Show THESE FRAGRANT FLOWERS HAD COME STRAIGHT FROM THE WOODS TO THE STAR’S DRESSING ROOM THEY 'i MEANT MORE TO VERA THAN THE DRAMA ON THE STAGE i i i BY ROBERT FONTAINE i t ' The notices were all much the same The play was too thin Its third act wandered While the dialogue was brisk and witty the characters seemed hollow with the exception of Vera Vance as the jilted woman who put her career as a portrait painter ahead of her marriage Paul read the reviews carefully while Vera finished her drink Doug Ashton who had done the adaptation came m and sat down with them He was sad and weary “I'm afraid I’ll have to close it Saturday Doug” Paul saidt The young writer grinned “Can’t blame you' Vera did everything she could for us Funny how good a show looks in rehearsal and how bad it can be when you're playing for keeps” “That’s show business” Paul said He turned to Vera “Look I've got two new ’’ scripts They’ve got big parts for you Vera interrupted him "I’m awfully tired Paul I don’t want to think about the theater tonight" He chuckled “These look like something picked by a small boy in a secret woods” Vera was solemn "Perhaps they were” she said “There was no card with them” Paul put his hands behind his back and shut his eyes He knew something was wrong with Vera and he was almost certain it was not because of the play or her performance “I remember" he said “Olga Hammer-ston- e There was a boy of thirteen who sent her wild flowers regularly She was quite entranced Eventually he came to see her They had a remarkable friendship and he became a very good playwright when she was middle-aged- ” i i ) 4 f Vera knew Paul was not thinking of dressed hastily and rubbed as much ofT her face theatrical make-u- p as was possible within a few minutes Then she opened the door and let them in She knew very well the play would not go over It was one of those fantasies adapted from the French that are marvelous hits in Paris and London but seem slight when transferred to the noisy clatter of Broadway Paul Duncan was the first in He had produced fifty Furopean plays and it would not trouble him too much if he had an infrequent flop Vera looked at him with a wistful smile He was extremely handsome in his evening clothes His hair was graying at the temples but his fate and eyes were still youthful He turned to the backstage crowd and said “Forgive me Miss Vance will see you in a moment” He shut and locked' the door behind Vera took a step forward from her dressing table and Paul embraced her “Don't Paul” she said ’Tm rather tired" Paul turned aside and regarded the mountains of flowers that had descended on his star In the center of thcnvhe observed a small bunch of violets unlike the usual florist's tpe Verathe well-tailor- 12 1 his story She said “Paul it’s all over I think it is Something’s gone out of my heart Perhaps it was never there” “I think it was there for a while" Paul said calmly “I’d like to think so” Vera smiled "You can open the door ” She went to him and kissed But wait him gently “Give me until tomorrow" Paul sitiiled happily and opened the door hangerletting in the s-on and young hopefuls An hour later Vera sat sipping a drink in Maxic’s She wouldn't let Paul call the papers She wanted to wait until they were on the street At length one of Paul’s lieutenants came in with the Herald Tribune the Times and the News “You know I love you” Paul said lightly “even though you will probably steal the first-nig- ht well-wishe- rs notices" “I know I era tossed about It’s very gratifying Your love mean" ' in bed in her apartment-hote- l until sunrise She lay there thinking about Robin It was more than two years ago he had bought the little house in Connecticut Robin was very tall and he had laughed about the houses they were building today so low he could paint the ceiling without even standing on tiptoe She and Robin were going to move into that small house one day: that house surrounded by birches and maples and with a little brook running through the acre or two at the back She had been just about to give up the theater then and marry Robin THEATER MAN: Mr Fontaine had a leisurely ckamce to learu all about plays and players during the two-yeBroadway run of" The Happy Time" a made from his morel He has am impressire comedy record of stories published amd has enjoyed a successful career as a writer for radio amd TV' ar She sat up in bed made nervous and uneasy by the memory and lit a cigarette The sky was a pink glow in the east and the sun flickered through the window If she hadn't gone to that party at the Maxwells’ she would probably be happily married nowy and at this very moment sweetly asleep in the peaceful Connecticut country At the Maxwells’ party she had met Paul They chatted a long time in a friendly easy fashion because Vera had not known he was a successful producer She had been spontaneous and carefree and Paul had offered her a role in “Morning’s Here” an English play Her part was small but she had been acclaimed by the critics and had ThU W—k Mgmut — Jul 17 ! |