ww
r r""JNW(IWf?
;-t7T
I
vl
I
EVENING PUBLIC LEDGER-PHILADELPHIA, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1920
si
SwSFpS
SUNNY DUCROW
By HENIIV ST.
THIS STARTS THE BTOllY
KUtabeth Ann Duorow, known as
"Bunny," toorfc in a plcfcle factory.
Bhe has asplratlont for something
higher nncl tela Bert Jaekson, who
works at "tho pickles" with her, that
she intend! to ride fit a motorcar some
dau Sunny Jive in a narrow, dlrtu
street wtth her aunt, who in grumbly.
stupid and (mprovmettt. Bunny and
Bert are hungry for a dag in the
country and, lacking the fundi, theg
ting on the street for pontile and are
arretted for "vagrancy," but par
doned by the magistrate. Leslie Hon
trftsor, a tee II- no ton actrtst. sees
Sunny in court and i impressed with
htr originality. She brings Sunny and
Bert before Max llemmingway, man.
ager of the play In which the is ap
pearing, lie engaoet Sunny at two
pounds a week for three years. Sunny,
always loyal, itutlitt that he give a
part to Bert. There was some dljfll
citify in getting into the theatre, as
eytpv attendant sent Sunny and Bert
eUc where. They got to tho manager's
office and Mr. llemmingway remarked
ohto associate. Mr. llostheimer, "I've
get an idea that, with luck, she'll
clHvs the public craty." Bunny re.
celves a parcel containing a brand
new dress and boots, with the name
o. the sender omitted. They go
through their first rehearsal. Bert
shows an utter and absolute etotld
stupidity, tho interference only of the
manager keeps him on the stage.
flunny'j part was brief, but Bert
writes a song and receive five pound
for the rights of the words. Sunny
tings the song at a private rehearsal.
AND U ERE IT CONTINUES
,, CHAl'TKIl VI
WHAT wm It, that terribly (linking
Herniation, that feeling of renr that
nover ueioro in ner nil imu iibwucu
her? Sho could not understand It. It
frightened her nnd worried her.
"What's tho matter w.th me." sho de
manded of herself. Sho felt cold, she
shlvored a llttlo, her hands wero trem
bling. It was the long.lookcd-for, the hardly-worked-for
first night. It had come lit
last? The great theatre was brilliantly
Illuminated, the orchostra was already
in its place, playing the overture. Hero
on tho stage. Sunny and all the girls or
the-chorus had taken their places, and
Bunny felt quoor.
"Got the shivers?" Daisy de Venn
asked. "I know. I had 'cm myselt.
But they'll go off presently, you see."
"I hope so I can't get over It.
Bunnv said. "I foci as cold as cold, and
yet I ain't frightened. Why should 1
be7. There's nothing " Sho paused.
Th orchestra was playing tho opening
chorus, tho great curtain rolled up, and
there Wore her Sunny saw spots of
white thousands and thousands of
whito spots. It seemed to her. drifting
about In a sea of fog. The spots of white
wero the faces In tho audience; the fog
rttlsted only In her Imagination. She
still' felt rold, but sho wbb singing; Bho
was going through actions almost me
chanically, Mrs. Melkln was In tho gallery. Sho
had been presented with a gallery tlckot.
She wm probably pointing Sunny out to
nor Immediate neighbors, and describing
how. for years she had slaved and striven
andcraped, all for Sunny'a benefit.
The chorus was over; the girls took
unihelr positions at tho back of .he
Now MIm Montressor came on, to bo
greeted by a storm of npplause. Then
Harry Kibble, who was almost as popu
lar a fine. Iiandsomo-looking young
fellow. But Sunny still felt worried and
nervous, livery moment her nervous
ness increased. Sho was thinking of tho
eceno In tho second act when she camo
on alono : when sho alono must take thu
stage ; when she knew she would not be
sheltering behind tho girls In tho chorus.
It would bo up tu her then, and she
would have to sing Bert's song.
;i shan't never do It," Sunny thought.
"I .thought myself clever, didn't I?, I
didn't know. I feel like I was wishing
I was back at the plcklo factory."
The first act was over. No one seemed
to .notice that thero wan anything wrong
with Sunny,
She met Bert behind tho sceno. .
'iHow do you feel?" ho asked.
"All right," she said. She smiled at
aim Bert, deluded, went away,
ILvns the second act that she dreaded
the great ballroom sceno where she
wa to take tho stago nnd sing her song.
