“‘No, Althea, it is not that, for believe me, I love you too much to have caused you pain by spoiling your life by my own association if I thought I were not worthy, but there is a blot on the abstract of my life and before it is too late, I must tell you all.’ “I begged of him to keep the secret, but no, he was too honest. “‘My mother was like you, Althea, a sweet, innocent girl; the man who is my father I have never known, but he, like myself, was theatrically inclined; he came to the town which was my mother’s home and much the same as in our case, my mother took the leading role in the production which he was playing; he became infatuated with her, they were quietly married, but he soon became tired, deserted her, and there was a life with all the glory and sweetness taken out of it. My mother died from disgrace, when I was eight; she held me in her arms and told me the story, then giving me a locket, which contained my father’s picture, ‘take this,’ said she, ‘and when you are a man, find him if you can; be gentle with him and tell him I died thinking of him.’ “‘And have you the locket, Leon?’ I cried eagerly. “‘Yes, here it is.’ * * * * * “I regained consciousness, surrounded by friends; all I could see as I slowly opened my eyes, was a little gold locket. The picture which it contained was that of my father. “No amount of coaxing or force would cause me to tell what the cause of the shock was; as soon as I revived sufficiently to talk, I asked for Leon. When he came I signified a desire to be left alone with him and told him all, then the dear, generous brother, that he was, insisted on taking my mother into the secret. That is where I blundered. In order to spare my poor mother the pain and anguish which I knew the news would bring, I objected. Leon and I argued the matter, he contending that he could at least go on with our plans in regard to the show business; he could at least assist me on to fame, but no, I would not agree with him. He finally left me in as much misery as he himself was surrounded with. I have seen him twice since then, once, soon after I came to Chicago and adopted the stage, for I was compelled to seek employment. My fainting spell which occurred while all alone with Leon was food and drink for the ‘I told you so’s’ of the little town where I had sprung into popularity in spite of the fact that some of the more conservative residents insisted on saying that ‘nobody really knows what she is.’ “I left mamma there; when I arrived here I applied to one of the most fashionable play houses in the city. They were in need of chorus girls; my voice was tried and I was told to go to the costumer’s for my wardrobe; that worthy gentleman handed me a large paper box, saying, with a sardonic grin, ‘if they are too tight be careful about stooping in them, for they might split and we are short on outfits right now.’