Show nn 11 ii nm M M H total assets one small daughter 1 f by LEETE STONE H IM I M acty BAIRD mother of 0 the tha M MARY films astoria long iong island w where here many creditors had been kind over many years sat staring at the inevitable petition la bankruptcy which coldly listed her liabilities at and her assets at but the investigator vesti gator had forgotten doris ten tell year old daughter of mary alary baird at least he did not list her as an asset which she was however that cornea comes later trouble looked mary baird baard square in the eyes an invalid husband to feed care cara for and nourish with the tenderness of true affection three small children to to look out tor for the oldest of which was doris an apartment to pay rent tort fort food to buy for five mouths 1 and mary baird was ads on the tha verge of forty five small wonder that she sat before her mirror combing out but the beautiful silk silver hair that had helped to win her her little title of mother of the film in an agony of doubt and distraction on that morning after the bankruptcy statement arrived her mind centered on the kind rather sorrowful smile of frank hanway II anway casting director at the studios a few blocks away the look of tender concern he had bent on her just yesterday morning when she appeared in his office as usual at nine lie he had said as if lie he hated to say it sorry mary my dear theres not many mother bits in the talkies tallies tal kies you know if I 1 can swing anything your way trust met mel ill surely do it itt I 1 hoare the kids fine frank and thank youl you 1 she had replied pride prevented tier her from confiding tier her straits to him his hand would have gone down into ills his pocket to that ample roll of bills and he would have forced a century note on her out of the bigness of his heart hearl frank had known mary baird when she was an with a great future this morning her mind raced back to those gilded days of youth when her mind was unhampered and unworried by lack of luxury and sincere acclaim when stage was all legitimate atel 1 when the spell of personal appearance appearance before an audience was and as it seemed to all secure in its regal artistry then shortly after the great train robbery pioneer moving picture flickered its thrilling way across the crude screen of the eden musee in new york mary by reason of tier her fame received an enticing offer from the old bolograph Blo graph studios on fourteenth street from then on she was a movie actress until her hair commenced to silver flitting between hollywood and new york at last the reviews fairly dripping with praise from celebrated critics acs ics of her work as the tha mother in Mount mountain aln woman from that day till tills this day when she faced starvation and want not only for herself but for a beloved family mary baird was ticketed in casting offices as the perfect mother of the films but the advent of talking pictures haldone had done away with many of the old revivals mother parts were few and far between so mused mary baird facing the last lait ditch before destruction ifer her f alus husband band sighed and jerked tn in troubled sleep in the big bed la in one of their two rooms the younger children breathed peacefully still asleep in the crib in the tha corner suddenly goldenly S u her terror at everything lighted on doris tor for whom she had made a few mouthfuls mouth fula fuls of the last of the oatmeal end and sent out to play an hour since where was doris the child never stayed out long and it was two hours now since she had last seen tier her from the tha door at her back came a musical throbbing voice eJust just like tier her own before tragedy had dulled its sweetness mother otherl 1 im backa oh sweetheart 1 I 1 was worried youve been away a long time where were you ill tell you mother the childish precise tones in that voice which had once been hers winged their way in magic directness into mary badras sorrowful heart 1 i I knew you were worried about money member mother th the day last laet week when we sat on the set of home sweet home together the beautiful childs words rushed together in a torrent of loving confidence an mother that big man in the blue shirt that you said was the director well he ha kept looking at me whenever I 1 you lies iles a beautiful man mother A pause all right dear of course hes a bea beautiful dutiful man but that tell mo me where youve been to make mother worry so ao but you wont need to worry bout m money ney any more mother cause I 1 met I 1 him an his little boy on the street this rooming morning we played together an this big director took me over to the studio s an made a test of 0 my voice lie ile hold held me on oil his lap while lie he heard it run through an oh mother I 1 ila ho told me to run straight home to you and fell you to bring me out right away to see frank hallway about a contract hes got a star child port part for me he says bays mother mary baard wasted no time in tears fears of happiness knowing great dirac tors tora she rushed to the closet for doris best dress and proceeded to capitalize lady luck and her daughter doris without delay CO Q by br mcclarn ne caper syndicate |