The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-09
A orfunafe
Engage IN g nj

sional ladies. Miss Rosie Heather. Of the
principal London theaters. and Miss Mary
Monk. who has just completed an engage
ment at the Duchess Thcatcr. London"
Looks well. doesn't it. my dcar?' a short.
stout. elderly woman with small beady.
black eyes set IN al cxpanse OF creased red
face. observed to her companion in the
train 10 Oldford from Waterloo
The said companion was tall and slender.
q little too slender and a little too pale.
perhaps. for her age. which could not have
been more than twenty. But the man
would have been hard 10 please who could
have found fault with Mary Monk that
score, so graceful and SO beautiful a speci-
men of refined English girlhood did she
look in her neat gray tweed gown and
wide brimmed black hat. which shaded her
regular features, brilliant dark-blue eyes
and abundant dark-brown hair.
Beauty was unhappfly Mary Monks only
portion. Her father. an extremely clever
physician. had lived up to and beyond his
means. and died at forty-hve, leaving no
provision whatever for his three daughters
or for his widow. who. however. speedily
avenged this omission by marrying again.
As to HiIda, Ethel and Mary. they had to
live together or half-starve together, in
uncomfortable London lodgings. as so many
poor and pretty English girls have to do
in these extravagant days. Hilda, who was
PLAN. became daily gOverness; Ethel. who
had a voice. became a singer, and Mary.
who was too pretty for governess and
had not voice enough TO become singer.
went on the stage at eighteen. and at
twenty was earning the magnificent sum Of
two pounds ten shiIIings a week. by playing
,I.,r- r7xrft, no
Duchess Theater.
But even such an engagement this
which. after her experiences as a "super"
at a guinea a week, Mary considered pro-
fessional plum" came to an end at last;
and it was while resting (as struggling
for employment is politely termed by the
atrical folk that Marys eyes were caught
by an advertisement for "a young lady,
with nice lady-like appearance and some
slight professional experience" to assist an
amateur club under the direction of Miss
Rosie Heather
To Miss Rosie Heathers house in Clap
ham. Mary hied her. and greatly disap-
pointed to find that that charming and
vIvacious little soub-ette" Gas Miss Heath
els advertisement described herr
particularly plain and rotund little person
OF fifty. Miss Heather, or, as she was
called in private life. Mrs. Hubbard, was
on the other hand extremely pleased by
Miss Monks appearance. and was even kind
enough to tell her so.
you have such a nice lady-like appear
ance that, with a little coaching from me,
] think you will be able TO get through
the parts of Elspeth in old Clov and Lady
Planta ganet in THE Little Heiress.' Miss
Heather was good enough to say. Il only
wish 1 could play all the parts myself; IL
would save me a good deal of time and
worry, But there. my dear. you will look
very nice. / am sure, and that's half the
battle nowadays when acting is growing a
lest art. Twenty years ago, when / was a
little girl III short frocks, / used 10 play
Medea and Betsy Baker the same night;
and next night do the sleep-walking scene
OF Lady Macbeth sandwiched between
Robert Macaire.' in which L played Marie.
and a pantomime, in which 1 danced as
Columbinel Give that sort of work to a
girl of the present day, and see what she
will make of it, l don't blame you. my
dear. because you can't act. How SHOULD
you, when you've been on the stage just
two minutes?"
Two years! Mary corrected gently
She was much struck by several points
in the excellent ladys discourse. For one,
her statement that she was still in the short
frocks twenty years ago. when she was
probably a little over thirty; for another.
her positive assertion that her young COM
ranion could not act. although she had
never seen her attempt 20 do So
But more surprises were in store for Mary
during that train journey. The book of
''Ols. Clo!' had been posted to her by Miss
Heather several days previously, and her
part of Elspeth she had already studied.
But 1.-The Little Heiress" was an unpub-
lished play, written by a friend of Miss
Heatner's. and 1t was not until the two
ladies were in the train that the elder took
out of her travelling bag the typewriter
book.
''Of course, you know Lady Plantagenet
is a middle-aged woman. my dear?'' Miss
Heather suggested. You must dress old,
and line your face. and wear a wig"
II haven't wig. and have so much hair
i could hardly wear one" Mary objected.
But will powder my hair and look as old
as / can, Mrs. Hubbard"
Miss Heather please" The other cor
rected her rather sharply. I'VE actresses.
you know. my dear. retain our maiden
names because the public cease to take a
ROMANTIC interest IN US when lney KNOW
that We are respectable wives and
mothers
Mary glanced at her. and decided that the
British public must be considerably more
infammable than IL had the credit OF being
if it still took a romantic interest in Miss
Rosie Heather. She said nothing, how
ever. and the good lady took up her parable
again.
IF you have too much hair 10 wear a
wig. my dear" she said, with a glance of
disapproval al Marys beautifully arranged,
wavy tresses. you should cut /: off, Nc
actress is OF any who can't disguise
herself for her different parts. This is
only. L hope. the beginning of a long and
profitable business acquaintance between
US: profitable for you. of course, | mean
for you Will not only have your expenses
for the three days at Oldford paid. and
your fares. but L shall persuade the club
TO give you a pound as well for the two
performances. which is capital pay. and
probably more than you have ever earned
In your life. But besides that you will
have the benefit OF my hints. which are in
valuable: and as you know nothing of the
business. they Will be the making of you
Think of the practice, You play a sweet
little insenue in the one piece and an arts