The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-02-12
observation-disclosures
CLAIMING, y
" THE ACTOR.

Observation-Disclosures
Charming was simple, serious, mis-
taken young man who had come 10
New York to learn 10 act and sub
sequently to go on the stage. Chan
ming had always been cast for old
mems parts at the school Of acting, and
he played them observation-disclosures
conscIentlously than necessity required,
for nature had partially equipped him
for the task by giving him asthma and
only one lung, and the cough which
old men on the stage always suffer
from didn't have to be counterfeited
in Channing's case. Moreover, he
caught bad cold because there was nc
heat In his hall bedroom-you can't
heat for SO n week-and this would
have made his "old men lmperson'
atoms" very realistic II he only had
real part to play, but he didn't lie
mad to sit In his overcoat and study
his part, which didn't take him long,
being only six lines, and the most
yapld six lines possible, and between
times he would go and read at public
Libraries, for this Is not only Improving
TO the mind. but also warm. The
sudden changes from the intense heat
Of the public libraries to the Intense
cold Of the hall bedroom. and there
is nothing colder In the world than
that, gave Claiming pneumonia be-
cause he didn't have enough troubles,
and when he went to rehearsals he
couldn't get through his six lines for
coughing.
Charming played n gentleman's part
and consequently dressed well, because
be had to. He also received invita-
tons 10 actresses receptions and went
10 them In a dress suit. Accommodate
ing young men who will pass round tea
and claret cup and give recitatlons arc
so rare that they are sought after, even
II they are poor as Job. Besides, II
You meet a young man at a reception
and he IS attlred like other young men
and talks In an educated way, how
are you to know that he has just
pawned his watch and fears that be
will have to pawn his overcoatf When
you meet a young man who throws
money away on learning to act, how
are you to know but what he lives at
the Waldorf?
So that to Gwendollne Maltrayers,
who took the ingenue part In the play
in which Charming "suped," be seemed
no poorer than other young men
Gwendollne Maltrayers was really Bes'
sic Brown, for the smaller the part on
the stage the bigger the name. Bes'
sic Brown was not as old as ingenues
are popularity supposed to be, but sh'
played her part just about as badly. as
third rate ingenues generally do and
overdressed to the same extent
She was pretty and had loud voice
evidently proceeding from perfect
lungs. and Claiming having only one
admired her. Her careless generosity
had something fine about IT, and when
she ran on the stage and Rugged an
other man he felt jealous.
BessIe's father was a pawnbroker
which is one way of saying that Bes
sic was we'll off. She acted because
she wanted to and got an engagement
because she knew a theatrical man.
Under the weather. aren't your
she asked Charming one day when hi
was coughing. You need quinine."
Charming said that he would ge
some. He would have got yitriol II
she had recommended II. He remem
bered as he said 1t that he had bis
bill mt the drug store, and his hear
sank.
1t was then that he decided to pawr
his Overcoat. 1t was the kind of over
coat that actors favor, fur lined ant
fur collared, as effective as an in
genue's stage name. OF course the dal
after he had pawned IL II turned bitter
" cold. A man misses his topcoat OF
such a day, and other people miss II
especially when it Is such pretentiou
| garment. Bessie missed 1t. She wa
not tactful, but good hearted.
"Are you madT' she said. "Goinl
around without a topcoat~ And sh'
added that he was a "juggins," whicl
is a playful term signifying fool"
Some people can stand being poor a.
long as they are not thought so, just a
some people are contented to b
thought so as long as they are not
Claiming belonged to the first class. l
was his one weakness.
81 had II stolen" he said, lying
Bessie said II was too bad. AS sh'
made the commonplace, vulgarized re
mark her eyes redeemed II. They wer
full of pity. She thought a minute AM
then. having no false pride and hear
as big as O stage name, said:
"But, say, perhaps can help you Z
recover 1t. Papa is in partnership wit
Isaacs, the pawnbroker you know
They often have stolen goods brough
TO them. could identify your coat
the one with the fur collar, isn't III
II hasn't gone to one Of papa's shop
(she pronounced 1t popper) maybe 1T
gone to one of those he knows. oh
wen get 1t back. never fear!'
Claiming blushed. There WASH
much blood In bis poor body, but al
there was rose to his hollow cheeks.
is hard luck to have the girl you love o.
the road to proving that you have toll
q lie, and a silly lie, too, about some
thing that no one ought to be ashame'
of.
Don't" he said in choking yolc
that would have mPde bis fortune o.
the stage. 81 paw i 1t myself
1t was soon after this that they wer
rried.-Exchange
Paper and Electricity.
Paper is one OF the best conductor
of electricity there Is. Thus boys In