hat I had not eaten for-I did not know how long. I went into the kitchen; the table lay as we had left it that morning at breakfast. There was his chair and the morning pa

kitchen apron upon a shelf in the dish-cupboard, I hung the sugar bowl on a peg whe

ight mocked me-I resented the happy laughter of the family across the hall. The postman's ring, several days later, put new life into me. I knew th

sed to write every day, and asked that I do likewise. I marked this precious epistle with a large "1" in blue pencil and tucked it away with the rose-leaves. Then I sat down to write-I wrote reams. It is wond

n in the dramatic profession had left some unpleasant memories. It was difficult to accustom myself to enter an hotel lobby alone, or, if in company with other members of the organization, to hear our party referred to as the "troupe." The ubiquitous drummer lounging at the hotel desk regarded us with brazen audacity, and made audible comments. Then, to enter a dining-room unattended, either to be corralled at a table with the other members of the company, or, if seated elsewhere, to be further subjected to the advances of a "travelling salesman." Again, when walking to the theatre

ether. I even planned that we should be an example to others in our devotion and high moral purpose; and so, by reducing expense of maintaining two est

at of the other women who were waiting; these women wore an abject expression. They had relaxed the mechanical expression of "bien être" as the weariness of waiting wore upon them; in spite of the make-up-more or less skilfully applied-their fa

the agent by the familiar diminutive-and that having sent for her he was bound to wait. "It makes all the difference in the world whether they send for you, or whether you go to them for

ake what you like," she said, summ

ook

own comédienne-"'soubrettes' they called them in the old days," she volunteered. She

a freight train to some little dump of a town where Jack's Company had played on Saturday night. Can you beat it? Oh, I tell you, I had it bad." And Miss Burton buried her feeling and her face in the stein of beer. After a pause she continued: "Well, the same devilish luck followed us the next season; we couldn't dig up an engagement together for love or money-and we slipped a nice little roll to several of the agents, too. It just seemed as if managers were dead set against having a man and wife in the same company. Some of 'em acknowledge it right out loud, if you please! They claim a man and wife in the same company make trouble; either they want to share the same dressing-room, or the husband kicks if his wife gets the worst of

uld not muster a comment of any description. Miss Burton, however, did no

to better impress me with the importance of her revelation: "I tried it a second time.... This one was an actor: one of those handsome, shaving-soap advertisement kind of faces-beautiful teeth, and workin' the smile overtime to show 'em!... Black curly hair, high brow, chesty-you know-the real thing in heavy men.... Mash notes, society ladies making goo-goo eyes at him, and forgetting to invite me to those little impromptu suppers. Ha!... don't ask me! It was worse than the

me about myself. When I spoke of Will, she turned

u a bit. Everybody is apt to draw general conclusions from personal experiences. There's always the exce

h spirits. Calling me to her, she put me on a friendly footing with the agent, who

he place, and I felt its soothing influence. I devoted the evening to writing to my husband a long letter, but, strangely enough, I did

e dispensing justice not altogether tempered with mercy. There was something insolent in the way she shut off the opening speeches of the applicants with, "No, nothing for you to-day; nothing doing, Mr. Blank." Then, as a highly scented and b

The gorgeous creature who had been received with such open arms was a pet of the establishment, because of her generous and regular "retaining fees." She had been a more or less prominent society woman from Chicago; after a sensational divorce, she turned to the stage for the

ates engaging a company, he sends to an agent for a list of names. Perhaps he wants a leading man or a character actor, and he may direct the agent to communicate with a certain actor whom he believes to be best suited to the part he has in mind. Now this particular actor may not be in the good books of the agent, or there may be another actor playing the same line of business who is regular and li

ries ranging from thirty to three hundred dollars a week, at $5,000 a year. "And from the fish-hand they

ade known my wants. Perhaps I looked like a "non-retainer," as the come

perience?"

son," I

address," she snapped, and

an to plan how I should remake my last season's dresses to avoid the expense of a new wardrobe. Only once before had I gone direct to a manager for an engagement. I look back upon the incident I am about to relate with amusement at my own expense. To anybody and everybody who is interested in the stage the name of Charles Frohman was and still remains a kind of magic. When it was determined that the stage was to be my avocation-I use the word advisedly, since I had never been taught to look upon any profession in the light of

ohman in?"

