• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • CantonEnterprise_1919-05-02_Vol13_No18_04

^THIRTEENTH EDMMANDNENT s ^7 m RUPERTJIUEH-S gr ceprfusvrty \i/ /*»/»/-»_ BfW~mt~xs ■iinrtnm- reached the theater at seven O'clock and sat in Hip dark on a canvas rock, watching, the stage hands gather and lircterimg to their repartee. Batterson arrived at length. He was !n one erf his humane moods. He asked JDaphne if she had memorized her linos and she said she had. He told her — _._.■"-•_**-*j_'sj4*_--.**-- -_>*■- She Reached the Theater at Seven o'clock and Sat In the Dark on a Canvas Rock Watching the Stage Hands Gather, and Listening tc J Their Repartee, "Won't yon come np, Onj-?" she asked. He murmured, "Can we he alone for a little talk?" "I'm afraid not. The Ohiwlses, yon know." "Will .yo_ take a little walk with rain the park?'* "All right," she said as she led the •way ont into the street. "I'm pretty tired, though. I walked home from the theater." "With Duane!" Clay snarled. ''You Weren't too tftv-1 ■*<»• *!•...<" Daphne thought of the motor ride and the supper she had declined. She said, "Are you dragging me out here for the s«-<e of a fight?" "There'll he no fight if you'll cut out that roan Duane." "Am I to have no friends at all?" "You can have all you want, pro- vided—" "Let me give you one little hint, Clay, for your own Information. Every time this Mr. Duane that you're so afraid of meets me he does his best to help me get my chance and he fellist me only pleasant things. Kvery time you've come to see me lately you've f>een igfther a sick cat. or a roaring v%M£ ,^MM^^W^^' ^' ■ " She was planning to urge hlrn to help her and make their meeting- rosier. But, lover-like, he took umbrage and pain and despair from her advice, and since they were again at the vestibule he sighed, "Good night, l&.rJk%\ Duane." and flung out Into the dark.""'"*- ■•*■ ■■ Daphne sighed, and the poor elevator man who saw so much of this sort of thing sighed with her and for her. CHAPTER XII. *%i All Ihis while Daphne was kept in readiness to take Miss Kemble's part In case, the illness of her child should result in death and in the further case that she should be unable to finish her performances. With the theatrical season in such bad estate and most of Reben's companies and theaters losing money heavily. Sheila Kttnble was bis one certain dependence. He called her his breadwinner. '%; Miss Kemble's baby passed the crisis and recovered. And then the frfotTifT worn out with the double strain. caught_fi little chill that became a blinding, choking cold. She went through the Saturday matinee in a the night performance her? And now at last Daphne's chance arrived. The Saturday night bouse was enormous In spite of the heat. There were enough people there to make fourteen hundred dollars—twenty-five hundred, for the day. -•«*-•—• Daphne., trudging to the theater for It's hard even when yon knot! j her' usual stupid rebuff, walked Into But it's Impossible as long as i this crisis of her life. that, he would give her another rehearsal the next day after breakfast "After breakfast," he explained, wai one o'clock p. in. Next morning Daphne presented her Self to Batterson and endured one ot his rehearsals, with bis assistant reading all the cues in a lifeless voice. Batterson was more discouraged than Shf was. .He showed it for a time by » patience that was of the sort one _T—- — —• _. — - a*—**— _.—*a— *a_—rj*j., •shows to a shy imbecile. '"*'*->&;?:*■-•-."•-• He was so restrained that Daphne broke out for him, "Do you think I an? a complete idiot. Mr. Batterson?" p^Paf from it, my dear," said Batter Son. "You are a very JnteJUgent younj , ^>-»_£_j. £__. ,____J!lI_. h .&& i»li -_l_ too' ihTetiigehl for, the ciuldVplay ol Hie stage. It's ulj^ n kind of big nurs wy and yWieSn't forget that fa.__s ai'« not. facts in this toy game. Tf yo? could let yourself go and be foolist and b'ay doll bouse yon might sue Coed, how. you try to reason it out. It's likt music and fiction and all the arts You've got tn pretend or you can'i feel and yon can't make anybody els« feel." And that. Indeed, was Daphne's atony. She could tvot release her tmagi nation or command her clear vision tif see what was not there. Night after night she reported a? the theater and left it when the cu^ tiiiu rose. On one of these eveni-iijft Tom Duane met her ontsijde the *■>__<!?' door. His apology Was that he felt. It hie duty to look _favr 'tors client. He Invltw. DaYvh'h'e to ride home Ijc hits car* wtoli-h was waiting at the eurt> Slhe dt-t-iiWed with thanks. He urge* that Khe iiake s little spin in the parish. 