The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-18

Except the leading part. Probably she
Is the very woman you want"
"Pd rather see the piece wrecked than
have her in the theater."
I'm heavens name, why?"
well, the fact is her husband sends
regularly to all the managers a damnable
card with just her name aud his own, and
their internal address,"
so that you may not forget them il
| they're wanted, l suppose"
"a bOminable impertinence
ION the contrary, it seems to me as nm
| obtrusive way of keeping you in mind of
! their power to do you service as | can
| imagine. Let me beg of you a least to see
this lady. Everybody who has witnessed
! her performances is most enthusiastic
That's just it. Everybody says En-
gage Esther Ingoldsby, and the business
will pick up I'm not going to be bullied
! into making engagements"
The testimony in her favor is over
whe ming"
81 don't believe in if. People write and
| talk about her under the influence of their
emotions"
! But surely that is the standard by
which to judge if an artist has money In
her?"
There is something In what you say. /
suppose / must see her. Show her into
my private room.
In a quarter of an hour the manager re-
turned.
"Great pity!' he exclaimed. Quite the
face and figure for the part. Sweet voice
and very intelligent. Upon my soul was
going to engage her?'
You did not pr
"Oh. no; it's out of the question. When
| asked her terms she burst into tears. and
said she would come for two-teu a week if
] would advance her SO to get the bailiffs
out OF their house. OF course, l wished
her Good morning."
And so she went the rounds. weary and
despairing. In one quarter she learned
that it was a disadvantage to be a MARI ed
woman; 10 another that it was a mist axe
to be talent ted one. Here, riches were a
n necessity; there, virtue was an incum-
brance. With numbness at her heart,
and wide eyes fixed on futurity," she re-
turned home.
The place seemed no longer TO belong.te
her. She scarcely dared to pass through
the flewerless garden. The house frowned
on her forbddingly. She let herself in
with latchkey, closing the door quietly
in shame and fear.
She heard her husbands voice in the
drawing-room. be was talking with some
one. Had those horrible men iutruded
there? Had Mark allowed them to de-
seerate the dainty prettiness she had
stored there as the bird builds her nest,
and bee gamers honey? She could not
bear it,.
Pausing at the door she heard these
words:
I'VE have had our feet upon a auick-
sand and 1t is drawing US down. There Is
craving within her heart that is burning
it away. God made her an actress
sometimes think he designed that she
| should be the first actress in the land
Those powers are like volcanic gases
they must expand greatly, grandly. In
some natures they find vent in peevish-
ness. gentleness, purity of soul, malice,
uncon trol1a Bile passions. Her sweetness
genteness, purity Of soul, bury them
deep, deep down, where they must -rend
her very life in fragments. [ am no
longer a help, but hindrance to her, OF
late have lost the power of even earning
money. ] cannot work. My thoughts are
with her dsap pointment. My heart aches
with hers. / would lay down my life to
see her once stand in The position that is
her due"
Then voice that seemed familiar to
Esther replied:
THAT sounds like line from one of
your plays. This is not an age of ro-
NANCE"
"Ah, you think / want her to succeed that
may live uron her,"
"Forgive me if my cynicism may be : r
such an Interpretation. am going to help
her for old times sake. l may put you to
the test by and BY.
wing-rnom door opened and tall, we'll
dressed man strobe across the hall into the
kitchen.
The brokers' men were there. Ques-
ton was asked, money was counted out
upon the table and the intruders shambled
out of the house and were gone. Esther