The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-05-13
BY PROXY
By R. E. Young.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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THANKS, thanks, gentlemen! For
the moment I was lost. 1t sounds
half a paradox, but-and the old ira
gedian's voice, faltering through the
final silence, was proof enough
though 1 have been an actor all my
life, could not act at this moment if
I wished. This splendid scnd-otf you
have given my new theater tonight
somehow carries my mind back to the
old, struggling days-makes me recol-
lect how it was at the dear old house,
in this very month of October, that I
won my life's opportunity, And how
strangely! Dare 1 think that, but for
that one never-forgotten chance, I
should have stood where l stand to-
night?
The old house! All, it was great in
those days-the scene of a triumph
nightly. You know why; the know the
actor I mean. Gavin Usher-Aus-
tralia's idol-had come to London with
his memorable play, IA House Divid-
ed," had taken US all by storm, and
his name was on everyonc's lips. I
close my eyes and see him now. as he
used to stagger "off," pale and ex-
hausted; 1 can hear those crowds,
cheering and shouting until he had
passed the curtain twice. ], who would
have given half my life then for one
nights triumph such as that, had a
hopelessly thin part in the cast. I
played Grips, the valet, whose solitary
chance came in the half-lght, when
Usher, as the hero, estranged from his
wife by plotters, lay asleep in the de-
serted wing of the mansion; there the
valet, bribed, stole in by the secret
panel and stabbed him supposedly to
death. Just that, and little more; and
that role Usher had partly created for
me, soon after his coming to London,
out of sheer good nature. I had mar
ried girl in his original company, and
was out of an engagement-dead out of
luck in every sense.
Yes; it was one October night when,
hurrying in at the stage door, I heard
excited voices. Gavin Usher had Just
stepped down from his cab, few yards
away, and some man had evidently in
tercepted him. That mans back was
turned my way, but by just chance
I gripped one fact about him. He had
flung up his right hand as If in pro-
test. close against the cab-lamp. I
stared; thought he was going to
bring it down in blow; and in that
instant I saw that one of the middle
fingers was missing-there was only
the merest stump. I heard Usher say,
holly:
Never, as long as I live! But I'll
give you one final warning-if see you
here again I blow this whistle. You
understand" and then 1 had to bob
back; Usher, very pale, strobe past me
in the corridor. That was all; and it
happened so quickly and naturally that
it quite went out of my mind. and I
thought nothing more about it.
Just week went blythe last night
of the play had been announced. It
was getting dusk, one afternoon, when
l started up from my usual doze at
the sound of repeated knocks. All, of
course-Mollie had gone out shopping
with the landlady. Down I ran, and a
shabby-genteel gentleman, quite a
stranger to me, stood there, fumbling
at his face with handkerchief.
"Mr. Alec Rodney? All, yes, know
you well-I've seen you act times
enough. Er-it's all right; could 1
have word with you in private? p"
and, rather doggedly, I led the way
into our parlor-our little "best" room,
that we SO seldom used EYES," he
began, seating himself by the table
after quick glance round. IAN actor
makes many friends that he never
hears of. Well, Mr.. Rodney,
time fiiesl We are both business men,
I take it'll go straight to my point.
just this: I'm here to ask you to let
me play Grips, the valet, tonight.
Please! Every man has his price, prop
erly enough. Name yours!"
This was it to a word He looked
sober, he spoke calmly enough; vet I
could only stand and stare, wondering
which of us was mentally lacking for
the moment. IL was surely not asleep
still
"You don't see the drift" he went
on, coolly. "Just put me down as a
crank. Here's nv card
Hunt, of the New Thespians. See here.
have my ambitions, and nothing will
stop me. I've been studying for the
boards, but I'm told that what need
is little actual experience of the real
thing-a taste of the atmosphere, so to
speak-before venture on a profess
sional engagement. l fancy 1 have
fair opening, but want to make sure
Of the necessary confidence before
hand; and I'm prepared to pay. Now,
know your part-I've taken it in anna
teur affairs over and over again, and
this idea has occurred to me. There's
A good fellow! Just for to-night's per-
formance-and here's eco note to
show you I'm in earnest. Surely you
can't afford to sneer at that! Welt"
Heaven knows, I could not. The
mere crackle of the note set my heart
thumping-it would more than buy
that Mollie, poor girl, had
sighed for in her dreams for long
enough. And yet-the bare audacity
IF it'll