1933-03-21 — Page 3

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THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH. TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 1933.

SPOTLIGHT

CHAPTER XXXI

It was several months before "Fine Feathers" played Jerry's home town. Sheila had not writ- ten to him but she was sure he would know of her arrival. Poat- ers announcing that she was the featured member of the company had papered the town for two weeks.

And so she was disappointed on reaching the hotel to find that, among her letters, there was no message from Jerry,

Perhaps he would telephone. That was more likely. She re- mained in her room, having lunch there, and hoping for a call but it did not come."

The "Fine Feathers" engage- ment in Spencer" was for three night. All that first day Sheila toyed with the idea of telephon- ing Jerry. At last she took up the directory. There was Wyman listed except a bleycle shop on a side street. Certainly she could not reach Jerry there.

Do

Well, if she could not find the.. correct number she could not call him. That settled that!

"After the way I treated him last summer of course he won't call me," she told herself. "He'll think that if I want to see him I'll send some word."

Deep in her heart she knew this could not be true. The, care- less comaraderie of the theatrical world did not apply to Jerry Wy- man's circle. There girls did not telephone to young men. They walted for them to call. No, Jerry was not expecting to hear from her,

Then it occurred to her that she might send a telegraph. She could write discreet micssage.

*

and they would know at the tele- graph office where to deliver it. She considered this plan but hesi- tated, hoping Jerry would come to see her.

The first performance passed without word from him. Nor did he appear at the stage door Inter. No flowers arrived and no mes- sage. She was surprised to find. how much this depressed her.

As Sheila, undressed for bed that night she tried to make ex cuses to herself. The excuses were unsatisfactory and she could only hope that the next day she would hear from him.

*

But there was no message the following day or that evening. Sheila, worrying about this, knew that her performance was not up- to standard. As she bounded in- to the wings after her first num-

H.W.CORLEY

1933

ber, graceful and light-footed, the comedian spoke to her.

"Anything bothering Sheila?" he asked.

you,

Her heart sank. So it was as obvious as that! That applause which almost invariably called her back for an encore was, tonight only a polite, brief pattering..

Sheila shook her head. "No. I'm all right," she said.

The comedian'a

keen eyes showed ho was not convinced, "If there is," he told her, “you know I'll be glad to do anything I can"

She smiled. "Thanks. May be I'm a little homesick for New' York."

The juvenile appeared then at her albow. "We'll have to do that, Miss Bomething about Shayne," he said. Within five minutes Sheila would be back on the stage dancing with this youth. She turned to him, determined to conquer her despondency.

"Freddy-here I am keeping. you waiting!" she exclaimed, then disappeared in her dressing room

to return a few moments later wearing another costume.

"Jerry'll be waiting," she told herself all through the perform ance. "He'll come. I know he will

There was still one more night left. "Fine Feathers was to de- part after the Saturday night show.

Still Jerry did not appear. As Sheila slipped from the stage door the second night she saw Freddy Bryant and Ross, the comedian, waiting.

"Have a bite with us?" they asked.

"Oh, that will be fun!" She tried to make her voice ..seem enger though her heart was lend-" en. She knew they were doing' what they could to help her and it was her duty to respond..

Later that night she was able to convince herself it was chance and not deliberate neglect that kept Jerry from telephoning coming to see her.

or

She decided Saturday morning. therefore, to take affairs into her, own hands. She arose at 11 and dressed carefully. Then she left her room, took the elevator to the street floor and, for once, entered the dining room for breakfast.

was almost deserted. The head waiter, recognizing her, rushed forward.

"A nice seat near the window?"! he urged.

The window was well above the street and Sheila nodded. She sat. down, accepted the morning newspaper with a smile of thanks

and gave her order.

It was a pleasant dining room. A pretty girl wearing a white cap and ruffled apron brought the cof- fee. Then a waiter served the breakfast.

Under pretence of assuring himself that everything was ant- fafactory the head waiter re- furned. "Is everything as you wish?" he asked. "I hope, Miss Shayne, you won't mind my say- ing that on the stage and also off you are exquisite.”

"Thank you."

He talked on eagerly then. He had three daughters, he said, all with stage aspirations. Would Miss Shayne bo kind, enough to give them some advice?

Tell them," she said, "to stay off the stage.".

The waiter smiled. He was certain that she was joking. "My daughters admire you so much," he said. "Everyone does, Miss Shayne"

She saw that he really meant it. Sheila surrendered to a sudden *kyeuld impulse of kindness.

your daughters like to come to the matinee to-day?" she asked. "And, to my dressing room after- ward? It would be à pleasure for me to arrange it."

He The man was overwhelmed. said that it would be an enor. mous, never-to-be-forgotten treat for the girls.

*

Scribbling on the back of an envelope, Sheila wrote an order to the box office. She handed it to the man and said, "Tell (Continued on Page 11.)

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NEW DAIL OPENS-Madame G. McBride, the well-known republican 'woman leader, en- tering the Dail for the opening of the bow session. (Planet News).

MOTORWORKS EXPLOSION-Tan work- men were killed and hundreds more injured, when an explosion occurred in the Renault Motor Car works at Billancourt, near Paris.

A view of the destruction inside the factory

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ANTI-ALIENS ACT demonstration-Miss Wini- fred James (Mrs. Henry de Jan), the famous author, led a deputation to Bow Street to demonstrato against the Aliens Act, which rules that British women who marry foreigners must take the nationality of their husbandı. Photo shows police clearing a way for the demonstrators at Bow Straat. (Planet News),

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At the

Hongkong

Hotel

יו.

ROOF GARDEN

Chinese

Restaurant

Special Dinner Dance

23rd March, 1933

8 p.m. till 1 am,

ENTERTAINMENT

by the.

Shura Ganin's Beauty Quartette

CLEVER PERFORMERS

IN STEP-DANCING AND SONG AND OTHER ATTRACTIONS.

For Reservations: Phone 30281.

The Hongkong & Shanghai, Hotels, Ltd.