The morning call., 1893-03-18

Convict No. 4, where's the blood
sponge?"
1t was the august manager who spoke.
There was no reply. A convuls i've con-
traction OF the lowering. bee,ling brows, a
perceptible deepening of the burrows on the
forehead relieved Tor moment the stolid
Darkness OF the face and accumulated the
vilany of the small clio se-set eyes. But
further than this there was no recognition
of the speaker.
Il say. you there. have you seen the blood
sponGe?"
Still no answer. Tho convicts eyes were
fastened on an object in the distance. His
mouth was firmly closed, the blue lips
pressed sharply together His hands
clutched hercely the pick he had lifted to
his sho alder. Evidently No. was strug-
Cling with some powerful emotion.
Now what the deuce ais the fellow?
Hello, thereW
The speaker shouted this time, but to no
effect The man in the gray livery of crime
Gid not hear him. His mental conditions
were slowly working out some dark
development. He began to show signs of
recovering Consciousness.
His lips moved falteringly. Te spoke
strange words. He sprang upon his left
loot and struck the floor loudly with his
right heel. He repeated this, standing on
ms right foot and striking with the left heel.
mis- was continued until ringing clog ac-
compartment was evolved. Then No 4
smiled grlmly in triumph.
DE snapped his fingers in lieu of castanets
ana broke into swinging dactylic measure:
twenty long years have we been here
Lifteen years more must stay,
FOR steering"
"Stopl"
" oh hxytf a
arm and brought back of a sudden 10 a full
realization OF his surroundings.
Remember, friend, that the house is
halt full already and the orchestra taking
Us place. DO you want TO spoil the play?
! on can be heard ont in the stree;P
Pardon me; pardon me-" l said
IL IS true had forgotten where / was.
This is my first night. you see. was try
Chant"
The august manager for Morosco bowed
his head In recognition OF my apology and
moved away with a stately tread, and / be-
ing left alone, skipped up steep flight of
narrow, rlckety steps 10 the supers' dress
ing-room and joined in the laugh that was
going on at my expense.
l was not to come on for some few mo-
mens yet, and with this time at my disposal
seated myself on a prOpertv-box in a cor
1er OF the room and looked about on my
surroundings
The apartment was OF over twenty feet
long by ten feet wide. The walls were of
pine boards roughly put gether now din
gy and nninvting from ruthless exposure
20 time and the advertising and artistic pro-
lensitles Of successive years crops Of itine-
rate sUpers.
Placards OF sensational plays were pasted
In prodlsal proiusion over sidewalks and
ceilings. Names and addresses of 'bum
actors, long ago forgotten, were printed
IN startling capitals over the big lltho-
graphs or written in fine hand on the
margins
There we're hasty sketches in charcoal
end pencil that gave evidence of talent
little Apr ciated and suffered to 20 to a
miserabie waste.
a yellow jet of gas burned feebly from a
battered fixture at one end of the room
Beneath 1t vas a cracked mirror at which
the men arranged their makeup.
Little pots Of paint and sticks Of COS
metlque were scattered about on a shelf
with here and there wig and scraps of
fa!se boards and mustaches. Ali about the
room. hung from nails in the walls and
heaped IN the corners, were costumes OF all
descriptions. sizes and coiOrs.
BTolGered knickeTbOckers and waistcoats
Tor uunkeyS, gaudy red uniforms Tor
soldiers, open-throated Dlouses aud wide
legged trousers for sailors-anyt hing. every
thing thrown down where the wearer had
taken II of, and left in the pile for the next
man TO hunt out.
All this was odd and curious TO me, and I
looked about in wonder from my place in
the corner. A number of supers across the
room were discussing the points of the lead
ing actors downstairs, and undisturbed l
fell into a Teverie over the succession of In
ciden;s that had worked my TO my adYan-
tage and brought me to the supers' room
that night.
First-it now seemed long way back
was the Wednesday noon when I had en-
tered the empty theater on Howard street
and was fully launched on my mission.
Il was Il o'clock, and reEearsals of the
new bill had just begun.
A group OF supeTs, or EXTRAS" as they
are more politely called, tilted themselves
back in line Of chairs against the wall,
smoked cigarettes and forecast the prob
able fortune OF the play
On the stage, Manager Garden was in
earnest conversation with his company,
which was grouped about him. Behind
him the electricians aud stage-carprnters
were moving about, and the scene painters
on the bridge were converting a forest into
drawing-rOom by few def turns Of the
brush.
There" said Mr.. Garden suddenly and
IN a louder voice. Now"
Every one retired to his place and eyed