The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-07-04
IT WAS BY CHANCE.
How Favorite Soubrette Came to Go On
the Sfage-From Flower Girl Onward

TT WAS BY CHANCE.
How Favorite Soubrette Came to Go On
the Stage-From Flower Girl Onward.
isn't it interesting to think of the
slight incident in ones life on which
hinges ones career said bright Nellie
McHenry the other day. Now, my be-
ing an actress is purely the result of an
unforeseen incident. One day / was on
my way home from school and met Bill
Virgins, at that time the comedian in
Ben De Bars theatre, st. Louis, and who
occupied the same house with my par
ents. Said Virgins to me:
"'Where are you going, little Nellie?
"'This is a half holiday, and I'm going
to play with some girls, saidL
Were you ever in a theatreT in
quired he.
"sNo; but would like to-
"'Well, come along he replied, and
off we started to the theatre
at appeared that Mr.. Virgins was on
his way to rehearsal, and when we
reached the theatre everything was at
skies and sevens. Feuilet's play of a
Romance of Poor Young Man was in
rehearsal, and Mr.. Lawrence Barrett was
cast for the head. The child who was
to have played the flower girl had been
detained at home because of the illness
Of her mother-both Of US were st. Louis
girls, it appears. Well, Mr.. Barrett es-
pied me standing at the entrance. Turn
ing to Mr.. De Bar, who was at that time
on the stage, he said: Whose child is
that
you've got me. / don't know. 1t
struck me as she might possibly do the
flower girl. The other child is absent,
and suspect she doesn't know her part,
anyway
81 heard every word of the converse
ton, and observed Mr.. Barrett nod his
head, stroke his chin and walk toward
me.
".My child, can you readY he COM
menced, eying me kindly and taking
me by the hand.
"'Y-yes, SIR
"'Well, come here and read this part
for me, and don't forget that you are to
read as though you were talking to lit
tie friend. Never think for moment OF
your surroundings, but put yourself in
the place of the little flower girl. Now.
my little girl, commence, and be as nat
ural as possible. Remember, you are nc
one else than the flower girl
so off | started on the manuscript
reading as naturally as possible, and
using my best efforts to prevent my leg:
from trembling beneath me. Finally
mustered up courage enough to go ahead
in an assuring way, and finished as proud
ly as if it were my debut, and had fin
ished to the fifth curtain call.
every one applauded, and MIR. Bar
rett patted me on the cheek, accom-
panied by word or two of encourage
ment.
"'Can't you study those lines and come
here tonight and speak them as you have
read themT he asked.
Certainly, sir"
"'Well, you may go now. Study YOU
part well, and come back tonight anG
you can act
81 can never forget how I posed ovel
my part. Taking position before the
glass, with my part in one hand, the arm
outstretched and the other as free as DOS
sible, gestured and read and expressed
When the time came to leave home fol
the theatre l laid my manuscript aside
for few moments to snatch a bite Of
food. In those few moments the line.
/ had worked SO hard on had take1
wings and my memory was a blank
With the tears streaming down my
cheeks l seized the little book, poreC
through it and soon had the part pat.
81 arrived at the theatre long before
the time for the performance, and slowl,
went through the lines over and over. A
the time drew near for the curtain anC
during the overture my heart, which hat
long before began humping my ribs
continued to pit-a-pat faster than ever
Observing me standing and twitchine
nervously in the wings, Mr.. Barrett
walked slowly up and in his quiet anC
reserved manner said:
"'You need not be afraid to speak to-
naturally, my child. Put yourself in tn,
place of the part you play, and if yol
ever adopt the stage, never forget this
and never did.
Gas Twas entirely ignorant of the tim,
to go on, some one whispered in my ca
in the middle of the scene: 'Now's you
time, Nellie. When you've finished you
part, turn about and walk off, So on
went, and never faltered in line. al
the people in the company praised N,
warmly, and their encouraging word
knocked all school out of me. Ever
time l saw Mr.. De Bar-and I made it :
point to see him often-my inquiry for
position in his company would be tn,
first thing. His reply would always be
oh, go home and grow, Nellie; your
too small, At last the opportunity ar
rived, and you know the rest. "-Bostol
Globe
Kind of Men Women Like.