The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-10
PART I.


junction of the two great thorough
fares, he stood still for moment and
looked at his watch, not wishing to ar.
rive at the rehearsal too early. He
found that 1t was then almost eight
O'Clock; and he began at once to pick
his way across the car tracks that
were here twisted in every direction.
A cloud of steam swirlcd down as a
train on the elevated railroad clatter-
ed along over his head; the cyclops
eye of cable car glared at him as 1t
came rushing DOWNTOWN; from the
steeple Of a church on the corner
around which the mellow harvest moon
reered down on the noisy streets. there
came the melodious call to the evening
service; over the entrance to a variety
show block above a gaudy cluster of
electric lights illuminated the posters
which proclaimed for that evening a
grand sacred concert, at which Queenie
Dougherty, the Irish empress, would
sing her new song: Hes an Illlgant
Man in Scrap, My Boys" AS the
young draSnatist sped along he noted
that people were still struggling by
twos and threes into the house of wor-
ship and into the place of entertain
ment; and he could not but contrast
cNiltiy lhlS N'uhudy CNtlllll5 III d SlCe'I
city with the Sunday evenings of his
boyhood in the little village of his
birth.
lie wondered what his quiet parents
would think of him now were they alive
and did they know that he was then
going to the final rehearsal of a play of
which he was half author. 1t was not
his first piece for he had been lucky
enough the winter before to win a prize
offered by an 'enterprising newspaper
for the best one-act comedy; but II was
the first play of his to be produced at
an important New York house. When
he came to the closed but brilliantly
lighted entrance of this theater, he
stood still again to read with keen
pleasure the three-sheet posters on
each side OF the doorway. These parti-
colored advertisements announced the
first appearance at that theater of the
young American actress, Miss Daisy
Fostelle, in q new American comedy,
Touch and Co." written expressly for
her by Harry Bracket and Wilson
Carpenter and produced under the i'm
mediate direction of q. Kilburn.
When the author of the new Ameri-
can comedy had read this poster twice
he took out his watch again and saw
that 1t was just eight. He threw away
his cigarette and walked swiftly
around the corner. Entering a small
door he went down a long, ill-lighted
passage. At the end of this was a
small square hall, which might almost
be called the landing stage of a fight
of stairs leading to the dressing
above and to the property room below.
This hall was cut off from the stage by
a large swinging door. ..
AS Carpenter entered the room this
door swung open and nervous young
man rushed in. Catching sight of the
dramatist he checked his speed, held
out his hand and smiled, wearily, say
ing: That's you, is it? I'm so glad
you've come!"
THE rehearsal hasn't begun, has it,"
Carpenter asked, eagerly.
Star isn't here yet,' answered the
actor, land she's never in hurry, you
know. She takes her own time al
ways Daisy does. l know all her lit
tie tricks. I've told you already that
/ would never have accepted this en-
gagement ait all If 1 hadn't been out
since January. I don't see myself in
this part of yours. I'll do my best with
1t, of course, and it isn't such a bad
part, may be; but don't see myself
in it,"
Carpenter tapped the other on the
back, heartily and cried: Don't you
be afraid. Dresser; you will be al
right! Why.,I shouldn't wonder If you
made the hit of the whole piece!"
And with that he started to oper
the door that led to the stage.
But Dresser made a sudden appeal
Don't go away just as I've found you
I've been wanting to see you all day
I've got to have your advice, and it:
important"
"Well?" the dramatist responded
"Well," repeated the young actor
"you know that bit of mine in the thirt
act, where have the scene with Jimmy
Stark? He has to say to me: I thinl
my wife's mind is breaking and / say
Are you afraid she is going to give yol
a piece of it? Now, how would yol
read that?"
After the author had explained to tn,
actor what seemed to him the obvious
distribution of the emphasis in thi
speech he was able to escape and a
last to make his way upon the stage
TIL tescene of the first act of "Toucl
and Co. was set and the stage itsel
was brilliantly lighted, while the audi
torium was in absolute darkness. 1t wa
at least minute before Carpenter wa
able to discern the circle of the bal
cony, shrouded in the linen draperie
that protected it's velvet and its gildinl
from the dust. Here and there in tn
orchestra chairs were little knots o
three or four persons, perhaps twent,
or thirty in ALL The procenium boxe
yawned blackly. Although it was
warm evening in the early fall, tn
house struck Carpenter as chill an
forbidding. He peered into the dark
ness to discover the face he was long
ing to see again.