Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-05-03
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A CHANGE OF HEART.

don't wish 10 hppcAr unNS"noh"N'N,
but, good gracious, do you think
want TO lose the result OF two months
constant study and rehearsnlV Cyrll
Lawnsdale stood In the back OF inc
dim, deserted stage and mopped his
glowing forehead. 1--WE great nina
TO throw over the whole thing"
"You can't do that. Mr.. Lawnsdale,
You know your contract is TO plny
this piece all summer" Mr., Marsh,
the stage manager, looked annoyed
and worried,
ayes, but never expected 10 pay
IL with n stnge-struck baby ~
scarcely out Of the school room' lIh
outrageous to even imagine thai she
could take Miss Northrup's place
"she got through the rehearsal 'o'r'
" well and she's pretty"
Mr. Marsh tried to speak soothlngIN'
but Mr. Lawnsdale only gronneu III
reply, o,onor
change, and, 2anyway ] guess II WIN
run smooth all right" Marsh con-
tinued
"Smooth; why, man, that scene WIN
Adele in the vestry room, where shs
comes to tell me Of her doubts ana
fears, Is the keystone OF the Wno''
play. One stumble there VIII rum
everything. Why on earth does MISS
Northrup choose first night TO be
sick and leave US In the lurchY'
"Heaven only knows, my boy !
have been stage manager Tor twenty
years, and the ways OF leading lazy
are still beyond my comprehension
Cyril turned away; he saw that u
was useless to say anything more ne
left the theater and started to walk
of, II possible, his nervous dread OF
the evenings performance He hnd
hoped so much from this play. me
part Of the serious, deep thinking pu'
thoroughly modern young clergyman
was lust the thing 10 bring out his
talents. And now his chances OF sue
cess had flown, for he felt sure tha'
Miss Leigh would not be equal 10 her
difficult part, which would require all
the art OF q finished actress,
When the curtain went down atter
hhe first act that night Marsh eagerly
sought Cyril, who was in his dressing
room rapidly making his change OF
costume,
"The house certainly seemed pleas
ed. II wasn't so bad after all, was
it?"
"A little shaky, 7 should say, but
wait until the next act, there's the
rub. II we get through without q
downright failure I will be thankful"
Cyril said.
"Hanll II, man, you're too pessimis-
tic for any use" Marsh left the room
and Cyril gave long, low whistle,
"That man is enough to drive me out
of the profession" he remarked Ia
himself, "as If / weren't sufficiently
nervous already without his vista.
ton" The electric call bell rang and
Cyril went TO the stage in thorough
ly irritable state OF mind
The FIRST few lines went Oft quite
smoothly, and then the scene ap'
preached that Cyril had all the time
been dreading. Miss Leigh, as Adele
throws off her usual gay society man
ner and lays almost bare n heart sore
ly perplexed, and whose secret her
love for him, the young celloate
clergyman, he easily surmises.
The moment came for Cyril to
sneak. He leaned forward ready to
begin, he took her hand, but the IA
miliar, oft-practiced words refused "a
come. He made Almighty effort to re-
call them. but his mind was almost a
blank. He gave Miss Leigh an ngon'
lied look, and, turning her face away
from the audience, as If part of the
"business," she murmured the first
lines and he was able to go on. The
curtain went down in the midst OF Q
storm Of applause which continued
until Mr.. Lnwnsdnle and Miss Leigh
appeared before the curtain. The lit
tie girlish actress had won the hearts
Of the great audience.
"You shall play the part all sum
mer," whispered Mr.. Marsh as she
came running Off, full Of happy excite
ment.
This success II Nllil'lN bNihE w
you, Miss Leigh" said Cyril. "You
must allow me to thank you most sin
eerely,"
"You have nothing to thank me for
II was to my advantage to have the
scene go off smoothly"
81 must at least apologize for my
stupidity in forgetting my lines"
at is not necessary, I quite under.
stand your nervousness" Margaret
Leigh swept away, leaving him won
dering what she meant, "What d
naughty little thing he said to him
self "She seems to have taken dis
like for me-" That was rather in.
comprehensive to Cyril. Tie was &C.
customed to being petted by the WON.
en- in the company, and as the sum.
mer went on and Margaret continued
TO treat him with marked GOODNESS hc
grew piqued
"You must find it hard to play op.
posite me, Miss Leigh" he said one
day. as he met her going into the
theater for the matinee. ST am sorry
that I am so disngreeable TO you"
ct don't mind at all with whom ]
play the part, If il is well done; It is
mere matter Of business" she re.
piled.
y The weather became warm, and