The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-24

hall, and Blanche called quickly: "Oh, Mr..
Ellsler-Mr Ellsler! Wait a moment,
please. l want to speak TO you"
l could not know that his almost re-
pellant sternness of face concealed a
kindness of heart that approached weak
ness, so when he turned a frowning, i'm
patient face towards us, hope left me
utterly, and for moment l seemed to
stand in a great darkness. / think / can
do no better than TO give Mr. Ellsler's
own account of that, our first meeting,
as he has given 1t often since. He says:
Il was much put out by business mat
ter, and was hastily crossing the corri-
dor when Blanche called me, and l saw
she had another girl in tow; girl whose
appearance in a theater was so droll
must have laughed, had l not been more
than little cross. Her dress was quite
short-she wore a pale blue apron but
toned up the back, hong braids tied at the
ends with ribbon, and brown straw hat,
while she clutched desperately at the
handle of the biggest umbrella l ever
saw. Her eyes were distinctly blue and
were plainly big with fright. Blanche
gave her name and said she wanted to
go on in the ballet, and l instantly an
Swered she would not do, she was too
SMALL wanted women, not children, and
started to return to my office. Blanche
was voluble but the girl herself never
spoke a single word. l glanced toward
ner and stopped. The hands that clutch
ed the umbrella trembled-she raised her
eyes and looked at me. l had noticed
their blueness the moment before-now
they were almost black, so swiftly had
the pupils dilated. and slowly the tears
rose in them. All the father in me shrank
under the childs bitter disappointment
all the actor in me thrilled at the power
of expression in the girls face, and
hastily added: oh. welll You may come
back in a day or two, and If anyone APP
pears meantime who is short enough to
march with you, I'll take you on and
after got to my office l remembered that
girl had not spoken a single word, but
had won an engagement, for l knew
should engage her, with a pair of tear
filled eyes
The following Tuesday. under the pro-
lection of the ever faithful Blanche
again presented myself, and was engaged
for the term OF two weeks, to go on the
stage In the marches and dances Of a
play called The Seven Sisters for which
service l was to receive three dollars a
week, or fifty cents a night, as there
were no matinees then, and so entered
with wide astonished eyes. into that dim
dusty, chaotic place known as behind
the scenes" strange place. where moth
ing is and everything may be.
In the daytime l found the stage a thing
dead-at night with the blazing OF the
gas, it lived! For light is its life music
is its soul, and the play it's brain.
Silently and cautiously walked about
gazing curiously al the scenes" so fine
on one side, so bare and cheap on the
other. At the carleton glass windows"
at the green calico sea-" lying nat and
waveless on the floor. Everything there
pretended to be something else, and at
last l said solemlny to Blanche: rs
everything only male-believe in a the.
ater?"
And she turned her gum to the other
side. and answered: Yes, everything s
make belleve-except salary dayl'
Then came the rehearsal-everythn wa
military just then-and there was a zou-
ave drill 10 learn. as well as q couple o.
dances. The women and girls who bal
been engaged were not the very incest
people In the world though they were
the best 10 be found a. such short notice
And Mrs, Bradshaw told me not 20 stand
about with them. but 10 come 10 her as
soon IS my share IN the work was over
but" said this Wise woman, don't fail
J IN politeness 70 them, for nothing Will