Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-01-11

ance. Inc lie OF "A theatre was unknown
10 her, and she had never heard that iuven.
lie performers took part in it. Now ca
rrer which would be highly congenial 10 her
tastes seemed TO open before her. She Ger
tainly was not deficient in self esteem. and
appraised her own wits as up TO the mark
Forthwith uncoiling her legs and creeping
out Of her lair, She resolved 10 make imme
dinte application for a situation at the near
est theatre.
II did not take her long 10 run round a
couple of corners and under the coonades
for jim was fleet Of limb as well trained
greyhound. Perhaps sem. starvation may
account for many thefs soundness Of
wind
Of course jim could not read, and the
placard on the great doors Of the theatre
advertising for intelligent children to take
part in the forthcoming pantomime did not
convey anything definite to her mind
81 suppose a. the print means sommat, %
she soliloquled glancing obviously towards
it,
The hours Of application were stated to
be between eleven and one o'clock This
might have dampened the ardor Of "a more
lltcrate applicant, forced 10 wait another
day.
But jim, ignorant Of any such hindrance
in the way Of Advancement raped boldly
at the enormous central door which gave
admittance to the public 1t certainly look
ed cold and forbidding entrance. like one
long disnsed, with its blistered paint and
obliterated notices
The ways Of Thespis did not seem abso-
lutely pleasant ways to the small applicant
whose bony knuckles ached with the vain
effort to create a satisfactory noise 1t was
very feeble sound they produced after
all. At length jim desisted. and stood suck
ing the injured joints Of her right hand
deEberating as to a next proceeding Her
keen eyes wandered anxiously up and down
the pile Of buildings which she was aware
constituted the "thedter Then her glance
fell upon smaller door with bell attach
ed to it. Here she rang twice before re
ceiving any attention A third summons.
yet more vehement, brought man TO the
door. There was a sound Of chains drop
ping and bolts withdrawn, to a running ac-
compartment Of growls.
"Who is there, and what do you want r.
was the final remark, accompanied by a
forcible expletive
The voice was gruff and disagreeable
enough even before jim was seen.
I'm a locking up the place for the night
| There's nothing going on here now Then
the door was drawn back and Jin's tat
tered raiment and battered head gear were
| prominent under the gas lamp.
You impudent little Jade, be off wi We .
/ To think Us I've come through all them pas
| sages TO open the door to a beggar's brat no
better nor YOU
/ Then other steps were heard, steps TO the
rear Of the irate doorkeeper. jim restrain
ed retaliating yolley Of objurgation with
difficulty.
/ II amt come here TO see none Of yer
plays, she said. with n lulicrous attempt
at dignity. 81 amt such fool as not to
| know when thenters is playin'.'
Be off, repeated the man "and don't
/ you be ringing that bell again. or as sure as
you're alive I'll send for the police"
\ pitying smile passed over Jin's face
"Oh, don't want to take nought here
You amt got no cause to hold on to the
door that way, 'cept as yer can't stand up
right. | amt burglar. I've only come to
be took in the pantermime.
jim spoke derisively in the prelude The
emphasized clause concerning the porter's
inability to stand upright vas All intentional
hit. Certainly this was not a proptiatory
address
Il amt so perlckler even if it's mon
key or an insek As Yer gives me ter play,
only think as a fair-e I'D suit me best.
You see I'm lightsh for want of vittles at
times, and | knows how to kick my legs
about
jim could see all this time that there was
another listener to the rear Of the ncensed
doorkeeper. This one now advanced to-
wards the applicant, and the subordinate
officer fell back from the door
Shes impedent little hussy as ever
stepped, sir don't advise YOU TO have
mought to say to her
But his superior pushed him aside with
lordly air
Only a dim light came from some distance
up the passage, but the gas lamp in the
street Just over Jin's head revealed the in
lividual whose ample proportions filled up
the doorway as "A man of burly figure clad
in checked suit with a crimson tie and
massive watch -chain-things very alluring
to Jins regard. Her eyes wandered from
the conspicuous tie with the opal pin to the
enormous chain and back again, as if cal
culating their value.
The mans eyes glanced with less interest
and speculation over the outline of the at
tenuated little figure facing him so boldly
The child's small white face and bright
brown eyes were not conspicuous for beau
ty. though instinct with intelligence. 1t
was, however, no new thing to have half
starved and ragged children seeking TO he
transformed into fairies.
"Oh, I'm so glad as you've came. He.
with a contemptuous jerk of dirty thumb
towards the shadowy passage, tried u
come the Ugh hand over me. But | knew
as he wasn't first fiddle here
Then jim communicated her aspirations
and enumerated her qualifications, with
good deal of dramatic action thrown in
ha ptr itt-l ba baY Tor
tered skirt and revealed two miserable
limbs, destitute of stockings and with very
fragmentary boots The man half turned
away as though unwilling to contemplate
anything painful. jim dropped her poor
garment, making a hideous grimace over
her shoulder as though at some invisible
evil counsellor.
Il spose as they likes good legs here
But amt mine good enough for nothin' at
all T. she said fiercely. IF they was dress
ed up in clean stockings with no holes in
EN-, ! don't rarely think as they'd be so
bad Then happy afterthought seemed
to strike jim, and her face broke out in a
sunny smile.
Say, now, couldn't | be a daddy long
legs You know they goes sorter slow in
cold weather. Why, I've cotched lots of
EN- upon the states in our lane "
jim looked up at the man in authority
with more longing than she was aware of.
Her pride would not allow her consciously
to assume the attitude of a pleader. Still
the Elysium of 'pantermne' did appear
more desirable as it became more unattain-
able
This is not the proper time to apply"
said the gentleman with the watch chain,
curtly, Yet there was less severity in his
tone than jim had expected, and she was
50 seasoned TO curses and foul language
that anything short of violent abuse ap-
peared suavity TO her ears
Il suppose you didn't read our regula-
tiuns, continued the man "or very likely
you cant read However as we're rather
short of children for our pantomime this
season, I'll give you a trial. You come
round ON Wednesday morning at eleven
sharp, aud well trot you out. Madame
Bratter will soon see what stuff you're made
of. You understand you must come regu-
larly to rehearsals-that' practising or
you'll he turned oH-get the sack
jim drew herself up and SMILED in way
contemptuous of such doubt,
"Oh, never you fear I'll come reg'lar
enough. It's warm in thedter and com.
fabler than the streets. And--I s'pose as
you'll pay me summat-a trife-f I'm spry
about the business. Old Mother Jacobs
she always says-when she amt drunk
which she most always is-as I've the wit
of ten others. That amt bad can tell
We, for we're a sharp lot in our street"
The manager smiled involuntarily at the
heroine's self-laudation, uttered with pro
found conviction, There was an indescrib
able energy and force about Jin's gestures
as we'll as her language
Then come inside now, Miss Sharp
Wits, and let old Brown here enter your
name and tell you what time 10 come
ON Wednesday, Good night Brown. Don't
let this little baggage get lost in the theatre
Then the great good natured man rolled
through the doorway and soon disappeared
in the outside darkness
jim. nothing 10th 70 explore the labY-