The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-10-10

Company from Embarrassment.
There is q little actress playing
modest parts who is not well known and
who ma never be known to the public.
But she is an example Of the plucky
American girl who has to make her liy-
ing and perseyeres IN her work. The
writer was told of her case by IA theatre
cal la who was telling of the
rough paths a company has often to
tread when on the road. It was in n
town out west where the company was
to play only three nights that three of
the actresses fell Ill. 0neof them played
the leading part, and while the troupe
was on the road there was only I'M
derstudy-the one for the leading LADY.
The leading lady had been i'll for sew
eral DAYS, but she hoped to appear that
evening as usual. Toward evening.
however. she sent . message that het
physician had insisted on her going to
bed. This threw her part to her under
study. The manager was thrown into a
panic o few minutes later by getting
word that two more of his actresses We're
severely Ill, as this left the three princi.
pal parts without those who regularly
played them, and there was only one
understudy,
But a theatrical managerisaccustnmed
to facing hard tasks at short notice, and
he at once set to work to reconstruct for
one night his company. y woman who
took a minor part was hastily rehearsed
for the second role in point of impor-
tance. She did not make a success of it.
but the manager breathed a sigh of re-
lief when he had satisfied himself that
she could stumble through her lines in
a fairly decent fashion.
Now he said, having disposed of
this knotty problem, Unjust make some
arrangement for the third part
j little woman who was standing on
the stage came forward and said firmly:
Il would like to play that part"
She was one Of those women who are
to be found in every play, one who is 4
lady-in-waiting II n scene, a part of
the mob in another, and perhaps one Of
a garden party IN another-one who
walks a great deal. changes her gowns
many times, but never says anything.
When she volunteered 10 try the part
the manager was vexed.
WHY said eeurtly, you have never
had a line, have you:"
Not many" she answered simply.
You haven't two hours TO learn the
lines
="Oh, I know them very well. Won't
you rehearse me-
well, said the manager doubtfully,
Il suppose I must. We have got to do
something. Come, let's try it."
As the quiet little woman with tho
serious eyes went over the lines a pleased
smile spread over the managers face.
He nodded his head a%pproyingly as she
continued, and She. encouraged by his
friendliness, lost her first shyness and
ended with a fire and spirit which called
forth from the worried manager Il hearty
cry of applause.
Good he cried. +Yo1 do better
than Miss NJ. who is going to take
the second part, All" he added, a shade
of disappointment darkenins his face, III
you only knew those lines
But l do" she said, delightedly.
'You do: Then rattle them off just
rs fast as your tongue can wag."
So they went through those lines, the
manager becoming more and more cheer
ful. Miss NJ, glad to be relieved Of
her responsibility, was rehearsed in the
lira of the third part. The curtain was
. feFy minutes late in rising that night,
b1t i was p smiling and grateful man
aeer who watched 4 little woman, whose
name he had not thought to ask, save
the company in so graceful a fashion.
When the curtain came down on the last
scene he asked her how she happened to
know the lines.
81 learned them," was the happy re
ply. Il know all the lines in the play"
tBut you rehearsed so wellE"
sOh, ! used to rehearse myself in my
room after the play, I thought l could
do it" she said, with a proud smile IN
her face.
The actress whose place she had as
sumed did not appear ON the next night.
She had been sent home seriously i'll.
When the play opened In the next town
there was q new name on the programme
a name which had never before been
on any programme, and the little woman
whose pluck and intelligence had saved
the company played that part for the
rest Of the season.-New York Tribune.
A DIsAeREEABLE VISITOR.
Points by Which the Careful Housewife