The Portland daily press., 1890-04-04
ON the SPUR OF THE MOMENT.
How Nellie McHenry cyan ner
theatrical Career.

Isn't it interesting to think OF the
s,i0ht incident in ones life on " hlch
hinges ones careerr' said bright Ne lie
McHenry the other day Nov, my be-
ing an actress is purely the result of an
unforeseen incident One day was on
nv 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 half holiday, and I'm going
TO play with some girls, saidI.
"'Were you ever in theatreF IN
quiredhe.
emo; but would like to-.
"'Well. come along, he replied, and
off we started to the theatre.
sit appeared that Mr. Virgins was on
his way to rehearsal, and when we
reached the theatre everything was at
skies and sevens. Feuillets play of
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. Lotiis
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. l don't know. 1t
struck me as she might possibly do the
flower girl. The other child is absent,
and l 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 readP 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 a 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 no
one else than the flower girl.
$50 off | started on the manuscript,
reading as naturally as possible, and
using my best efforts to prevent my legs
from trembling beneath me. Finally l
mustered up courage enough to go ahead
in an assuring way, and finished as proud
ly as il it were my debut and / had fin
ished to the fifth curtain call.
every one applauded, and Mr.. 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 themr he asked.
Certainly, SIR"
"'Well, you may go now. Study your
part well, and come back tonight and
you can act
"I can never forget how posed over
my part. Taking position before the
glass, with my part in one hand, the arm
outstretched and the other as free as pos
sible, gestured and read and expressed.
When the time came to leave home for
the theatre I laid my manuscript aside
for few moments to snatch bite of
food. In those few moments the lines
I had worked so hard on had taken
wings and my memory was a blank.
With the tears streaming down my
cheeks I seized the little book, pored
through it ana soon had the part pat.
81 arrived at the theatre long before
the time for the performance, and slowly
went through the lines over and over. As
the time drew near for the curtain and
during the overture my heart, which had
long before began humping my ribs,
continued to pit-a-pat faster than ever
Observing me standing and twitching
neryously in the wings, Mr.. Barrett
walked slowly up and in his quiet and
reserved manner said:
"'You need not be afraid to speak too
naturally, my child. Put yourself in the
place of the part Eom play, and if you
ever adopt the stage never forget this
and never did.
GAS Twas entirel .snorant of the time
to go on, some one whispered in my ear
in the middle of the scene: 'Now's your
time, Nellie. When you've finished your
part, turn about and walk off, So on
went, and never faltered in a line. All
the people in the company praised me
warmly, and their encouraging words
knocked all school out of me. Every
time saw Mr.. De Bar-and / made it a
point to see him often-my inquiry for O
position in his company would be the
first thing. His reply would always be:
oh. go home and grow, Nellie; you're
too small. At last the opportunity ar
rived, and you know the rest