't-S-Hned without thanks. H« ■Wghed ti.H-t: it was a ptty to lose tit! inoonltgbf. "She saM i*he would get enough whef whe walked home. He asked if ht ' Eitglil "toddle along." She could hard- whisper, but <?«,* beyontTlii uid S ll> US' si cret c "-<■ u s\;i--] tt in of .-lot SCO] The tn letrgrn she realized that the a__i- j enee was strangely quiet. A sense of • vanity emptiness oppressed her. She! went on with her iines. She under- : stood at last that she was getting no1 laughs. Sin- was not provoking those punctuating roars that Sheila Kemble brought forth. The audience had evi- ; dently 'had a hard week. . I She _eci_*p<l that sin* must he play- in- too :;!!<>ly: she quickened her; tempi lirew more vivacity into her manner. She moved briskly about Rldon's bewilderment. She went through to ihe bitter end <- every line. But lhe audi- nol wit h her for a moment. all her intellect to find the its pleasure, but she could ise it. She tried harder arid eied with lhe intense devo- wrestling bout, hut she could a point, ■mpany looked worried and fagged. The audience would not rise ! to anything—humor, pathos, thrill. i When the play was over everyone ! seemed to avoid her! She rubbed off her make-up and re- | sumed her mufti. As she walked out ! on the darkened stage she saw Batter- I son. He tried to escape, but she I cheeked hint. i "Tell me frank y, Mr. Batterson, what was the matter with my performance tonight." "Come to the office Monday and we'll haw a little bilk." "And I'D get my notice." "'I didn't say that." "What would yon honestly advise me to do?" "I understand that you don't have to act. Go home and get married." "I won't." "Then go home and don't get married." "I won't go home.." "There's one other place to go. Good night." He walked off and she was left alone. She had the stage to herself. Rehen himself knocked at her dressing room door where Miss Winsor was helping her with her make-up. He Implored her to be calm, and he was so tremulous that he stuttered. He told her that if she made good he would let her play the part till Miss Kemble got well. He would pay her a handsome bonus. He would put her out nt the head of a number two company next season. Batterson came at last and ordered him off the stage. Reben obeyed hlm. Tben Batterson talked to her. He told her that there was no reason to few the house. A Saturday night audience was always easy. It wanted its money's worth! It would help to get It. "I see," said Daphne. "I'm not afraid of the andbmce." "Then what on earth are yon afraid of?" "I'm afraid of n>el" Batt.erwon langhed scornfully. "Oh, you! You're going to score a knock- ly refuse without crassly Insulting him out. You're going to make a big hit,!** They loitered slowly up the qule! | "Yes," said Daphne, "so you've all-each of Seventh avenue. He quos j way** told me." tioued her shout her work with all th« grateful (lattery there is in an appe rite for another's autobiography. Shi found it easy to tell him of her difficulties. He extracted encouragemen' or indirect compliment out of them. When they arrived at her npa house she said, "Sorry I. can't a up. lint i have no reception mo I'm fired out.'' "You have wasted ewHisj*_t o time on me," he said. "I'll see the elevator." As Daphne Stepped into the V she found (May Wimburn there [tig grimly. lie sprang to his fe a gasp <■!' relief. He caught: « Duane and his .ioy died ins.am" Wiinhui'ii loved Daphne and all o* tmeni k yoi i, ark youi r"0_ f< illwaj wait t witt _ht 01 The curtain rose. Miss Winsor and the young man skipped onto their job; the butler stalked: Kldon entered and made his exit. Mrs. Vinlng spread her skirts and sailed on, then Eldon went back, Finally Daphne's cue came. She was startled a little as Batterson nudged lior forward. She went to the door and opened It on her new career to make her public debut with the nil-important "How d' yon do?" She saw before her the drawing room j in a weird light. Beyond it was a | fler'coly radiant fog and beyond that I an agglomeration of faces—the mass ; of tomato cans that she was not going to be afraid of. , And she was not afraid. She was j j curious to study them. She was eager ! to remember her lines. And she re- be- for his own. He had count"- bet !