"I wish I didn't never have a song,"
shehought. "I'll break down. I can't
do It I Sunny Ducrow, you'vo got to do
it I "There won't bo no motorcars, nor
nlce'flats with sofy cushions on the floor,
nor.nothlnk for you If you don't do It.
myiglrU''
fchc did not tako her place In the
chorus when the curtain went up on thn
rngrW dreaa of tho girl lrom the pickle
It was coming, coming, coming! Every
monjent now was bringing her nearer
and nearer to the ordeal.
"Sunny Ducrow.puli yourself together,
jny irlrl 1 It's your chance; your chance
has coTne at last the chance you've been
watting for and looking for. Go on, I m
ashamed of you 1" sho murmured to hcr-
lf-
"Miss Ducrow!" tho call-boy was
shouting.
Heavens, never had sho winced before
at thu sound of her own name! How
sho got there sho did not know. She
found herself standing on tho stago by
tho wings. Her moment had come. It
was here! Some one gave her a little
thrust forward and sho stepped on to tho
brilliantly lighted stage ono little figure
on which tho attention of the great audi,
etice was focused. Yes. It was her hour
theT moment of her life. She felt that
Ktio. wanted to turn and run for It; ny
for'her life; hide herself Bomewhere.
lively "no v,aB looking at her. flood
heavens, she hail to nay something!
Wtvnt wuh It sho was rxpectcd to say .'
were the words she had N'oUen sr glib y
for weeks now at rehearsal? Why did
people Htare so 7 Where w; Bort? oh.
thero he was, standing In the oj poslte
wings looking wretched and dejected.
Sunny could also very distinctly seo a
nctr on the faces of somo of tho chorus
JdWTho wero dressed In ba 1 costumes
What was It sho wss expected to say?
Sho- racked her bruins, she closed ner
oye. She opened her mouth Sho w Id
homethlng. what sho hardly w. Ho
heaftl soYiio ono laughing. The laugh
wai, taken up; It rippled through tho
hTTien suddenly a wild, mad Idea camo
to W She walked deliberately to the
footlights; she looked over the sea of
'"Give us a chance!" she said. "I'm
onl a girl from the pickle factory. I
Ain't, never been on tho stage before.
I 's took It out or me. I don't know
whether rm on my head or on my heels.
Don't howl mo out! It'B the chance
V?" been waiting for. for years and
years--ever since I was so high!" Sho
paBoma ono In tho audience applauded.
It wbb taken up. In a moment the housj
wa? roaring npplauiie and encourage
ment to her And then suddenly It was
Sonetho nervouBncsB was past. She
wm herself again. She stood there,
idling at them, while they clapped their
hands and stamped their feet at her.
What had Bhe Bald or done? Only ono
thins Hunny knew. These people here
in front were, her friends. They wished
he"Ood 'bless " '" .8n0 t.hUB!lt
Sunny heard a voice from the wings j
the voice was addressing her.
Vo on," It said ; "talk to them !"
Talk to them! Of course sho would
talk to them ! She had not the slightest
l'ear of the audience now; It was with
iar These people, whoso faces seemed
fui Innumerable as the stars In the
hlavSnTon a brilliant night, wero her
Mends; they wanted to hear her talk.
Vertr" well. Bhe would tnlk !
"Some o' vou," sho said "some o' you
aa Is married, very llko you've got gels
of your own, mayba about as old as mo
I ain't Bevontten yet." She paused.
like I got, you'd like to see 'er tako It,
wouldn't you? You'd feel 'Urt nnd uore
ubout If It wan took away from her."
She paused. "It's like that with inn I
been watting for my chonco. I used to
work in a plcklo factory, sticking on
labels. I neyer put on ono crooked all
tho lm I was there. Ask Mr. John
eon and Bill WIlklnBl"
"That's right, Sunny!" roared a voice
from the gallery. "You nnvor put on a
crooked libel nor done a crooked thing
in your life. gel. Good luck to you "
"That's Bill!" she said Iter face
beamed. "Oood old Bill I I ain't afraid
of lm now," sho said confidentially.
"Coma to that. I never was wonderful
afrdld of 'lm.'' , She paused, "Well,
sticking on labels wasn't no c5p, day
ri-tr day. week nrter week, slicking
labels on pickles some ono elao was going
JOHN COOPER
Wit" sho paused "I got It! Il'
come, nnd you'ra going to sea fair piay
ain't you?" Bho paused again.