ses which lined the walls; my heart was pumping fiercely, but I "acted" the part of a young lady with

hman?" I

in," he responded

ice boy in a mirror on the wall. He was winking broadly to the girl at the typewrit

and there was about as much chance of being admitted to his presence as the proverbial camel has of slipping

sliding shelf on his desk, and a large black cigar in the corner of his mouth. He did not rise, but nodded to me and motioned me to the seat opposite. While he read the agent's letter he removed his leg from the table and crossed it over the other. He

the other corner of his mouth, "that reads all right. So you're an in

s,

all right.... How much

rien's Company, but of course I've p

llowed, tilting himse

ded, using the loud peda

sound l

now, but-"

ueried, smiling

answered truthfully: "Well, I thi

. "You don't want to be scared of me-I'm the easiest thing you ever saw...." Here he winked at me. Then for the next minute he puff

a part is it

kes her to the great city, and then throws her down-hard. The poor girl's afraid to go back to home and mother, and just as she's about to commit suicide a good-natured sucker

y?" meaning to ap

New York, and th

dollars a week, with the prospect of running all season in New York! Why

the part, way last summer, got married on the quiet, and has got to retire for family reasons." He winked at me again, as he took up his pen. I waited uneasily while he wrote. "Here's the letter," he said, moistening the flap of the

as he accompanied me to the door. "Pre

think about one hundred and ten pou

what was happening he had taken me in his arms, and his heavy, wet lips were pressed against my mouth. His hands played over my body, and, though I struggled to cry

hands from my face, laughing as he whispered: "Like it, like it, do you?" Then with another oath at the c

saw that people looked at me as I hurried along the street-whither I did not ask myself. Only when

rry! For God's sake, child, what's happened to you? What's the matter? You

t her to accompany me. I wanted to be alone. When we were safely in the house I lost all control. She l

heard that about him before. Why didn't you

y husband," I replied

of her cigarette. Then she shook her head. "Um-um,

t?" I d

e old beast down. That will get him in bad; this manager is a power and controls a dozen attractio

allow the idea to pe

l despise him for it ... oh, yes you will! You would not acknowledge it even to yourself, but, way down deep in the bottom

time. I was struggling with a

to learn. You're new to the game. That's t

ieve it! I'm sure my experience was exceptional. I know that girls who typewrite for a living, clerks and even housemaids have unpleasant experien

bly we rehearsed alone. I was flattered and sincerely appreciative of the star's efforts to develop my talent; we played scenes from Romeo and Juliet, and my star played Romeo with such fervour that I quite forgot my lines. When the star's wife joined the company the rehearsals were suspended; it seemed quite natural to me that the star wished to devote his time to his wife. She was still a beautiful woman, though her face was sad and bore a discontented expression. She kept aloof from the Company, and it was said that she did not approve of stage-folk, especially the women. I w

ttended after that, and the calls became less frequent. Soon they were abandoned altogether. Now, for the

ss Burton repe

nking, tha

er's arms, and they say I never waited for cues, but yelled right through other people's lines. I grew up in railroad trains, hotels and theatres. I was wise to the game before I was out of short skirts. Anything I did was done with my eyes wide op

e game?"

lady-or stardom-and she will not only lend herself to intrigue but encourage it. She knows the game; she knows that a girl, no matter how pretty, how talented, cannot get on in the show-business without 'giving up.' She's got to have money or influence, or both. I don't know what there is about the stage that brings out the baser passions, but I do know that it's rotten to the core. And the worst of it is, that the good is sacrificed to the bad. Girls like you are drawn to the stage by its illusion and romance. With others, it's the looseness, the freedom from restrai

eve it's true," I stormed. "Look at such women as-" (I named a num

e public's business. These women are successful. The price they have paid is their own secret. Don't misunderstand me-I'm not sitting in judgment on the women of the stage, any more than I would sit in judgmen

about in the twilight. I almost hated her. I could not prevent mys

thing like this were to be given to the public, the whole theatrical profession would rush into print to deny it. There would be an awful noise

ivine art.' The divine art is a soulless procuress; she takes your youth, your beauty

e photograph of Will which adorned the m

s if he would have

for the law," I

with a far-away look. Then she came

persuade him to give up the

e has a great career as an actor ahead of him,"

t and gloves, and stood with her ha

and have him set you ri

me ri

ley jam, and when you arrived there they had gone. You can show up

ment in my life!" I declared, with

ed me impulsively: "Stick to that, girlie,

and rehearse two weeks, preparatory to "the assault" on Broadway, as he expressed it. The knowledge that I should soon feel his arms around me acted l