The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-22
THE UNDERSTUDY.

IHE UNUEhO1O OO L.
Well, gentlemen (the great TRACE
dams voice shook little as he put
down his glass in the silence), you
little know perhaps what a string
YOU touched upon when you coupled
nv name with that Of the great
dead and gone actor, franklin Hyde.
Ill closed my eyes for a moment, j
could easily believe that this was all
dream. When l think Of the
strange and unexpected incident
that sent me up the golden ladder
at bound and Of the maxwell,
there, gentlemen. suppose few of
YOU would credit that one night,
only IS years ago, was upon the
verge of suicide.
II was about as black as it could
be-partly, ! own, because my am
bition stood in my way. But when
a man has studied and dreamed Of a
telling part in Dvury Lane autumn
drama his soul not unnaturally
sokens at the thought Of reverting
to minor roles in second rate tour
ing companies. That was il. had
been promised the part of Julian
Armstrong in that immortal piecs,
"Exiled," and then, when it came
to rehearsal, it turned out that by
some strange mistake the part had
already been allooated to another
man. That man was Franklin Hyde,
and / am not sure that l did not
hate him on the spot. True, ! re-
ceived check as set off, but it
seemed that my life chance had
been snatched away. and my debts
had mounted up again before set
to work to shake of the stupor of
that disappointment. And then /
found that had let many other
! chances slip.
Somehow-many OF you who saw
! it played and reoollect the great
possibilities it gave will understand
why--that part Of Julian Armstrong
] he'd put spsll ever me. got III
at rehearsal. Standing by, sick
With jealousy and longing, watch
cd Hyde's conception, and, great as
4 It was. believed my own was
/ greater, and a forlorn hope took
4 possession of me. / determined to
"understudy" him. Who knewf
The drama was down to run until
December. Might not some chance
come in the intervals Ifelt--I knew
that could play that part to the
Efe When, swallowing my pride,
lspoke to Hyde of it, he laughed Of
4 course.
Waste of time and talent, I'm
= afraid, Mir. Lorrimer. Still / would
4 not check ambition. If anything
unforeseen should occur, and YOU
are still anxious-well, we might
8 think of you"
a and for weeks / was crazy enough
10 go dreaming Of that great posai-
3 mllty. l studied this part until
seemed to be living dual existence.
would wake up in the night and
/ saout out my lines. would go TO
3 8 'aass ~ :heater just to waich him and
4 as iilled with hunger Of >longing
@at could never put into words.
would wait hours outside ;ust to!
@e hlm step into HIS carriage. for
n Ex'led" had taken the town by
aorm, and he had a reputation nov
70 live up to.
and here-here was mid -Novem-
ser' and my young wife and / lv-
ue-no, starving-on dreams. We
al there in the dingy room that
an9ht' and perhaps there was some
.,. .ag IN my face, in my laugh, that
S5s' M W" sessz what had been in my mind.
w ~ q, she did thing she had not done
d - through that black time-cayne
aaeniy behind me TO put her arm
aouna my neck and burst into q pas
s.Sa OF soba-sobs that would have
"a 1,sntened enter, me at another time.
Milfred-don'ti t'll work-I'll
~ lau uanythingg, but ii0nFtt look SOL
"aired. it's no use--shsy willnever
Slsaa Ia 70 yon to play Julian, and you
sas~ IT Put it ont o9 your mind
~ IN s. mink os eomcthing elss. Yes,
- a1aos's-l know vshaE you could do
4Isa sfsa .. Waat It might snaan sex us en-
~ .a aasase. but The people 60 NOW
T 80 A7arAain Hyde. NOT Julian
sssa sss Oh. il he knew, / son.a
81 ma nsa It, nor do you, hut iff.,-.--
"a, "a stopped short there, as with q
1 S,su.s sn instinct. ssWilfred ~ aha
81 Mhyi Well, queer IDEAS had been
S,s; ng IN and out OF my overtaxed
s. s.a y that night. i know / got to
~ ~ neg .ees and held Maggie away by
= ss arm and stood staring past her.
81 II. Aye.' y, whispered. to think.
Tue f0a nf,Ir1 " 81 - -. ~ =,