There was no need for her to renew
her question. Thero was something so
fresh and so original, so naive. In the
simplicity of her little speooh (hat tho
audlenco was swept off Its feot. It
might bo acting. It might be real, It
light all be part pf the performance,
Including the Interruption Just now
from the gallery, but whatever It was,
It had been so well done, thero had been
such an undercurrent of pathos through
It all, such an appeal to their good na
ture, that they nnswered to It nobly.
They had applauded Miss Montressor
In the first act, but that was nothing
to the chorus of approval nnd tho hand
clapping that they awarded to Sunny.
She was herself ngaln. She had not
he slightest trace or fear left. She
smiled to them nnd nodded; she kissed
her hand, and, then she went on with her
pnrt. She orgot nothing. Her memory
was as fresh ns It had been at rehearsal.
Her part was not much a fow words
and tho song. But the song went with
a swing. At the end of the second verso
she had the major part of tho Itousd
Joining In the chorus:
"I'm Piccalilli l.lly.
I work In Plcc&Aluy,
. A'ntlcklng of tha latrtln on the Jam,
And you don't think I'm silly.
A-otlcklnir llsht to Hilly.
He's a aoldler-boy In khaki and a man I"
Thero was not much In It, but Bert
shifted nervouslv from foot to foot ns
he heard his words being roared out by
i ho pit nnd tho gallery. They encored
her thrco times, nnd tho hod to slnir the
last verso oer thnt number of times
before they would let her go. Then It
was over, iter utile part wan aono.
Llttlo ns it had been. It had engrossed
the houso for four times the original
length of time allotted to It.
Air. Hommlnffwnv wan In thi wines.
"By thunder!" he snld. "By George!"
He looked at her. Then ho composed
his fnce Into a frown "What does this
mean. Miss Ducrow?" ho nsked sternly.
"What does what menn7" she asked.
"Why this. You had your part. What
was that speech you made to the audi
ence. "Oh, I 'nd to oay something," she said.
"I couldn't stand thero looking like n
stick. My pnrt 'ad clean gone hooked
u ou( oi my neaa. iar tno nie oi me,
I couldn't remember n word. I couldn't
I 'nd to sav somethlnir. so I said ius
what como Into my head Funny Bill
Wllklns bolng there, nln't it?"
"Very I" ho said grimly. "In future,
Miss Ducrow, you will content yourseu
with speaking tho lines written for you.
You understand me?"
"Anyhow, it didn't go so dusty. I don't
seo what you'ro grousing about!" she
said.
"Look here, young woman, If I al
lowed every actor and actress to chat to
the audience ns you did, how do you
think tho rovue would go on? Where
should we bo by midnight? Wo shouldn't
havo got through the first act. Besides,
It's not tho thing: It's not the usual.
You stick to your lines In future."
"All right ! ' Sunny snld. "I'm sorry 1"
Mr. Ilemmlngway turned away to
hide a smile that he could not repress.
Of course, ha was right. This Bort of1
thing would be an end to organization
and routine, an end to oil law and. order,
and an end to stage-management.
"I wonder 'oo It wns give mo tho tip
to go on tnlklng to "cm?" Sunny won
dered. "Couldn't 'ave been old 'Em
mlngway, yet I thought It sounded llko
hln voice!"
Sunny hurried to tho dressing-room
that sho shared with the other ladles of
the chorus.
"Well, If you haven't got a cheek!'
thev greeted her.
"Mo? What's tho matter now?"
"Standing there, spouting nil about
yourself and your chanco." one Bald.
"You'vo got a nerve. I expect Uncle
Hemmincway will give you tno pusn-out
nn'Bht !'T
"And a good thlntr. too." another clrl
said, with lofty disdain. "It wns a cheap
bit of business altogether. As for tho
sonc. It was rotten 1"
Sunny smiled. She looked round. On
many of tho faces was an expression
that Bho Immediately knew for Jealousy.
It was tho surest sign that sho had
maao a success, it tno outers were jeai
ous of her. a
Sunnv did not know much of the
world, but she knew a good many uilngs
instinctively.
Sho was changing for the third act,
and she hummed to herself ns she did no
the refrnln of her own song. It was
certnlnlv a very catchv tune.
"Shouldn't bo surnrlsed If they had
that thero tuno on the orglns In a day
or two."
"Oh, don't flatter yourself," one or the
girls said Miss Idnlla Clifton hnd from
thn start made herself nartlcularlv ob
noxious to Sunny, It was she who hnd
started tho raid against Sunny when
sno nnu romo to tne aressing room.
