Show oi r II I I l j I J- J J i tit l Y J j 1 j f 1 I III II I I. I J r t 1 r 1 11 t J i ONE NIGHT STANDS r I j j Last Fast act the call boy shouts as ashe he comes bounding up the stairs three If steps at a tI time Last act I he yells f on every landing until at last he hoots r at the chorus girls who huddled to together to to- t. t r tl gether In a ten-foot ten room come coma out of oft r t i their pen and follow tollow him as though he were a bell sheep down the winding C stairs The prima donna gives a a daub of paint to her cheek and a brush of the hares hare's foot before throwing herself on ont t the couch There is no need for her herto herto 0 to hurry who ever heard of a prima donna being heing discovered when the curtain curtain cur cur- tain tamo goes up Then the comedian with wig and painted face passes slowly along the 1 landing and with eyes riveted on the i stone steps goes down the winding 11 r stairs As he turns the last corner cornera a hand Is laid on his shoulder and he looks up into the pretty prett face of a girl girlIn In n gauze r Is your child better tonight she tit 1 asks as she draws dra a pink wrapper b i more closely about her shapely formIs form do I Is there anything can rr i Im afraid there is nothing the ther r and j low comedian answers his voice G f sad My little girl has stood the fat fatigue fa fa- t 0 tigue of travel bravely but now she Is G. G very very sick and I am afraid I shall have to leave her here Surely not alone the dancer asks J. J putting out her hand which he unconsciously s I takes In his Surely you will t not leave her alone If I remain he answers and his voice trembles as he speaks I can t. t only comfort her by my presence I Ican can not pay the doctor then nor can little luxuries she J she have the s craves The dancer draws her hand from his bodice of her dress and draws from the a silken purse t Take this she says as she holds I it but it t out to him It is not much r 0 will help H He turns away and leans his head I. I against the Iron railing mutters Coals Coals of fire he r. r which shall always burn The dancer comes down a few steps sy to where he stands home honie with tor to- to tonight tonight to to- C I I want to go you r t night she whispers I want to nurse il your your little girl He turns and takes her hands In his fi 1 f You must not Blanche You must j not ask It Think what the others jf n pf f would say 1 J I care not what they say she cries f r throwing her arms around around his neck I once had the right to go with you itt I had the right until another took my t f place I t Then the call boy comes running up t i i L. L the steps shouting Your cue Sot So t they hurry to the stage below he in k r time to enter with a a ringing laugh ft t. t which Is taken up by the audience f r o when he tumbles down the palace steps It Iti l i Y I only to bound like a ball to the footlights foot foot- f lights where with a mock bow to the duke he sings Woman is faithless and man is true l F l I How do I l know Oh Ive I've proved It L I so ti And the chorus shouts back 4 How does he know Why hes he's proved It ft so 1 i i Yes s he's hes hes proved proved proved-he's he's hes proved proved proved-he's he's hes proved it so I And with a whirl and dance he goes round and round singing Woman Is faithless while he knows that he has not proved her so Then heralded by cymbals and beat beati i of drum the little dancer comes trip- trip it 1 1 I i THE CHILD WAS DEAD ping on and by her winning ways and pretty face soon wins the applause of the audience and she smiles back at them until they think that life and her must be a happy dream While the comedian who stands poised on a ta table table table ta- ta ble forgets to grimace at the people as ashe ashe ashe he watches her until she makes her exit xit Then ha he turns with a leap and Is IB the fool once more When at last the curtain is rung down he hurries to his dressing room and discarding the ugly wig washes the grease paint from his face and andr stands no longer a fool but a father r whose only thought is for his child As soon as his trunk is packed he goes down stairs to find the dancer k waiting at the stage door May I go home with you she asks beseechingly rather for sake you J I would your would not he answers But his voice belies belles his words so soshe soshe she puts her arm in his and together they pass down the street only pausing p e for a moment beneath a dim lamp amp that i. i k k's s 's h he may wrap his muffler muller around her f t p Deck eck f l I i y it 1 11 1 J i. i You know what this Blanche Yes Yes Ralph Then they pass on again They reach the cheap hotel near the railroad station ascend the narrow stairs an and l along a gloomy hall until they reach a door at the farther end The comedian turns the knob and enters en tern leaving the dancer standing in the doorway while he lights a lamp when the tho flickering flame throws Its feeble light around the dreary room room he hurries hurries hurries hur hur- ries to the bed where a child lies sleep sleep- ing As he stoops to kiss the burning tem temples plea pIes the child opens her eyes and putting putting putting put put- ting her arms about his neck whispers whispers whispers whis whis- pers I was dreaming of mamma dad Then as her eyes rest on the figun figur figurin In the doorway a smile of or happiness steals across the wan face Is 11 it mamma she asks Is It mamma who has come back to me No my dear She is some one who loved dad when he was a better man and she h has s come como to nurse you and make you well again He turns away as the dancer stoops to kiss the childs child's feverish cheek and brush the golden hair from the burnIng burning burning burn- burn Ing forehead But he cannot help perceive perceive perceive per per- the start she gives ives at seeing the childs child's resemblance to its dead mother As the dancer takes off her heavy cloak the comedian goes to the bed and wrapping the child chUd in a blanket seats himself in a rocking chair and tries to lull the little one one to sleep by singing a lullaby The dancer busies herself about the room smoothing the pillows and hangIng hangIng hanging hang- hang Ing up the childs child's clothing stopping now and then to smile on him And when everything Is put away she pushes a stool to his feet and seats herself herself her her- self by his side prepared to share his vigil Hour after hour they sit there not a sound breaking the stillness of the night but the low lullaby Then the song dies away A cry rings through the room as the comedian springs to his feet and with trembling hand tears the blanket from the face of the child chUd But the eyes are closed the closed the hands are cold the cold the child is dead Next Neat morning fn In the churchyard they bury her When the dull thud from from the sod Is echoed back as It strikes the coffin lid the father father- turns away and hurries to the station to catch the western train He must laugh tonight and make others laugh for he Is an actor playing one-night one stands But he is no longer alone The wron wrong he has done the woman beside him is forgiven and she has promised to be what she would have been years before but for the treachery of another hIs his wife wife Ex |