Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-04-03
IT WAS BY CHANCE.
How . Favor tie S.,aeretss Came to 60 o.
the Stage From FIow-r Girl Onward.

tn. Stage From fIau-s Girl Onward.
Ism, il interesting. TO think of the
sii,,ht incident Ia ones life ON which
hinges onsk career said bright Nellie
N,FIsprv the other lax. Now. NV be-
in. an actress l. purely tine result of an
unfor,s.en incident. One DAY was on
ms wav hotif.. from school and 'uet Bill
VIRGINS. AT that time the Comedian in
Fen D.. Bar theatre, ST. Louis. and who
occupied tli.. same house with my par
ents Said Virgins to me:
...W here are you going. little Nellie:'
This is a half holiday. and I'm going
10 play with some girls. saidI
Were vou ever in a tl,eatrey in
uuired he.
No: but | would ike to-.
well. come along, he replied, and
off we started to the theatre.
III appeared that Mr. Virgins was on
his way to a rehearsal, and when we
reached the theatre everything was at
skies and sevens. Feuillets play of q
Romance of a 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 81. Louis
Girls. il appears. Well, Mr.. Barrett es-
pied me standing nj the entrance. Turn
Ing to Mr.. De Bar. vino was al that time
on the stage, h.. said: Whose child is
that.
you've got me l don't know. 1t
struck NE as she might possibly do the
flower girl The other child is absent,
and | suspect she doesn't know her part.
ANYWAY.
Il heard every word of the converse
ton, and observed Mr.. Barrett nod has
head, stroke his chin and walk toward
me-
MY child. can you read: he com
rnenced, 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 Tor moment OF
your surroundings, but put yourself III
the place of the little Hover girl. Now,
my little girl, commence, and De as nat
ural as possible Remember, you are no
one else than the hover slfl.
$50 OFT l started on the manuscript.
reading as naturally as possible, ana
using my best efforts To prevent my legs
from trembling beneath me. flnaily l
mustered up courage enough 10 oahead
in an assuring way, and finished as proud
~ as II 1t were my debut, ana mad I'M
lshed to the NTH curtain call.
Every one appiauded, and MIR. bar
rett patted me on the cheek, accom-
panied by word or Two Oh encourage
ment.
can't you study those lines ana come
here tonight and speak them as you have
read themE he asked.
Certainly, sir.
Wei, you may so now. study your
part well, ana come back tonight and
You can act
Il can never forget how posed oven
my part. Taking position before the
glass. with my part Ill one hand, the arm
outstretched and the other as free as pos
sibie' | gestured and read and expressed
When the time cam" to leave home fol
the theatre | laid my manuscript aside
for few moments to snatch bite OF
food. in those few moments the lines
had worked SO hard On had taken
wings and my memory was blank.
With the tears streaming down my
cheeks ! seized the h;ile book pored
through 1t and soon had the part pat
II arrived at the theatre long before
the time for the performance, ana slowly
went through the lines over and over AS
the time drew near Tor the curtain and
during the overture my heart, which had