"The organs don't touch potty songs
of twopenny-ha'penny beginners; It's tho
stars songB iney want."
"All right. I'm going to bo n star,
then," Sunny said. "Don't you worry."
"You n Htar !" Tha girl laughed shrilly.
Sho laughed more shrilly nnd more III
temperedly becauso Bhe had a faint sus
picion that Sunny might be right. A
girl from a plcklo factory coming In
here, blowing In and calmly stepping
over tho heads of other girls, older than
herself, who had served their appren
ticeship In the chorus, nnd had worked
hard. It was disgraceful. It was all
due to favoritism.
"It's like this," Sunny said. She had
completed her change. Sho leaned
ngnlnst the wall under a gas-bracket and
looked about her at the other gtrli.
"Whoneer I Mart doln' n thing, I menn
to get on, whether It's sticking labels on
potB, or being an actress, or anything
olso. I didn't see no futuro In sticking
on Inbels. You know what I moan. I
couldn't seo myself rolling about In a
motorcar nnd 'avlng a nice little flat
with sofy cushions lying a.bout on the
floor, and seeing my name In tho papers
eveYy morning like this here:
" 'LaHt evening Sunny Ducrow, tho
well known and popular hand at John
Hon's plcklo factory, stuck on four hun
dred and sovonty.flve labeln In an hour
nnd a. hnlf. A portrait of this beautiful
and talented young lady appears on
page three.' " Sunny paused. "I didn't
seo anything of the sort coming my way
In tho pickle factory, so I stuck on till
my chanc-o come, and here I am. If 1
don't make good ns an actress, I'll start
something else artist or something. I
don't care Anyhow, one way or an
other, I'm going straight up top at some
thing. The bottom, or halfway up, or
even three-quarters ain't going to be
pood enough for Sunny Ducrow. You
tnko It from me, girls, It's only them
who want to gut on aa getB on. And
that's me "
tupld little Idiot," Miss Clifton said
"If Impudence und cheek will get on, I
expect you'll bn n, star, but It won't be
merit." She Bhrugged her shoulders.
"And such hair I" sho added audibly.
"It's simply awful!"
Sunny nodded.
"It'H a bit red, but It's Just like It wns
served out to me. It ain't lovely gold,
like yours, becauso I ain't 'ad the money
to get It tuined yot."
There was a laugh at MIbs Clifton's
discomfiture She was not popular.
"Thlid act, ladles or tho chorus I"
piped a voice.
Sunny hurried out with the rest. Iv
was a inngnlficent scene, representing
tho gaming rooms at juonto uario. one
and tha other chorus girls were In eve
ning dress. The gentlemen of the chorus
were also In evening dress. They looked
smart and well sot up, n tine-looking
set of young fellows In their well-cut
clothes, their grease paint and nicely
made-up eyelashes.
"Bert, for goodness' sake 'old up 1"
Sunny whispered, Bert In evening dress
was not a Buccees his clothes looked
considerably too large lor mm, nis
make-up waa abominable,
The stago managor glared ut him.
"You keep out of sight," he Bald,
"confound you I Can't soma one see that
this Idiot makes up properly? He looks
like a low comodlnn,"
They tnoK tneir pmccs, ino curiam
went up.
In this net the young hero was going
to ruin himself at tha tables In making
a desporntn bid for fortuno In order thnt
ho might marry the girl he loved. IU
loses everything, the lights are turned
low, tho chorus ladles and gentlemen
depart sllt-ntly, tho hero produces a
nickel-plated revolver and points It to his
forehead ; then ho sings a song, and be
fore ha quite gets through, tho heroine
enters. She has had better luck at the
othor tables she has made a fortune.
She tells him that It Is all well that his
uncle, a large soap-boiler, Is dead, and
that'lio had Inherited seventy thousand
a year. It wan very touching, bo touch
ing thnt Bert wan visibly moved, He
forgot to sing. When the-tjma came for
thoiChorua to silently depart, Bert for.
poll Ho stood there, storing at tho
tlAtrl
THE GUMPS Good-bu,
HHE 60HP TABLE IS
Ml THE CGHTER. OF
TROMLWHlrASElr
PROUtA THE.
PCORAn0fHS ARE
MARVELOUS
A)Nt AN$Y 1B
ALL Sfc. FOR. A
BC NIGHT WHAT
rAAKE- MIS COAT
BULGE O.VT O
IN THE BACK?
