New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-25
A DAUGHTER OF THESPIS.
CHAPTER |.
BY JOHN d. BARRY.

She sitting in her drcss!nSroom in the
'Yonkers Music Hall. In a heap on the fooi
lay the white muslin gown that she wore in tho
first act Madge Guernsey. the soubrette, was
standing in front Of the mirror making up hcl
face and neck, and at the same time munching
half chicken sandwich; the other half was lying
in a napkin on a dressing-table Uttered with
rouge pots, cherry-lip. powder-boxes combs
brushes all the paraphernalia essential to an
actresses adornment. Evelyn stared listlessly al
the dress, as if she had not energy enough to put
ii on.
1t was a warm night late in June, the last night
Of season Of forty weeks. She did not know
whether TO be glad or sorry 1t was almost over.
Six months before she had looked forward
eagerly to this night the happiest Of her life;
now it only tainted her with the thought of all
she had lost She decided that on the whole,
she was sorry the end of the season had come;
she was tired Of her work and tired Of travelling.
bus the excitement had diverted her. kept her
from broodng She hated the long days at the
hotels: they brought loneliness and homesick-
ness that she knew could never be comforted;
only at night while acting. was she able 10
forget herself. When Madge Guernsey was in fit
of the blues she had tie consolation of knowing
that she could go home and receive welcome
But her own case was so different.
Evelyn johnson was the leading woman of
the "Trcked by Fate Company. At the age of
eighteen, as one Of the supernumeraries, she had
begun her career on the stage OF the Boston
Museum, and she had been acting for seven
wears Since the death of her parents, she had
been brought up by her mothers sister, Jane
Marshall. sterr uncompromsing spinster who
kept a boarding house in Boston. on Columbus
ave. and who treated her with as much con-
"a no
steady procession through her kitchen. Jane
Marshall had never forgiven her pretty brown
haired sister Mary the only creature for whom
she had ever cherished affection. for marrying
that worthless cOnsumptivc, Tom Johnson ana
she had never forgiven her sisters chlld LOT
having been born and thrown on her hands.
But she had done what she considered her duty
by her niece; she had sent Evelyn to the High
School TO make teacher of her. The girl had
broken down under the strain Of study and for
two.years was obliged to remain at home doing
nothing Those two years of idleness were the
hardest that Evelyn had ever experienced; for in
addition to illness, she had to bear her aunts
taunts When, after her recovery, Mr.. Teddy
McGonigle one of the bOarders and the low come
dian of the Boston Museum stock company. OBJ
tanned for her position in the theatre, she was
glad to take it, She had none of the young
become an actress simply to earn her living and
to escape her aunt's tyranny. Jane Marshall
though an ardent Presbyterian, made no objec-
ton to her niece's choice of an occupation; four
of the six dollars that Evelyn received for walk
ing on and off the stage at the Museum would
go into her pocket for board, and she would be
relieved OF the burden of paying for the girls
clothes.
For two years Evelyn played speeches. roles
Then through the influence Of Mr. McGorigle
she was given an understudy; she worked upon
Il with as much zeal as If she really expected
to play 1t some time. One night Miss Greenfield,
who had the part. fell i'll. Evelyn, though she
acted with too much voice and without sugges-
ton of fnesse, made good impression. The
papers praised her with the generosity always
accorded to actors called TO meet an emer-
gency; the management expressed satisfaction
and as Miss Greenfield continued Ill for the last
six weeks of the season, Evelyn played the
part for the remaining fortnight that the piece
ran, and two parts in new pieces for which Miss
Greenfield had been cast. The following season
she was engaged a regular member Of the
stock company at a salary Of SIS a week, and
she remained in the company for three years.
During this time she conquered her awkward
ness. toned down her style and became an accept
able actress. Her brown hair, blue eyes and
trim figure, which made her almost beautiful on
the stage partly compensated for her lack Of pro-
nounced talent. Such success as she had sur
rrised her She did not overrate her ability;
she knew that she had reason to nope 20
become more than a mediocre actress; but she
was grateful for being able to earn enough
money 10 support herself She thought she never
should marry: she abhorred actors off the stage,
and she paid no attention to the schoolboys who
hung about the young women of the company.
When they were both in the BILL Mr.. McGOnigle
whom she knew 20 be a gentleman in spite Of his
fondness for drlnk--t gave disagreeabe hectic
color TO his cheeks and nose-always accompanied
her home at night He called her his protegee-
he pronounced 1t prottajee-and no matter what
engagement he had with boon companions after
the performance he felt 1t his duty. before keep
ing it, TO conduct her safely to the boarding
house.
After her long apprenticeship at the Museum.
Evelyn was glad 10 go on the road as lead
ing woman of the "Tricked by Fate COM
pany with a salary of $50 a week. II was see
ond-class but she knew that no first-class COM
pany would give her such good chance Il
was a relief. too. TO escape the narrowing pres
ence Of Aunt Jane who persisted in bullying
her. in spite of the fact that she paid more than
half her salary for board. That year on the
road was the happiest in her life the world
seemed 10 be opened to her; the company travel !
led from Maine to California. Most of her COM
oanions she was surprised to discover, rarely /
look the trouble TO go about in the different |
cit;es and towns where they played: they pre- !
serred to stay in the hotel Evelyn studied every |
new place and she thought that she could almost |
feel her mind expanding her horizon enlarged. /
Heretofore. her interests had centred in and /
around Boston. and there they had been limited |
chiefly to the South End; she had begun to think /
that Boston the only place in the world, .
or rather that the world consisted OF Boston. /
Ira yelling made her realize her mistake.
On her excursions she was accompanied By
Harold Seymour the young Englishman who /
played opposite her in the piece. He was a
handsome fellow. large of build. with black /
curly hair and regular features. of the few
actors whose faces could stand the test of being