The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1893-06-17

groaned, out neither looks nor SroanS
would mend matters. 1t was a crisis
a terrible crisis; a s'new romantic mod
ern play" by well-known author, was
on the eve of production at the chief
theater of a large provincial town.
Eyerything was ready; the mayor and
the lord lieutenant. and two or three
other "big wigs" were coming; and
now two days before the eventful even
ing, the leading man was seized with
sudden illness. This news came just as
the company had met. for rehearsal,
at six p. m. The manager knew it was
useless telegraphing the agents in Lon
don. There would be no one at the of
fees at this time. He wired to three or
four men he thought of OF who were
suggested to him-prc-paying replies.
He got two answers-''Too short no
tice," and Cant come-enga geds' and
now, eight p. M, he and the author and
the leading lady sat in the managers
den, trying to devise some means of
surmounting the difficulty.
Miss Beryl Werner the heroine of, the
play, was beautiful woman, tail
slight and graceful, with large, pathet-
ic, dark eyes, that told, to a keen OBJ
server, a tale of mental suffering;
but, whatever that suffering was,
she kept her own counsel. She was an
actress of rare gifts, a woman of blame
less life; and even in the theater, chat
hotbed of scandal and petty jealousy,
everyone liked her; for she gave her
self no airs and graces; She was gener-
Gus on the stage and off it. Whether
wife.or widow, no one knew; she wore
a wedding ring, but, she never spoke of
her past life, or of herself at all; to all
suitors she turned deaf ear. She had
not been more than four years on the
stage, but she was born actress, and,
as she had beauty as well as talent, it
was not very surprising that this was
her second leading engagement.
You have sent to see if there is any
onesin the town?' she inquired of the
manager. s
"Yes; / couldn't hear of anyone, ex-
cept a fellow who couldn't touch the
part--wouldn't be able to study it in
time, either-the thing is who could?
A day to get up such a part and play it
without rehearsal! Gillian offered to
play it, but fancy him! With his dumpy
figure in the big love scene with you,
Miss Verner-the audience, would guy!'
"Wel," said Beryl Werner, 1.-THE only
thing can think of is this: for you to
try and get Some dne insthe town; its
no use our going onwith.re heafsal now,
is it? But if some one turns up; set him
to study at ce-especially the scenes
with me, because they are the most inn
portant-and send him up to me as early
as eight o'clock, if he likes. Then we
can run through the big scene, at any
rate, and he can have all the rest Of the
day for study; and if there's time to
give him an idea of the positions, tant
an'eur; if not, he must do without.
What do you say, Mr.. sWeldon?", to the
author
There was nothing else to be done
Author and manager thanked, Miss,
Werner for her help,s and the; trio dis
persed.
At ten o'clock that night Beryl heard
a loud knock at the street door Of the
house. whereshe lodged; a minute later
the manager of the Theatre Royal
rushed excitedly upstairs, and entered
her sitting-room. ''s''s - w ~. "
I'VE are sayed!,' he exclaimed. "Such
luck-we've got a man for the part--t
Gerard gton-there, my dear" '4
Gerard Langton!'' pz eSf tia ssst y
The actress had started to her feet to
meet the manager: she uttered the
name under her breath, Tom Wilson
hurried on, too much excited TO notice
the involuntary interruption.
Il dropped across him at the Queens
hotel; he had just arrived. You've seen
him, of course! Ever played with him?
He's the man for the partt-power--a
emotion splendid stage face and figure
awful quick study. He came to the
rescue--he's got the part-he'll study
all night and come to you about ten to-
morrow for your scene"