SH Hot A Worp
TO THE 6AH6- JUST
A BOTTLe OF 12.
MEAR. OLP BROUGHT
ALL THE Wf FRon
AUSTRALIA -
"THAV ALU-'
SOMEBODY'S STENOGNew Year's Eve
i . . , tJ-.L n....-ni. . y...;il T77Z77TZ 1 ? ''ix S! I- .
A riN& MfcVJ TCAK& rKiT miauuuiv, tjnUUl-1' ..-r-AUCK IXSTTl A Z7SN. S1 , V V
;ucrFT w sstth olma & ra? mvn&x)
ORAMGEADE. AMD I'M PAIRED OtF WITH H. titf0w Vf fadfo TT ZT VV-- . I
THAT SIMP. JACK SPOOTLES : oe&. ihe U "i V , -(-X v- ' ( fX h
OLt CROVND SURE fe oustt.u ur wi ih j jo . p - (sT-feZ) '-V LV i-
FHK KOQI 1A1 IM CUrffJr-C rOK MUVV03 VI . M 1 -t . f ) l A (t . ' t -""- T .U ,Tfc TS- I
A eaR AMD ao PEPr5r-- TflFo t? H SXl CfsSY JL ' .' tJvfjk- &-W J
-- ' V?-lmKSr.V.Vli KhMA riU&rirt:
n i' i w mmDl - jt-Jh -vci. ;v iiki i uruiimw y fjzskm .. -) v ina&m 'Amm . n
Tho Youno Lady Across tho Way
Tho young lady ncross the way
says she's terribly Interested in
politics anil Is glad to say that both
Senator Cox nncl Governor Hard
ing seem like very nice met,.
w
m l r
. MI I I
Sw
So-
PETEYNo Use Throwing All Your Money Away
( - ViE MOST TAKE ATAY !!f -tJurT CEL C-MoW PETeV DlTAR?) ( a f- HOLY SMOKES-!?' (?) fl wm-t THERE.n f7
)-TbTHEJooOv.ESiFvit-pourmOMLW FJuR W'M IT AUV LOMCER , IT M tS0HWH fTRFtfrfiOLDFWH-!1 W U J V
THE CLANCY KIDS A
mama seNTne
fORsoMe cHeeye
VAHAT'f A (JoflO
KINO?
i i y 3 T V-SjW7 1
New Year's Night
" I lJ"i i liiii.iii ' ' S' A. TZW Z
2 v vj,FiaSoiiiivy.rf i "wiemMM,
ll - is. niii. r iMI Mtmmk nKI 1 V 1 T f ilK .HllK tcaw rfn. W llaWVfH V " I l'iaiail 1 Vk. I WMntlfl JI fi i'TAATfM PJ
NEW YEAR'S FVF tnwN
OFF'SHUR
JitlttA
40? q
Good Customer
3f ML..r &
M' SOT
II G '. J&l &2S
7 4&T
TP(l isVi JtWf 0 -- -.
Tin
A.. I tlnklfll k
n.
aw q
n'HoRH!
loeciMyfioyijoeuri Gar jomg
,THAr 1CAIH ReCOMMt5N0
UICHLY. ir'.TMADawftrfiirR
'own oiRecroNiArouRocuN
DAIR.Y5 FROMPiVRe OROCW
MC , A. MOST LOVLy Fi -
T PsLJO IJ iTAMPCU
BV
THE PORC FOOP UUiCOMMITTee
HOUlfvuCH LOOyLO VOU
WANT.'
SC1100L
rVAA
VCKY J
farm
AVOR
FONTAINE FOX
'
r- JJWmil JtSL
te, Tmm-VT
r -i - m- -r
i Aa-BllllllllllH i fy'iy'
Copyright, l20, liy Public Lrrtr
I
But
AT
DAYS
rlNOUGB TO
sex a muse
TRAP-
f ktep mck! ookt (otAE heap. VCTC,-H'T nSP)
,
By Sidney Smith
fr. . I
I.
By Hay ward-
Co
SAT T BEG
Your Pardoaj sir
ve. Close.
THREE. SIR.'
m yY,
in i' yrr'
m
?i; nwiG
By C. A. Voight
By Percy L. Crosby
'11
i
i .
k
n
.1
f
..!
11
Ml
m
''SI
n
to eat. Thero ain't, much in that game
',U1 ' ,MA&mTB'l fSLSVBJ? "-'
iiJUnTiW""""
M'JJS