Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-08-03
Saint Maru's Beacon


manager. when finally the young
fellow had been granted an inter-
view, Il would advise you TO 60
home and dig the stumps ont of the
lane. There are too many actors
already, while the stumpy. lanes Of
the country have been too much
neglected. / kDaw that you feel
hurt, but think that after awhile
you will give me your gratitude.
Now don't tell that thousands of
yOnng men have thrown their hoes
into the fence corner and have fled
to the city to become great. /
know all about that. You take my
advice and 60 home
Your advice may be good" the
young fellow replied, but some
thing tells me that can act
But tell you that you can't
You haven't seen me try
Just then the stage manager came
in and said that Smedley was sick.
Smedley had an unimportaut part
in the four-act comedy entitled
painting the Lily" but it could
not well be cut out. His only bit
of work was suddenly to enter the
drawing room where a brilliant COM
pany was gathered together. He
was bumkin, visiting the city for
the first time. Upon entering the
room he was to show EN- Embarrassment
and then proceed to permit the
company to have fun at his expense.
Before the manager could reply
this persistent fellow spoke up.
Let me take Mr.. Smedley's
place. he urged. Il won't charge
you anything. Iwant to show you
that I'm an actor
All right, said the manager.
you howl for a chance to cut your
self and gave you a razor
The time came. The young fell
low, frightened out of his half-wits,
waited to be called. Now he felt
that the manager had given him
straight advice. His head swan
he heard roar from the mighty
audience. He was summoned. He
tottered and almost fell when he
stepped upon the stage. He forgot
his few lines and in his red confu-
sion, gasped like pig. The au-
dience was wild. The host made
him take a seat, and missing the
chair, he sat on the floor. The au-
dlence fell from one ecstatic fit into
another. The poor fellow scram-
bled to his feet and fed. A loud
and prolonged yell came from the
audience. The poor fellow was
determined, in the depths of his
eternal disgrace, to throw himself
out into an alley and let a milk
wagon run over him. The stage
manager seized him by the hand.
Turn me loose
MY dear fellow, let me congratu-
late you. You must come back
and bow to the audience. Listen,
they are wild. You have proved
your genius. Come
He was dragged forward and he
blundered q bow. The audience
shouted. The young fellow ran
away from the theater and went to
his boarding house. He wished
that he might die before the news
papers came out.
The next morning his eyes bulged
with establishment. The news
papers praised him. They declared
that he had given the most natural
and delicious test of acting ever
seen on the Chicago stage. He was
PROFESSIONALLY genius.
He went back to the theater that
night. The manager bowed pro
foundly, Il thought you were mere
novice, said he, but You are an
artist
The young fellow was swollen
with pride. Il was not at my best
last night, said he, but tonight /
will show you something
That night he waited as a con-
querer might wait. He was full of
confidence, aud when he was called.
he smiled. Then he stepped out
and began to act. The house
greeted him with applause, bat soon
fc::; into silence. He sat down as
though he had missed the chair, and
the gallery hlssed. He crept out of
the theater, and the next morning
the papers roasted him.
Seedy Caller-Are you the finan-