Marion Marlowe in Indianapolis — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

6 MY QUEEN. will fall in love some day, and I do hope he will be worthy.”’ “There is Dr. Brookes now,” remarked Marion as they drove up before the entrance to English’s Opera House. A strikingly handsome young man, dressed in faultless style, came forward as she spoke, and, as they all walked around to the stage door, they laughed and chatted. “T have a bit of news for you, young la- dies,” said the doctor, gayly. “Marion has ‘made a mash,’ as our friends, the gallery gods, say. There was a very fine-looking young man in the lobby just now asking ques- tions about her.” “Not impertinent ones, | hope!” said Miss Allyn, severely. “On the contrary, he was most polite,’ was the doctor’s reply. “He simply asked about her record as an actress, and was anxious to learn what part of the country she came from.” “A newspaper reporter, perhaps,’ said Marion. “I hope you gave a good account of me, doctor.” — rey “Oh, I let Bert do the talking, and he did it right, too,” laughed the young physician. “If there’s any one thing Bert delights in, it is talking about our star, and, while he ad- heres strictly to the truth, he doesn’t mind embellishing it a little. To quote his-own words, he says it is the ‘advertising habit.’ He has been helping the advance agent boom the show until it has become second nature to exaggerate a little.” “Oh, Miss Marlowe!” called out a gay voice as the trio reached the scene-room, “you just ought to have been here half an hour ago! Has the doctor told you about your new admirer?” . Wiss Ellis, the ingénue of the company, was coming to meet them, and Bert Jackson, the comedian, was just behind her. “Pehaw! What does one admirer, more or less, mean to Marion?” called out Bert. s “‘She’s had so many in her life that she has _ lost count by this time! She'd have to open a set of books if she intended to keep track — of them!” “Miss Marlowe is to be envied,” said the imgénue, turning to him with a little pout. “She has admirers galore, and I never had one! Why, oh, why are not the good things of life a little more evenly distributed ?” “You can have as many of mine as you wish,” laughed Marion; “I mean of the ones that | make on the road, Miss Ellis! way, I don’t feel inclined to appreciate their Some homage.” : “You are satiated with admiration, while 1 am hungry for it,’ said Miss Ellis, again. “Here I am, nineteen years old, and no man has ever yet. said that he loved me!” In an instant Bert Jackson had dropped to his knees, and turned his eyes up languish- ingly to her merry face. : ‘Not another hour, not a minute, shall such conditions exist!’ he cried, dramatically. “Know, then, oh Star of my Soul, idol of my life, that my heart is yours, and that I love you to distraction!” “You can’t ask for anything more than that, certainly, Miss Ellis,’ roared the doc- tor; “why, Bert has even declared his love in the presence of witnesses!’ ‘ “A dangerous thing to do with some girls,” said the manager of the company, coming in just then. “Miss Chester, for instance, would have taken advantage of that in a jiffy. I always thought her spite-work in Columbus was because Bert wouldn’t marry her.” “Will some one please tell me whether my love is being reciprocated?” asked Bert, who was still upon his knees, gazing ardently at Miss Ellis, “Pooh ! I said a nian,” replied Miss Ellis, gayly, but her cheeks were crimson and she glanced timidly You are only a boy! at Marion. Eomichbooks ~,