The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-20
The Unnnaking Of an RGtOr
By 1NNI MCCLURE SHOLL.

passed like a dream ia which he was the
only man awake.
Next morning. the newspapers praised
Anne DeIaGold as a matter of course but
they also praised her leading man in the
vague and exuberaHr phrase compelled
by merit where merit had not been look
90 for 4 little sketch of Lords past on
the stage was appe nded 10 oue-of the no
t.ces. as If the writer had turned 20 30
FOR some explanation Of his DuvaL He
laid special emphasis on Lords fine sense
of proportion. which led him. while play
ing his part with Justice and energy. TO
keep it all the while subordinate to Miss
DelaEeld'S
Lord read these criticisms at an early
breakfast and diEasted them with his
coffee and rolls Then he cO+ them care
fully out. and mailed them TO his people
i'm Connecticut with a sense of having
done much to clear ND a ten years misuu-
aerstandinE- lie stroIied down Broad
way with The self confident air Of a man
who has sI:d1cnly possessed himself. af-
ter long period Of uncertain tenure.
He refrained from entering a cable car.
lest he should enbarraSs its occupants.
lie bought a bunch OF double viOIets 70
pm on the ragged coat Of street gamin.
He dined at DeImonico's. and asked the
poorest friend he had 10 share the din
ner. They had a good brand of cham
payne, which the poor devil Of an actor
drank as II 10 were the water of Ohliv-
ion He became affecti0Bate and senti-
mental toward his benefactOr. and wanted
TO swear everlasting friendship But by
that time il was theatre hour, and Lord
forced himself away after a kindly hand
shake with his unfortunate brother. who
turned light steps toward a certain
trowsy theatre on the BOwCry
Lord played well that night and TIE
next II Anne DeIafeld had been aware
OF the existence of her leading man all
might have gone on smoothly and great
Interpreter Of Hamlet might eventually
nave been given to the world on the
stage, however Miss DeloreId did not
see Stanton Lord She passed him By
behind the scenes. with never a look or
word. She did not mean 10 be uukind
She was absorbed in the part she was
about 10 play. or had played For the
time being she was the part. from
an hour before the curtain rose TO an hour
/ AFTER 10 fell. she moved as one possessed.
Stanton Lord with mis- new dignities
I Ifesh upon him. was piqued by her beha-
Flor- lmperceptlbly 90 himself an ugly
I niue spirit OF resentment began to cloud
/ the Hrst light Of his triumph. Yet how
was This spirit compatible with another
/ The desire TO feel her nearness to him in
/ The love scenes Of the play. 10 realize il
Win more than the actors realization
On the fourth night he played unerenly.
and was sharply called 10 account for il
J ny a friend whose privilege il was 10
speak the truth
She viii never know or care how I
/ play it, he said TO himself in an excess
/ 81 uhreasonlng anger Il am only a lay
/ hgure Tor her to exercise her art on"
] The next performance was a matinee.
/ At its close o strange thing happened
. Miss Delafeld tainted. The curtain was
I hastily rung down, but the other actors.
I VINO were grouping themselves lbout the
/ dying Camille, kept their positions for a
/ moment. as II they did not realize that the
I NhLte. helpless figure on Jhe boards before
. them was no longer an actress. but az uu-
. herFed woman. Stanton Lod was the first
/ 10 grasp The situation. He kuelr beside
/ Miss DeIafeId
me woman's been working too blamed
! hard- said the stage manager. who came
. up a second later than Lord.
The leading man felt wave Of tender
ness pass over him. He lifted the girls
head from the floor gently. as if he feared
( q" awake her BuL. CONSCIOUSNESS was al
ready returning. She opened her ewes
/ put her arms ont feebiy. and then fell 10
/ Sohbing like little child AT that mo-
| Ment strong arm drew Linn awav. II he
] i"hsed 20 a stalwart actress. who had fig
/ urea as one Of the guests at OIympes ball.
Her makeup looked like war paint.
/ Go IN front OF the curtain Lord and
tel EN- anything you please" she said
/ 'hls give us chance TO do something
for her
Lord went obedienuy. with q s.rsnge
sensation of having given over q holy
thing into profaue hands.
mat night he made Up a box OF flowers
ior Miss Deiaheld choosing. without
knowing Why. certain simple blossoms
pausies. single vlOlets, delicate sprays OF
misronette. primrOses and even scarlet
grFanlIms He placed hEs card sr71no
/ lhem, with lille upon f. regrorfing
heF Illness. Then he sent 10 off nv
4 special messenger. and before ana
aver d. went troop Of confused fam
Cies- chief among which was the f.g-
that DE might never again have a cbarra
her "ilN
But he had. She was better the newt
day. and could play In the evening SH.
. met Lord in the wings few rornar-s
before the curtain rose. and thanked him
! lot the flowers. As she did so she raised
her eyes 20 his face and REGARDED Mn
! with some human interest" as Lord
said 20 himself afterward. when he vs.
/ trying 10 hN the light Of her glance for
ever IA his mind. that ID might iIIur4ira
him In dark hours
He passed trembling like lover iDro
/ the hrst love scene Of the play. Form
u'l'ISr ne Adt not much TO do Miss Della
neld did it all She drew low sfooI h.
side the chair on which ne vas seated
and nestled down beside him. drawing his
1 mead Gown 10 hers, and pressing his check
[ 10 hers with delicate passion
Love you she said tenderIy. All
much too much"
The old words heard again and again in
! rehearsal and play. stifIei him with a sTII-
ae@ 10Y which held anguish in its depth
Was he on the stage Of the Nafesri.
Theatre Was this woman beside him in
her gown OF lace and silk Camille ysr.
they not rather alone togelher bfd5a,
close nd deep In some sin paradise
where the cold faces Of the audience rouId
never stare upon them
The voice Of the prOmutCr sWc,-a hin,
Ike the voice OF fate. Miss DeIafeId cav,
an uneasy movement His blood ran cold
When he became conscious that he must
say some thing. and lac had forgotten
what In an instant she had Whispered rb.
words 10 him He repeated them like a
parrot and with an ugly Jerk was bacL,
/ In the mechanism Of the pIav.
! W nat ccnsummate fool he had baa1 10
lose his grip on the part. simply because
strange actress had PLAYED a love scene
/ artisticallyl The modification of bJs
blunder mare him abIectIy seIf-coDsrious
He played the remainder of The nice
| eNecrahly- Once he imagined that Miss
/ Delaheld looked ar Inn with curiosity ana
some annoyance II might have been only
Imagination The moment the play was
I over he flung out OF the theatre waIEod
up 10 the park. and paced in and out Of ifs
dark avenues until after midnight He
called himself every name Of obIoquy in