The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-19
A DAZZLING STROKE.
How An Operator Has Wooed For
tunes Fickle Favor.
A Few Days Since lie Was Simply an
Employ or the Western Union.

dizzy half hour, IL swept into the bewilder-
ing dazzle and clamor of a sudden success.
IL was lightning stroke.
1t was refreshing spectacle, sight TO
remember.
have seen so much Of the tragedy OF
failure, so much Of the pltinble display of
misdirocted effort, that seeing this sudden
burst OF triumph was j felt as ! sat there
amid the noise Of applause and the excite
ment of the modest mans victory, worth
all the dramatic performances of season.
1t was week ago last night. The bril-
liant electric lights I'm front Of one of the
Broadway theatcrs spelled out new in
vention. "My Friend From India, the
huge letters of light said, would that night
be presented for the first time.
That was all / knew A first night Is at
least novelty. i went In.
Hore Is what did not know until that
night after the lights of tho theater were
out. heard IL while seated with some
friends discussing the play:
Tuesday morning early "a telegraph oper-
ator told the Western Union manager that
he wanted 10 get of that night.
"And maybe tomorrow night, he added.
He was ono Of the many OF the Western
Unions mon, tried In the service, faithful
and expert. The manager knew him we'll
and thought OF him as he did of the thou
sand other human machines who operate
the city wires of the big telegraph com
pany. The operator was about 33, dark
and with black mustache.
"Welll" said the manager sternly, and
added In moment Il believe they re GO
ing to put on your play tonight, are they
mott"
Eyes" said tho operator modestly. "At
the Bijou. Can't you come aroundY
"No, thanks" said the manager dryly.
"Guess not Think it'll he goY"
II hope so, but you can never tell. A
play has 10 DO tried before an audience be-
fore you can tell It's the only one I've
ever written"
The operator was nervous when he got
70 the Bijou. He slipped In in "a frighten-
ed sort of manner.
"Say, isn't that the guy that wrote the
play3" asked ono of the ushers 1--WE seen
him hanging around the thoater."
Nobody could tell. Nobody knew the
quiet man.
The audience filed in and filed up the
seats. People camo into the box. Skeptic-
oil looking critics carne close down TO the
stage and took their seats. All tho while
the nerves of the operator were fldgeting
frightfully.
And this / saw.
The curtain swung up. A conventional
looking parlor was presented. An unprom-
iFing fat character, impersonated by Fred
eric Bond, came in and did some talking.
A German maid appeared. Two daughters
came on the scene. And then dissipated
son with bad head left over from the pre-
yious night
All very conventional Very common
place. Very familiar.
The audience sat up stiff and straight in
their chairs cold and anmoved, unapprov-
ing
The phy ran through it's first act. There
had scarcely been gleam of promise.
Maybe it would pick up The nervous
operator must have sunk deeper into his
seat
Act No. 2 started off briskly. 1t picked
up" from the start. The audience warmed
up. 1t was like cocktail after soda water.
The operators pulse beat with life again.
Applausel A lively clatter of 1t and
bursts of laughter even. Again applause;
again laughter.
And now applause, laughter, applause,
laughter without limit. Tho audience
The play is screamingly funny and grow
ing funnier The situations are novel and
ridiculous, and whether you will or not
vou arc forced to laugh.
A sour and crusty old member In front
of me, who am sure has not laughed in
years before, IS shaking his stiff sides.
Everybody is laughing 1t is in the air.
Tho curtain swings down on the second
Gct amid screams OF laughter and applause.
For minute the audience applauds on,
and then with "a common impulse every
one begins 70 shout:
Author, authorw
The cry is repeated, and the enthusiasm
grows.
Away down in the middle of the ap-
plauding throng scarlet looking man
stands up He rises haltingly, looks
around as If fixing To run away, and then,
trembling like an aspen, he braces himself
and stands thereas If waiting to be ex-
ecutcd.
For moment he stood there unseen in
the tumult Tho people ragged on. Then
they saw him. Their cheers grew wilder,
and the modest operator 5 fright Increased.
Some man dragged him into box and
stood him UP in 'front.' where, dazod and
wondering, he bowed and swayed and al
most tainted.
1t was plain that this modest fellow,
whose path of life had always run along
those quiet valos unreached by applause
could not realize that all this noise was
being made for him; that all these well
dressed people were screaming themselves
red in the face In his honor.
He felt giddy, foolish. He bowed in ev-
cry direction, and then sat down. The
applause ratified on.
People took up their playbills inquiring-
ly. Critics repeated the name.
"Du Souohetl ii. A. Du Souchetl New
er heard that name before. He's a new
man, but he's como"
And when tho modest operator went out
hundreds crowded about him to shake his
hands. He could scarcely mako his way
out. And he could not believe but IL was
a dream
Tho next day nearly n hundred mana
gers called on Du Souchet. He took week
of. His week was up last night / don't
know whether he went back 10 his key
and ticker on not Perhaps he has taken