■;-: own, and still had neither refundec ■ ni,-TO'>*!r"-** 1h"'"- Then the ong«g<:m<*nt ring nor paid for it D-P^n" <vas more pleased with Wim burn's misery than with Duane's Ce llcity. or less far apart and each evoked from her mind the appropriate lauswer. She j made never a slip, and yet she began I to realize that Mr. »Moui -seemed un-1 happy. **,. ^trs-J&r*- __.,. .-awt-a-M •.*";-.. "Go Home and Get Married." She stood In the big void and felt , alien—forever alien. She shook her j head. This place was not for her. I She had been tried in the balance and I found wanting. She wondered if there j were anywhere a balance that she ' could brh.£ (town*. • She dreaded the forlorn journey I home td her dreary room. As she ! stepped out of the door someone | moved forward with uplifted hat. It j was Tom Duane. He looked very j spick and span. His smile illumined ! the dull street, and his hand clasped ! hers with ft saving .strength. It lifted j her from the depths like a rope let , down from tbe sky. Daphne would have been more con- j tent if Duane had been Clay Wimhnro. | It was Clay's duty to lie there at such a time, of all times. Of course htvdtd not know that this night was t» be crucial for her, hut he should have known. Mr. Duane knew. It never occurred to Daphne that Rehen had warned Duane of tbe } debut of his protegee and bad invited him—In fact, had dared him—to watch the test, of her abilities. All she knew wa« that Duane waa proffering homage and smites and the prefaces of courtship. Daphne might have failed to gain tbe hearts of her wudience, tor all her toil, but here waft heart that was hers without effoiPh Perhaps Duane was her career. H*a was at least; an audience that aha could *>way. And she was miserably t_ peed J of some one that would pay her tft-ai tribute of submission: So now when be -Aid, "Won't you let me take you home in my car?" she could hardly snub a heaven-sent messenger. She said, "Thank yon—you're very kind—but—" Oh. all right!" And she bounded In, When Dunne said: "You must be' hungry after all that hard work. | Aren't you?" site said, "Yes, 1 guess I am—a lii'le." , When lie said. "Where vshall we eat?' -be answered, "Anywhere." "Clarenioni';'' be suggested. This startled Iter, gave her pause. | Yet there was something piquant about the proposal. | Satan or Raphael had. whispered to; her.tin invitation to .revisit the scene! of her late humiliation with Clay. With Duane's magic purse there would be no danger of si snub from the waiters: with his own car there would be no' risk of footing it home. Then an imp of mischief spoke for! her ami said. "AH rl_hU" ! TO BE CONTINUED OH! BOY! \ We Can't Tell You How Glad We Are tl Welcome You Hortie IITE are very proud of you; prot vou have brought your town and ours, -\ and ours, your country Proud of the tre- done to strike off the manity and to place oud of the honor ■'our c Km, :t'S. ' ' mendous wor . ; u have shackles of enslaved hu- V1clOiyAVeath.gr to the fevered lips of mankind the precious, cooling God-given liberty. Welcome to our Homes We expect you to keep on and to continue here at home to the right and triumphs over the You will always ness the welcome you Drop in at any time, business or for any I draught of life-giving, soul-saving and our Hearts! doing big things for your country take lead in winning victories for wrong. find at our place of busi- h'ave so nobly deserved, whether you come on other reason. We shall feel honored by your presence. Royal Pressing Club W. H. Kezziah, Manager Pressing, Cleaning, Repairing, Dyeing CANTON, N. C. Old Reliable! ON THE JOB! Selling Haywood County Farms Have Several Sales Booked for June Let us Sell Yours Now is the time to sell C. J. Jeffress Realty Co. FLETCHER, IN. C AGENT© FOR \M. D. HILL Sc CO., |

The Canton Enterprise (19??–1971) was published in Canton, North Carolina by the Canton Publishing Company. Its preceding title was The Canton Observer (circa 1900-), and succeeding title was The Enterprise (1971-1996).

• Creator
  • Unknown
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1919-05-02
  • Date digitized: 2020-10-27
• Extent
  • Dimension: 21.25" x 15.25"
  • Pages: 4 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • Canton (N.C.) -- Newspapers
• Location
  • Canton (N.C.)
  • Haywood County (N.C.)
  • North Carolina, Western
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • Canton Area Historical Museum
• Identifier
  • CantonEnterprise_1919-05-02_Vol13_No18
• Repository
  • Canton Area Historical Museum