“They. I wondered for a moment what he meant; tears sprang to my eyes when I unfolded the silken tights, which the box contained. I proceeded to take each article from the box, tights, fancy hose, girdle, etc., hardly enough clothes to make a respectable suit of underwear, still I was to appear under the glare of strong lights, before hundreds of pleasure-seeking people in this scanty array. I thought of my mother, then Leon, and with a shudder of indignation I thought of my father as I had seen him the last time. I cried some, then with the feeling that it was not all my fault, I managed to get into the abbreviated garments and reported to the stage manager for full-dress rehearsal. “‘Zound!’ I heard the musical director say, ‘where did you pick that one up?’ “‘Oh, from the country,’ replied the manager. “A giggle ran along the rows of girls at this sally. “I took naturally to the work, and at the end of the rehearsal was told by the director to ‘come on’ for that evening’s performance, ‘but mind, my little scared dear, make up some.’ I failed to understand him, for if the clothes which I wore were supposed to fit a good figure, I felt that I filled the bill, for the costume was very snugly fitted; at last it dawned upon me that it was my face, so I asked some of the older girls to make me up. I was sent from one to another, until one girl, who seemed to be a little new, told me to go to Dollie Squires. ‘She can do it and if she does, the director is sure to be pleased, for she is Prof’s pet, and she knows what will please him.’ “Of course it was my desire to make the best appearance possible, it was simply a matter of business, so I trusted all to Dollie. When I went on in the first scene, the titter which fluttered around the stage almost spoiled the act. Little did I dream that it was I who was the innocent cause of all the sensation among the performers, until after the curtain had been drawn. “I had seen Leon in the audience. I was most miserable lest he should recognize me; my fear was changed to hurt, however, when the musical director ran pell mell all over the stage until he found me. “‘Who made you up?” said he. “I told him. He raved, he tore, and stormed; his language was so bitter and I was so hurt that I was unable to go on any more that night. Next day he came to me in a more quiet manner and explained that he had intended to ‘feature’ me and that my make up had so horrified him that he really lost his temper. It took days for me to see clearly that Dollie put up the job on me, because she was jealous, but such was the case, and I could thank her for one thing, that being that Leon had failed to penetrate the disguise which she had placed upon me.