Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-02-20
THE FRIEND IN NEED.
Iavlsos STONY or the "svsrGo'
ACTORS ,3oop SAMARITAN.

IsviNo's STONY or THE "susrep'
Acroa's ,ooo SAMARITAN.
q Rsusisissssss which seemed - Teach
The Rsissss's risass--osss ne We vsvy
rsss 80 ushssvs. bee Nsv Ne Il R'sh
asa vs.sss u All LasAA
The place wss cosy room IN coy
house In Q quiet street on thu Strand.
London. The time was Saturday; the
hour. midnight. A company OF PROBES.
sional men, composed OF some ct the
lawyers, doctors. Newspaper men and
actors who's names arc famous on both
sides Of the Atlantic. was scattered In
groups about the rooms smoking and
chatting after the Rsturiay night sup
per. which had become . standard insti.
tntion with them. In sheltered COZ.
Ger over by the fireplace sat . small
Snot Of men. every one Of whom had
reached the top. or Ut least the front
rank. Of his profession. Tho talk. drift
Ing In . smooth. de-ultory. half sleepy
way from phase 10 phase. had gradually
assumed a retrospective hue. From one
10 another tho story had passed. each
telling the tale % an empty stomach. OF
an empty pocket, or q hopeless tramp
OF 10 miles or 10 In thin shoes along .
snowbound road In search OF employ.
ment.
Henry Irving. thoughtfuliy smoking.
with an air 81 deep attention. had not
spoken and did not speak until the
Others, having exhausted their stock.
turned 10 him. He had experienced
harder luck than any Of them. and they
knew u. lie looked M at them for
moment and then. after . pause. ssidi
The recollection uppermost In my
mind Just now. while you boys have
been talking about trsmping and winter
roads and all that. II OF o CERTAIN Christ.
mas dinner nj which was present. j
wonder whether any Of yoa remeinbera
poor fellow. long since desd-Joe Robin
who played small parts In London
and outside II. and who made the one
big mistake % his life when he entered
tho profession. jos had been In the
mems underwear business and Was do
Ing well when On amateur performance
for q charitable object Was organic red,
and he was cast for the part Of the
clown In q burle-que Of 'Guy fawkes.'
Joe belons~i 90 ons Of the bohemian
eIul.. and on tho night 81 the show his
friend. among the actors and journalists
attended, In u body 90 give him q send.
on IIc played that part capiially. and
The mischic. might have ended there.
but some ono compared him Ia Orr.
maldi. His fate was sealed. lie sold his
stock. went on thu stage, and q few
month. later I came upon him playing
general utility ON Q ANAL salary In q
small theatsr In Manchester. One relic
Of hi. happy days still remained 10 him.
lie had retained shirts. collars AMI un.
derwsar SUFFICIENT 90 last him tor e,n.
GRAFTON.
Bat ~ Joe lacked ability as an &C.
TOT he had heart of gold. He would
lend or give his last shilling toa friend.
and piece by piece his stock ~ under.
wear had diminished until only few
shirt. AMI unierclo,hes remained To
him.
The Christmas ~ that year-tho
year In which We played together-was
I-rhsp. tho bitter-.t I ever knew. Jo"
had q part In the pantomime. When
tho men with whom h. dressed took Oh
their street clothes, bc saw with pans
nj his heart how poorly some OF them
wer. clad. On. poor fellow wiihou, an
oyercoat shiyer-i aud shook with every
breath % the wind that whis,led through
the cracked door. and as b. Dressed there
was di.clo--i q suit % the highest cum
mer game underwear which he was
wearing In the depth % that dreadful
winter. Poor ~ Jos was. be- was deter
mined 90 keep mp his annual cu.tom OF
giving his comrades q Christmas dinner.
Perhaps all that remained ~ hts stock
% Undertaking went 10 the pawnbro-
ker. but that u neither her, nor there.
10. raised the money somehow. and on
the Christmas day was ready 10 meet
his guests.
Among the crowd that fled intoibs
room was his friend with the gaure un'
dercio,hing. Joe tccton~i him into m
adjoining bedroom. and pointing To q
chair silently walked out. On that chair
hung q suit ~ underwear. IL was ~ q
t,miortable scarlet color; itwasof elk
and wool. u was thick and warm, AMI
Il clung around the actor ne ~ II had
been built for him. a. the shirt fell
over hi. head there was suffnss'i through
his frame q gentle. deliciou. glow that
thrilled every fler % hi. body. Ills
heart swelled almost o. bursting. lie
seemed TO h. walking on air. lie saw
all things through q mist 81 tesr.. The
face. around him. the voices In his ears
the familiar objects In his sight, tb'
very snow falling gently outside ths
windows. seemed ~ the shadows OF
dream with but ono rrality-the suit oi
underwear.
His feelings seem 90 have enier~l
your heart" said one Of the listeners.
They might we'll do 20. replied Mr
Irving. for ! was that poor actor. ~
4 A. ID r..l....