he went on without m my speaking which caused a titter and made him wild However the tho rest of the act went well In the farewell scene where he goes to Africa a to the war I tried to warn him to kiss me on top of my head because by that time I knew that I had the mumps and I was In a fever of fright but Mr Cunninghams Cunningham's big scene always al ways wars carries him off his feet and that thai night to m my horror he bo kissed I me me twice Hopper tho the stage manager nearly went crazy when I told him Now Ill I'll get HI ti he groaned No not the mumps but the tho devil Youl You'll have to go on that's on-that's that's all Wear i a nightcap nightcap any nightcap but anything thing but but dont don't put pui Cunningham u up against a new when ben hes he's up In the air with a new play Then you'll have to cut out the grapefruit I said with a shudder It will have to be bananas and I Ican I can wear e L big mull tf ties t lo loEl El u y garden r. r n Fat f 1 In the tl e Iasi act and B tl feather r boa boaIn boain In tn tho the second So we fixed It I was not ver very ill m and after all alt Mr Cunningham took ho tho news like Uko a lamb even oven sending mo me some jelly his chef had made But a 1 week later Baldwin stopped suddenly and made an awful face tace over his lemonade in the tennis scene I 1 knew new then what bad had happened and when ho came to rehearsal the n next t morning with his ne neck line k entirely obliterated and with a silk handkerchief handkerchief chief instead of a collar we all alt know knew EIo Ho was quite shiny In to spots spots spots-I I Iwas was never like that thank goodness Hopper Hop per bad had to take his place and Mr Cunningham looked like a thunder doo cloud Then ho bo sent for tor me I 1 went in fear tear and trembling He was la tn front or his ills mirror dressing graying his hair on top tap It Is la naturally a little gray over his ears When I came In la he 10 got up very courteously and drew drow out a i chair Will you watt walt just a moment bo ho said and finished what ho was doing Tho room dressing was a litter of ot course and right at the bottom of ot the mirror was a tl picture in a tl silver frame It was a girl in la a black gown and it was exquisite the exquisite the picture not tho gown I thought that very likely It was vas the girl he ho was in love 10 with for of course courso he would woul be In to love with somo some one I knew what was Wt coming before he said It It- J I clasped my hands tight together to to- gether to keep me from crying and my feet teet felt numb and cold coM I was horribly awfully afraid of ot him and andI yet jet I had halt th the most dreadful inclination lacuna lacuna- I Lion tion to pat down his hair where he had rumpled it up In the tho back Now Eleanor he ho said turning turning turn turn- ing round and facing me me Ill tell you why I want to talk to you You are looking ill III and tired what would the mother say to mo me That was the tb wor worst t thing thins he be could have said I choked up in a minute and put my head down on the back of ot my chair I know k I cant can't act aeU I sobbed But its it's mean to put It off ort on mother moth moth- er You can act act he said very gently the trouble In fairness to you Ill I'll have to tell you that But nut Its It's a hard life and and I I want you to give It up Youre You're too young joung and youve you've been too much sheltered to to- to Im Int twenty one Mr Cunningham I broke In defiantly Even grown people get the mumps Im I'm not a achild achild child Im I'm as old as tho as-tho tho girl in that picture I rushed out then and in the first act where I have havo the scene with my guardians guardian's wife I burst Into real tears at t the gad end and go got fiot a c curtain curtain call I Iwas Iwas Iwas was very unhappy there were a ber of things but things but it doesn't matter One thing thing- was certain I I hated Mr Cunningham I W was J quits quito ill for a day or two al at home Then rhen nothing 1 terrible lo occur occur- ring I tried to put the whole thing out of my mind and to forget that thai my mr theatrics theatrical career er had dle died 1 of or the tha mumps But tho the day before the New NewYork NewYork NewYork York opening I heard beard Ella admit some Bome ono one I had just time to slip a a. a picture a-picture I had been looking at under some seine o of Tommys Tommy's stockings I had been mendIng mendIng mending mend mend- Ing when hI ho came Cl In It was Mr Cunningham I shook hands bands with him and tried triei to hide hide the basket with his picture and the stockings Mr Cunningham did not sit down Ho ne stood tood by the fire and looked down at me severely Youre a bad child he said a alast at last a runaway What made you do It ft Eleanor I had to I pleaded It was too dreadful every dreadful every one getting sick nm and blaming It on me Wont Won't you ou take of ort your overcoat and and and-and and have some tea I was quite breathless with excitement excite excite- ment and reaction reaction and I was still ter afraid of ot him My Iy hands bands shook so that I could hardly pour the tho tea He lIe dropped into a chair and looked around Jove what a thing It Is to be In a areal areal real home again he said looking very human Indeed with his feet teet ou out before him I always pictured you doing something like this this tea tea am and mending mending Instead instead of roaming around the country with a theatrical com com- pany I gave him his tea squeezing a bl bit bitof of oC lemon In tn and and then then suddenly suddenly h clapped his hand band to his left ear am amI and andI I knew it had come He lIe waited until he could speak and then all he heald salt said ald was Good l Lord rd He looked at me helplessly There were only two things I could do do- do laugh or or cry I had bad cried so much that now I laughed laughed laughed-laughed laughed while I knew that there would be no New NewYork NewYork NewYork York opening laughed while th the great Mr Cunningham glared at me laughed until fco he looked injured and then thon got over it and laughed himself Well he o said ald when wo we both h drI dried four our eyes oyes and g r our our breath T I 1 never nover expected to laugh over a IS tragedy like lIko this You make me me do anything you wart want Eleanor Oh Ob I you wont won't be bo very HI I said quickly But I shall be bo Im I'm euro sure to I alWays always always al al- ways havo have things thing bard hard he be replied getting up and coming over oyer to meI meI me I 1 took you ou very hard Indeed I 1 dont don't care caro anything about The Pillars Pil Pil- lars Jars of Society I only onty kno know I want my my little ward again Eleanor the tho day you left I west wai wild I cant can't act act act- I cant can't live Iho without you ou door dear Why see see youve youve you've put your spark mark on me When he ho sold said that what could I do Anyhow I forgot completely that this wa was tho greatest tragedian of his time All I knew was that ho was waR lonel lonely anti and that I I well well that I I. L didn't hate him lie Ho crushed me to him him Ill Ill I'll admit ad ad- mit that but Anne told It U an as a great joke joko when the engagement was announced announced an that as BS she came into the hall she b heard rd me mo say Of or course you jou ou may lm rm Im not afraid Ive I've had them Copyright b by the rho Prank Frank A. A Co |