evor,
THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.
SPOTLIGHT
CHAPTER XXIV
4']
H.W.CORLEY
1933
McKee patted her arm.
д
MONDAY, MARCH 13, 1933.
rated clavet. They danced and sang in unison, their voice blend- ing like notes of a violin, their agile steps matching perfectly:
aressing Toom They had a which they all used. They ate to gether after the show. On pay "days one of them was always to be seen, scurrying to the post o' Sice to send money home, holding out only what the sisters would need for living expenses.
"How's your beau?" ·Tillic Samper asked Sheila one evening as they waited in the wings for the leading lady's song to. come to a closa.
"Which one?"
"Maybe. But he didn't earn his money:"
Tillie nodded. "That's all right. Earning money isn't everything. think men are afraid of girls. who earn good salaries, Sheila""
"Maybe they are."
Sheila's (somehow, quite reach,
expectations, In Birs. Raymond's The road tour of the "Heigh-home she found herself in a dif ho" company was proving suc-ferent world. She was the same cessful. They visited small towns age as many of the girls she met and larger ones. They found 3p there. She looked much, as they preciative audiences and dull did dresscd similarly. She shared ones. All things considered, how-the same youthful dreams of ro-
the tour had been doing mance gaiety, adventure. But know it isn't" he said. "But you well. The show was making Sheila was an outsider in spite of must remember there are two of the picture. Most of com- all this. For some reason a bare sides
"The one, you leaned me one money. For other road
rier existed, shutting her off from them would give their right eye
evening. Jim something-or-other, panies had as good a record.
Sheila's specialty dances (there these young people. She didn't to be behind the footlights. They He's rich. isn't he?" Tillie spoke were four from first curtain until know how to get around it, or envy you, Shella."
season rolled on. The wistfully With the exception of over it. Sheila remained The closing) always won a favourite climbs
play was a success and Sheila Clara, who was married to a vaudeville headliner, the Samper with every audience and Fletcher apart.
al-
winning recognition as the company manager, had As she danced the "May Day" was lowed her to order new costumes number, her feet weaving in and dancer. Newspaper criticisms of girls had been beau-less, for the May Day" number and out in the complicated steps, she the play always mentioned her the little dance in which the spot-could hear whispered approval. A name. Sometimes this praise was light that shone on her varied polite patter of applause at the extravagant. It didn't make her from red to green to blue. end clearly showed that the dance more popular with the other prin- cipals in the company but the In one of the larger cities Me- had been appreciated.
"Good work!" McKee whis- manager appreciated it. Kde, the comedian, surprised her.
McKee liked to see her receive! "I know a lot of people here." pered as Sheila took a seat again he said. Played here in stock at his side. He was not perform-good notices. He continued to
girl? Sheila years ago. There's a Mrs. Ray-ing. Sheila noticed with intereat invite her to suppers after the old argument. Home life or a mond one of the social celebri-that here he was accepted. as a show, to show her little favours profession for a ties who is giving a charity guest. Many people seemed to and give her advice from his long, thought about it but couldn' that for herself she wanted a dance. She asked me to come and know him. He moved, easy and experience. These attentions were come to any decision. She knew
he impersonal. Often bring along some une cise from assured, among the others. Some always
a dancer, gaining the company. I wonder if you'd of them called him "Ralph." talked about his wife and family. home. She was making progress,
hands and spoke of the He never tried to make love to however, as and your shook
assurance and winning recogni- be willing to
May Day number"
days years before when he had Sheila.
tion. If she followed McKee's ad- "Why, of course. I'll be glad played weekly at the local thes-
Presently the Samper Sisters vice, returned to Broadway and "Good. It's $25 in your pock- "Well, how'd you like it?" Me-arrived to join the troupe. Parts landed a part there she might be et" McKee explained. Mra. Ray-Kee asked the girl as together had been written into the show come a star. What would that mond's a good sort and it's her they drove back to the hotel.
them. It was felt that mean? Only that she was farther and farther away from the dream "Would you like to change places "Heigh-ho" needed some new main her hearts. cbarity-not ours."
Sheila nodded. "I can use the with any of those girls"
Shells besitated. "It's an at- terial and the Sampers' act pro- $25," she said.
For two days she looked for-tractive life," she said. "I don't vided that. The girls dressed ex- ward eagerly to the night of the suppose they have many responsi actly alike. They came on
just stage, with little shuffling steps, charity dance. It was to be abilities. I guess they do
as they please every day crooning a song in close harmony glimpse close at hand, of the life about
that was unlike any other singing that to her seemed the most at-and never have to work...”
"You should see them after a ever heard. tractive in the town.
hard set of tennis."
"That's not what I mean."
to."
# .*
go
The night camò but it didn't,
ire.
for
the
The Sampers were not particu- larly pretty girls but they were
That was another angle of the
Christmas week brought the troupe to a large middlewest ern city.. The weck passed al- most exactly like any other with two exceptions. It meant seven days In one place instead of two or three brief engagements and it meant an extra matinee on Christ.
mas Day. Business in the theatre was not particularly good. Peo- ple seemed to prefer to spend the holidays at home or in the homes of relatives and friends instead of going to the theatre,
Suddenly She.in discovered that she wanted to be back, in New York. She wanted to feel the cold North River wind against her checks, to hear the bustle of Broadway traffic. She wanted to look at shop windows, to see the twinkling lights in Fiant office buildings, to drive through Cen tral Park and to sit at cozy res- taurant tables talking about plays and players with other troupers.
She wanted to see Dick Stan- ley, too. Now that the tour was drawing to a close Sheila heard from Dick oftener, Yes, it would
be fun to be back in New York and see Dick. And Jim Blaine. (Continued on Page 10.)
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The remarkable scene on the Paris Stock Exchange recently when all the brokers clerks went on
strike as a protest against the French Budgetary propounds. (Photo Planet News).
The barter system in Europa. The girl in the picture is ex- changing work for lodging at the Society of Protestant Ladies at Luebthen, Germany, and the man far is
Tailoring exchanging
cabinet work at the Hoxton Scheme of Service Club, in Lon. don
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SPRING
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The King of Bulgaria on the balcony of the palace in Sofia making
the sanguncement of the birth of a daughter to the Queen.
WE HAVE
RECEIVED
THE
1933 SPRING HATS
DELIGHTFULLY SMART SHAPES
IN
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LE BEAU
King's Theatre Building, D'Aguilar Street.
Mr. and Mrs. Cosgrave speaking through a microphons "at their home in Dublin after the election resulf had been announeed. (Planst· Nows)..
Waves bombarding the Massachusetts coast, marconlog numarons families at Point Beachmont. Mountainous combers, battering
snawalls and bulkheads in many, sammunities, caused property loss estimated at more than G.$1,500,000.
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